Mental Health Professional I / Adult Clinic Services (Columbia Area MHC)

State of South Carolina • Richland County, SC

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Professional I provides intensive case management to adults with chronic psychiatric and co-occurring disorders, with the goal of preventing or minimizing hospitalization and enhancing community placement. The role is based in Adult Clinic Services at the Columbia Area Mental Health Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and reports to the Program Supervisor.

The position provides clinical services tailored to clients’ needs and plans of care to promote recovery, stabilization, and independence. It also involves maintaining accurate medical records and timely service documentation, applying collaborative documentation practices, maintaining competency in at least one evidence-based practice, and participating in clinical team meetings. Employees must comply with applicable organizational, quality assurance, corporate compliance, cultural competence, CARF, state, and federal policies and requirements.

A master’s degree in guidance, counseling, social science, or a related field is required. Applicants must provide evidence of clinical experience delivering direct patient care, which may come from a graduate practicum or internship or from post-graduate clinical experience. After hire, employees must be credentialed as a Mental Health Professional and pass CPR and Managing Agitation in the Psychiatric Setting (MAPS) certification.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in guidance, counseling, social science, or a related field.
• Evidence of clinical experience providing direct patient care, documented through a graduate practicum or internship or post-graduate clinical experience.
• After hire, thorough knowledge of psychopathology, diagnostics, counseling, case management, and recovery.
• After hire, good interpersonal skills for working with patients and other agencies.
• After hire, ability to provide services to people with serious, persistent mental illness and co-occurring diagnoses.
• After hire, ability to work with patients’ families.
• After hire, credentialing as a Mental Health Professional.
• After hire, ability to pass CPR and Managing Agitation in the Psychiatric Setting (MAPS) certification.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of local agencies and facilities.
• Bilingual abilities in English and Spanish or another language.

Responsibilities

• Provide intensive case management to adults with chronic psychiatric and co-occurring disorders to help prevent or minimize hospitalization and enhance community placement.
• Provide clinical services that promote recovery, stabilization, and independence according to each client’s needs and plan of care.
• Document services and maintain client medical records in accordance with CAMHC, Medicaid, quality assurance, corporate compliance, and CARF standards.
• Incorporate collaborative documentation into client services and complete service documentation in a timely manner.
• Maintain competency in at least one evidence-based practice and ensure client functionality and services received align with the DLA20 rating.
• Participate in clinical team meetings, provide input on clients, present assessments, and discuss service-delivery methods.
• Perform administrative functions, including maintaining medical records according to quality assurance standards.
• Comply with applicable BHDD-OMH and CAMHC policies and protocols, quality assurance, corporate compliance, cultural competence, CARF requirements, and federal and state laws.
• Attend trainings classified as mandatory by federal and state regulations.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouses, and children.
• 15 days of annual (vacation) leave per year.
• 15 days of sick leave per year.
• 13 paid holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• Access to the S.C. Deferred Compensation Program.
• Retirement benefit choices through the State Retirement Plan (SCRS) or State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP); enrollment in one listed plan is required for FTE employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level