Community Support Specialist ACT Team
About The Position
Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Healthcare is hiring a Community Support Specialist for its new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team serving the Marshalltown area. The ACT team provides coordinated, individualized treatment and practical support to adults living with serious and persistent mental illness in their homes and community settings. The Community Support Specialist helps individuals develop the skills and supports needed to live more independently. The role includes developing personalized goals, coordinating services, connecting individuals with community resources, and supporting needs related to daily living, health, housing, employment, and education. The position also involves advocacy, transportation, crisis response, documentation, discharge planning, and participation in the team’s on-call rotation. The employee must follow agency policies and applicable confidentiality and regulatory requirements.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, sociology, psychology, education, or a related field.
- Demonstrated decision-making skills and competencies for working with adults with severe and persistent mental illness.
- Familiarity with psychotropic medications and their side effects.
- Problem-solving experience and discretion in crisis mediation situations.
- Valid vehicle operator license, proof of liability insurance, and ability to drive for organization business.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and/or weekends if necessary.
- Ability to travel as required for a community-based position.
- Support for Prairie Ridge’s mission and the patients it serves.
- Proficiency in oral and written communication and documentation requirements.
- Technology skills sufficient to use an electronic health record.
- Ability to meet the physical demands of the position, including sitting; using hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; talking and hearing; frequently walking and stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling; often standing, reaching, and climbing or balancing; infrequently lifting or moving up to 10 pounds and occasionally lifting or moving up to 35 pounds; and using close, distance, and color vision and adjusting focus.
Nice To Haves
- Two years of experience providing community-based rehabilitation, behavioral health, or related human services.
Responsibilities
- Develop an Integrated Treatment Team Plan (ITTP) and facilitate implementation of individual program goals, which may address community living, daily living, interpersonal, vocational or educational skills, medication management, physical health care, mental health services, substance use services, resource acquisition, and psychiatric emergency or relapse.
- Conduct needs assessments and provide direct, face-to-face community-based services to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in their homes and other community settings.
- Arrange and provide physical transportation for clients as needed to support treatment plan goals and access to services.
- Develop crisis plans; assess and respond to psychiatric crises, including acute symptoms or instability; and develop appropriate action plans with the client and treatment team.
- Monitor client progress and facilitate updates to individual service goals.
- Coordinate treatment activities and services with the Treatment Team, participate in the on-call rotation, and respond to urgent patient needs as required.
- Complete timely and accurate documentation of services, assessments, client progress, and other required information.
- Advocate for clients with other service providers and assist with coordinating resources.
- Develop and coordinate discharge planning with the client and treatment team.
- Treat individuals with dignity and respect while maintaining confidentiality, professionalism, and objectivity.
- Maintain HIPAA and 42 CFR confidentiality requirements and comply with CARF policies and procedures.
- Comply with agency policies, procedures, and regulatory standards.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
