Caseworker 2 (MH) Administrative Case Manager - Adults

Northampton County•Bethlehem, PA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Caseworker 2 – Mental Health Administrative Case Manager – Adults position is a full-time professional case management position responsible for the provision of a full range of social services to individuals in need of assessment and/or services. This position reports directly to the County Casework Supervisor for case management and does not exercise supervision over other employees. The duties and responsibilities of this position involve work of a confidential nature dealing with individual interviews, records, information, and contacts. Confidentiality is to be maintained at all times in accordance with current regulations and policies concerning use of individual records. An employee assigned to this title shall perform a majority, but may not perform all, of the duties listed in this job description. Conversely, minor level duties performed on the job may not be listed. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

Requirements

Completion of a high school, or general equivalency diploma; AND At least six (6) months of experience as a County Caseworker 1; OR Successful completion of the County Social Casework Intern program; OR A Bachelor's degree with a social welfare major; OR A Bachelor's degree which includes, or is supplemented by, twelve (12) college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences; AND At least one (1) year of full-time professional social casework experience in a public or private social services agency; OR Any equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences
Employee assigned to this title will be required to possess and maintain a valid and current motor vehicle operator’s license.
Must have an acceptable driving record.
Personal vehicle required for County business; employee is eligible for mileage reimbursement.
Knowledge of current social case management principles, techniques, and methods.
Knowledge of the basic principles and methods of program interpretation and community organization.
Knowledge of current social, economic, and health problems and their impact on the growth and development of people.
Knowledge of individual and group development and behavior.
Knowledge of working effectively with adults who have social, economic, emotional, or health problems.
Knowledge of social welfare policies and laws as they relate to agency function and purpose and societal structures.
Ability to work effectively with people and aid them to grow via the constructive use of their potential and adjusting to their specific problems.
Ability to understand and accept the needs and rights of others and to work with adults who are physically challenged, mentally disabled, emotionally troubled, and economically disadvantaged.
Ability to learn, interpret, and apply relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing agency services.
Ability to learn how to conduct individual and family interviews and to use them to identify individual and family problems.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their families, other staff, outside agencies and institutions, and the general public.
Ability to plan and organize work, prepare adequate records and reports, set priorities, and learn to maintain a caseload in an effective and timely manner.
Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of others.
Ability to clearly express ideas verbally and in writing.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English to perform the duties of this position.

Responsibilities

Conducts intake interviews.
Reviews referral material and available medical and/or psychiatric records concerning an individual’s physical and/or mental condition, social and/or economic status, attitudes, and personality traits.
Determines financial eligibility by conducting a sliding scale fee liability.
Upon completion of an intake, makes referrals to a selected provider for outpatient treatment and sets up the initial clinic appointment.
Authorizes funding for initial intake.
Completes provisional treatment plan to outline needs of individual and services to be accessed.
Reviews the case several months later to determine if the individual continues to require funding.
Assists individuals in accessing community services in areas of employment, shelter, medical benefits, and financial assistance to maintain overall well-being, including physical and mental health evaluation and treatment, education, vocational training, and socialization.
Includes advocacy to state and Federal agencies with regard to medical assistance applications and social security benefits.
Also includes the use of non-traditional resources (e.g., education, recreation, housing, physical health, etc.) to provide support.
Maintains ongoing records of each individual’s progress and arranges for services related to the Mental Health service plan, which includes ongoing documentation of notes electronically via a computer database set up to reflect the same design as a paper chart.
Maintains daily documentation of contact notes to record Caseworker daily activity.
Electronic Mental Health files created and maintained so an electronic record of forms such as clinical assessments, liabilities authorizations, and discharges exists.
Caseworkers scan medical records, financial information, and other pertinent documents as needed, to maintain the electronic record.
Participates in regular service/treatment planning and review activities that may include attendance at inter-agency and/or intra-agency meetings for the purpose of developing, monitoring, and updating individual service/treatment plans.
Documentation is entered electronically for review by a supervisor.
Updates sliding-fee-scale liabilities annually, or more frequently, as dictated by changes in client income, insurance, marital status, and/or number of family dependents.
Ensures that initial authorizations for services performed by contracted providers are completed on a timely basis and that routine re-authorizations are kept current.
Responsible for reviewing, assessing, and referring individuals to targeted case management providers or peer services as appropriate, based on clinical need.
Maintains an internal wait list for Intensive Case Management (ICM) services as needed.
Completes a thorough assessment and determines if other services are needed.
Facilitates referrals to other programs as needed.
Meets with targeted case management and peer service providers for regular service reviews.
Responsible for referring individuals to site-based and mobile psychiatric rehabilitation providers.
Performs occasional home visits when required by need of clients.
Provides life management services for consumers when, due to their disability, they require this service.
Makes referrals in-house to other Mental Health workers who oversee other program types such as longer-term residential services, employment program referrals, or other appropriate programs.
Determines if other level of care services are needed, such as specific targeted case management or treatment (e.g., Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), aging services, medical services, older adult outreach, and complex case involvement).
May also make referrals for individuals needing emergency shelter, or to community programs that offer financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing, or medication.
Assists individuals in accessing services to budget their financial resources and/or arranges for a representative payee.
Assists with transportation or arranges transportation.
May authorize bus tickets on a limited basis to help individuals get to clinic appointments.
Reviews and prepares cases for discharge.
May include pre-discharge contact with individuals and service providers to verify the service needs, individual interest in services, and/or alternate funding streams.
Serves as liaison to designated human service organizations, provider agencies, treatment facilities, and/or individual groups to facilitate communication and continuity of care.