Mental Health Counselor 1 - Underfill

State of Nevada•Rural Nevada, NV

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Nevada DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES (DCFS) is recruiting for a Mental Health Counselor 1 underfilling a Mental Health Counselor 2 in the Ely or Elko Child Welfare Office. Position works under supervision and advancement to the next level may occur after meeting the minimum qualification, satisfactory performance, and with endorsement of the appointing authority. Counselors provide counseling, case management, direct clinical services, community and home-based services, and behavioral and human services to mentally ill, developmentally disabled and/or emotionally disturbed clients in an outpatient, residential, community or similar setting. To perform the full range of duties Licensure is required: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor, or Licensed Practicing Counselor. Mental Health Counselors provide Intensive Family Services (IFS) to families involved with the child welfare system in rural Nevada. Staff provides in-home, family-centered, intensive services including counseling, skill-building, supportive services, advocacy, mental health assessments for children and their parents, and clinical case management to complex, high-risk families. Mental Health Counselors with IFS provide diagnoses to children in custody for access to services; higher level of care; crisis intervention; placement disruption services; and case consultation services for other DCFS program staff. IFS program does not replicate existing services and is not considered a mental health program, but rather a clinical child welfare program designed to intervene quickly with families where safety threats have been identified and removal of children is imminent without effective preventative services. IFS prioritizes efforts to enhance deficient caregiver protective capacities to mitigate safety factors. Incumbents possess a degree of knowledge and proficiency sufficient to perform work independently with little or no additional training. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Mental Health Counselors provide counseling, case management, direct clinical services, program development, policy implementation, community and home based services, and behavioral and human services to mentally ill, mentally disabled and/or emotionally disturbed clients in an outpatient, residential, community or similar setting. Under general supervision, Mental Health Counselor I’s receive training and acquire skills in performing professional clinical duties described in the series concept. This is the entry level in the series, and progression to Mental Health Counselor II is not automatic.

Requirements

Master's degree from an accredited college or university in counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, social work or closely related academic field; OR an equivalent combination of education and clinical experience at or above a Master's degree and experience as described above.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
General knowledge of: normal and abnormal human behavior and development; individual, marital, group and family counseling techniques; case management practices and procedures; crisis intervention techniques; treatment team dynamics; psychotropic medications including desired effects, common side effects, and drug interactions; laws governing abuse and neglect of clients/inmates; client/inmate rights and confidentiality of information; symptoms, characteristics and treatment of common mental and emotional illnesses; effects of substance abuse on mental and emotional health; services, roles and responsibilities of human services agencies in the community.
Ability to: provide individual, group, marital and family therapy; write concise, logical and clear reports regarding client status and treatment; assess and utilize community resources; establish rapport and appropriate clinical relationships with clients/inmates, their families and care providers; develop and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with co-workers, medical and health professionals, social service agency representatives and others; negotiate, write and monitor service contracts for client housing and services; prepare documentation for patient charts and billing purposes.

Nice To Haves

Licensure is required: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor, or Licensed Practicing Counselor.

Responsibilities

Conduct appraisals and assessments through interviews with the client, family members and community systems, personal observations, communication with clinicians and representatives of community agencies and organizations, and utilization of standardized techniques to determine client eligibility for services and appropriate course of treatment at the least restrictive level possible.
Conduct or participate in treatment planning by attending treatment team meetings in which client goals are determined, and appropriate strategies and plans are developed and modified as necessary; coordinate and integrate services among members of treatment teams and client support systems; monitor treatment plans and evaluate effectiveness.
Provide individual, family and group counseling and consultative services to clients, their families and support systems utilizing a broad array of intervention techniques required to effectively address client problems, which may include multiple psychosocial problems within the family unit.
Utilize a family and community systems approach to develop and implement treatment plans by working with families and significant others in addition to the client; resolve client problems to prevent reoccurrence; provide recommendations for family reunification and adoption preservation.
Develop and implement after care plans; advocate for clients through interactions with other agencies, organizations, community and support systems such as the courts, welfare, school, juvenile justice, probation and parole, or other similar agencies; monitor after care services to ensure achievement of the goals identified in the treatment plan; provide support and assistance to clients and their families to facilitate the return of clients to the least restrictive environment possible.
Prepare documentation and reports to appraise the court or similar systems regarding clients’ mental and behavioral status; make observations, research client records, and integrate treatment team input to facilitate appropriate and informed decisions.
Review client charts, discuss client treatment at case staffings, or make case presentations; make individual and standardized assessments; integrate and analyze information from all available sources and systems; document quality of care and ensure information is available to other members of the treatment team; complete required forms and reports and maintain documentation to ensure compliance with established laws, regulations, policies and requirements for agency reimbursement including billing forms.
Refer clients to other agencies and organizations and identify resources based on client needs; ensure appropriate human resource services are available to the client to achieve identified treatment objectives.
Provide crisis intervention to include client restraint or appropriate behavioral and environmental controls for clients who may be hostile, combative, aggressive or assaultive; follow established protocols and policy to protect clients, staff, family and others potentially at risk due to client behavior or family dynamics.
Coordinate housing arrangements and write service contracts according to established procedures; monitor providers by conducting on-site visits to ensure quality care and services are provided according to the contract; evaluate appropriateness of housing arrangements and investigate complaints.
Develop formal training programs for agency staff and service providers by researching appropriate topics or training materials; develop training modules, present training programs, and monitor ongoing training activities; develop and maintain training budgets and supplies; and participate in professional development opportunities to acquire necessary knowledge and skills related to the assignment.
Provide workshops within the community, make public presentations, and participate in other forms of instructional activities to educate the community regarding mental health issues; establish rapport and promote understanding between the client, community and agency.
Plan and coordinate new and continuing program development activities by conducting needs assessments; determine new or existing client needs; assess community resources and determine the resources required to implement new and existing programs; provide ongoing evaluation and assessment of program goals, objectives and activities.
Provide clinical supervision of student interns, residents, and volunteers as assigned.
Perform related duties as assigned.