LMHC) (Behavioral Health Services)

Vinfen•Plymouth, MA

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead Clinician for Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) works as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Working under the director of the Team Leader and Psychiatrist, the Lead Clinician will assist in providing clinical leadership in treatment planning, take a lead role in coordinating Individual Treatment Team (ITT) duties and responsibilities, and ensure that all documentation is complete and accurate. This role involves providing case management and ongoing assessment for an assigned group of persons served, coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team (ITT), and assuming primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising overall Individual Action Plan (IAP) goals and plans. The Lead Clinician will also provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management, making immediate changes to the IAP as needs change, and educating and supporting persons served families, while advocating for their rights and preferences. A comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history, mental status, diagnosis, physical and dental health, substance use, education, employment, social development, activities of daily living, and family structure and relationships is also a key part of this role. Additionally, the Lead Clinician will act as a liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process and provide on-call crisis intervention.

Requirements

Five years supervised practical experience, including internships, in a clinical or rehabilitation setting with persons who have psychiatric disabilities.
Master’s degree in a human service discipline required.
LCSW, LICSW, LMHC in state of service required.
CPR required within two weeks of hire
First Aid required within two weeks of hire
CPSS required
NET required
PACT Module Training required within 3 months of hire
Driving is a requirement for this position using either a Vinfen van or personal vehicle.
If using a personal vehicle, you must possess and maintain adequate insurance as well as maintain a safe driving record which is subject to annual checks.
A valid driver’s license must be presented at the time of employment.
Incumbents must be at least 21 years of age, have maintained a valid US driver’s license for at least one year, and must be able to pass a driver’s screening background check.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch, crawl, climb as this is a very physically active position.
Must be able to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques or the use of a two-person lift.
Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.
Ability to sit, reach, climb stairs, and maneuver through narrow spaces or hallways.
Ability to assist person served with tasks of daily living.
Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time as needed.
Ability to bend, reach, file, sit, stand, and move around the facility.
Ability to speak, hear, and communicate with person served, staff, and external representatives.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues
Knowledge and use of advocacy techniques
Knowledge and use of different communication styles
Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with program persons served
Respect for persons served rights and personal preferences in treatment
Knowledge of human, legal, civil rights, community, and other resources
Skills and competence in the use of formal and informal assessment tools and practices
Ability to work independently as well as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Skills and competence to use crisis intervention techniques
Strong commitment to the right and ability of program persons served to live, work, and seek supports as the general population at large
Knowledge of therapy and teaching modalities
Clinical skills

Responsibilities

Provide case management for an assigned group of persons served, including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team (ITT); assume primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising overall IAP goals and plans in conjunction with the ITT; provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the IAP as a persons served needs change; educate and support persons served families, and advocate for person served rights and preferences.
Conduct comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, living situation, nutrition, money management); and family structure and relationships.
Acts as liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime and weekend hours.
Document person served progress to maintain a permanent record of persons served activity according to established methods and procedures.
Provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services, with some interventions directed or performed by staff with specialty training and skills (e.g., vocational specialists).
Perform other related duties, as required.
Provide ongoing assessment of a persons served mental illness symptoms and persons served response to treatment. Make appropriate changes in IAPs to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior which put the persons served at risk.
Provide symptom education to enable persons served to identify their mental illness symptoms.
Provide direct clinical services including individual supportive therapy and psychotherapy to the persons served on an individual, group, and family basis in the office and in community settings to teach behavioral symptom-management techniques to alleviate and manage symptoms not reduced with medication; and to promote personal growth and development by assisting the person served to cope with internal external stresses.
Provide individual and group treatment in the office and in community settings in a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational, considers interactions of mental illness and substance misuse, and has person served-determined goals.
Coordinate with outside inpatient services to detoxify persons served and establish linkage to outpatient treatment, self-help programs, outpatient services, and residential facilities.
Take a lead role or participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable a person served to identify vocational strengths and problems, establish vocational or career goals and plans to reach them, and recognize and target symptoms of mental illness that interfere with work.
Plan and provide work-related supportive services, such as assistance with grooming and personal hygiene, securing of appropriate clothing, wake-up calls, and transportation.
Teach job-seeking skills.
Develop individualized jobs based on persons served needs, abilities, and interests.
Conduct on-the-job performance assessments and evaluations, regular work review sessions with persons served and their employers, on-the-job support, and crisis assistance contacts.
Perform job coaching, problem solving, and support on and off the job site.
Coordinate with state vocational and rehabilitation and other employment services.
Provide benefits counseling.
Provide ongoing assessment, problem solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision, and environmental adaptations to assist persons served with activities of daily living.
Assist persons served to find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live.
Assist and support persons served to carry out personal hygiene and grooming tasks.
Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
Assist and support persons served to perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry.
Ensure that persons served have adequate financial support.
Teach money management skills.
Help persons served to access reliable transportation.
Assist and support persons served to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists, as required.
Provide individual supportive therapy, social skill development, and assertiveness training to increase persons served social and interpersonal activities in community settings.
Plan, structure, and prompt social and leisure-time activities on evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Provide side-by-side support and coaching to help persons served socialize.
Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities to structure persons served time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills and receive feedback and support.
Provide practical help and supports, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving, direct assistance, training, and supervision to help persons served obtain the necessities of daily living including medical and dental health care; legal and advocacy services; financial support such as entitlements or housing subsidies; money management services; and transportation.