Community Support Specalist

BHG Careers•Northern Springfield, MO

About The Position

Behavioral Health Group (BHG) is a provider of outpatient opioid addiction treatment services, offering medication-assisted treatment and counseling. The Community Support Specialist supports patients’ recovery through individualized, community-based services that emphasize hope, respect, personal strengths, harm reduction, independence, and self-advocacy. The role works with medical staff and community partners to help patients address substance use and related mental and physical health needs, build skills, and pursue their individual treatment and recovery goals. The specialist provides support in patients’ homes and other community settings, assists with medication adherence and referrals, and helps patients access emergency resources such as financial, medical, and housing assistance. The role also assesses patient progress and barriers, contributes to individualized rehabilitation plans, identifies relapse risks, and documents services and patient responses. BHG describes its workplace as offering role-based training and advancement opportunities, flexible schedules with early-in/early-out hours, no nights or Sundays, paid time off and holidays, benefits programs, tuition reimbursement, a 401(k) with discretionary match, quarterly bonuses, certification or license incentives, employee discounts, an Employee Assistance Program, and a self-care series. Relocation assistance is also offered to support career opportunities in other locations.

Requirements

Associate of Applied Science in Human Services or Behavioral Health from an approved institution.
Reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license.
Experience providing one-on-one or group services focused on rehabilitation or habilitation and recovery or resiliency, or experience encouraging natural-resource use and teaching or modeling coping and management skills for psychiatric, developmental, or substance abuse issues, or supporting patients’ employment, education, and functioning in families and communities, or assisting patients in meeting Individual Treatment Plan goals and objectives.
Sufficient knowledge of the substance abuse population, treatment planning, and human social services to support rehabilitation of the patient community.
Ability to make science-backed decisions and use sound judgment with confidential and sensitive issues.
Ability to deal appropriately with patients and team members in stressful or undesirable situations and seek direction from supervisors when needed.
Self-starter with strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills.
High integrity and sound judgment, with the ability to react quickly and make effective decisions.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and under pressure while managing multiple tasks.
Basic computer and word-processing skills.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, or another related human services field is recommended.

Responsibilities

Inspire hope and communicate that addiction is a treatable mental disease rather than a moral failing.
Use an individualized, multidisciplinary approach in coordination with medical staff and other providers.
Help patients identify and seek treatment for underlying mental and physical health conditions that contribute to addictive behavior.
Support patients in pursuing independent functioning and rehabilitation through community-based services and individualized treatment plans.
Use evidence-based interventions to develop interpersonal, social, family, community, and independent-living skills.
Provide patient care emphasizing personal strengths, skills, harm reduction, motivational approaches, self-advocacy, and participation in recovery.
Facilitate recovery activities and help patients define recovery concepts and establish and attain recovery goals.
Identify patients’ needs, strengths, skills, and resources; teach them how to use these resources and address obstacles to recovery.
Educate patients about substance use disorders, including symptoms, triggers, cravings, and the benefits and side effects of prescribed medications.
Provide individual assistance to patients in adhering to prescribed medication regimens.
Provide services independently in patients’ homes and other community settings unless the treatment plan specifies otherwise.
Encourage recovery efforts, independence, self-care, and responsibility.
Participate in developing individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans for patients on the caseload.
Provide individual support to patients needing emergency financial, medical, housing, or other services; follow up on referrals, including after missed appointments, to support re-engagement and recovery.
Apply knowledge of psychological concepts and evidence-based interventions, and coordinate mental health and other services provided by practitioners and community partners.
Continuously assess assigned patients’ strengths, progress, and barriers to meeting treatment goals.
Document services provided, patient needs, interventions, progress or lack of progress, providers, service dates and times, and patient responses.
Identify relapse risk factors and develop strategies with patients to support recovery and prevent relapse.

Benefits

Generous paid time off, holidays, and personal-needs time.
Flexible schedules with early-in/early-out hours; no nights or Sundays.
Role-based training and advancement opportunities.
Choice of three benefits programs, including health, life, vision, and dental insurance.
Tuition reimbursement.
401(k) plan with discretionary match.
Competitive pay.
Quarterly bonuses and incentives for certifications or licenses.
Employee discounts on services and entertainment.
Employee Assistance Program.
Self-care series.
Relocation assistance.