Mental Health Professional II / Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Aiken)
About The Position
The Mental Health Professional II provides assessment, counseling interventions, and treatment under general supervision to patients with serious mental illnesses, developmental disorders, and/or autism spectrum disorders. The role also ensures patients are linked to therapeutic supports that promote well-being. The position is based at the Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center in Aiken, South Carolina, and is considered essential; the employee may be asked to report during emergencies even if the center is closed. The employee also serves in a consultative role for Mobile Crisis during and after working hours. The professional manages assigned cases and makes clinical decisions largely independently, including decisions about treatment frequency and intensity, follow-up, physician linkage, and medication coordination. The position involves developing treatment plans and goals with clients and working with clients in crisis, including making decisions that may affect their safety and well-being. Employees must be able to pass CPR and Managing Agitation in the Psychiatric Setting (MAPS) certification and operate a state vehicle.
Requirements
- Master's degree and professional experience in guidance, counseling, or the social sciences.
- Two years of experience in a clinical setting.
- Must be licensed or eligible for licensure in South Carolina; if unlicensed, must be willing to work toward South Carolina licensure within six months.
- Ability to bend, stoop, climb, drive from location to location, lift, and file.
- Ability to pass CPR and Managing Agitation in the Psychiatric Setting (MAPS) certification.
- Ability to operate a state vehicle.
- Sound theoretical knowledge of principles, methods, counseling practices, and procedures for diagnosing and treating behavioral, developmental, autistic, and mental disorders.
- Ability to listen, understand, and communicate information and ideas effectively.
- Knowledge of psychopathology and patient management in a behavioral-health setting.
- Knowledge of basic health and welfare services provided by public and private agencies.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals, families, and representatives of other professional disciplines.
- Ability to manage assigned cases and make clinical decisions largely independently, including decisions involving client safety and well-being.
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual ability in English and Spanish or another language is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Provide evidence-based services to children, adolescents, and adults, including developmentally adapted individual psychotherapy.
- Provide family therapy and caregiver coaching to support skill development at home and in the community.
- Conduct intake assessments and treatment planning using tools and strategies appropriate for intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness, and serious emotional disturbance.
- Use trauma-informed, non-coercive crisis de-escalation strategies.
- Conduct modified suicide-risk and crisis assessments that account for communication limitations, and develop Personal Safety Plans.
- Adapt therapeutic materials to clients' cognitive, sensory, and communication needs; incorporate visual supports, social stories, modeling, video modeling, and structured teaching strategies.
- Ensure patients are seen according to level-of-care guidelines, address barriers to services, ensure crises are staffed, and support internal and external customer satisfaction.
- Meet patient-care-hour standards.
- Collaborate with families, caregivers, case managers, school personnel, residential staff, ABA providers, and other treatment-team members; participate in interdisciplinary meetings and coordinate care across settings.
- Complete documentation according to quality-improvement policies; document services and contracts to patients; minimize billing disallowances; and produce outcomes or progress summaries reflecting patient improvement.
- Write specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-limited objectives and interventions that address patients' SNAPs.
- Meet collaborative documentation standards and comply with Center, OMH, and State corporate-compliance policies and procedures; make a good-faith effort to report violations and comply with laws regulating health care.
- Follow the Code of Conduct and established SCOMH policies and procedures.
- Participate in professional development, maintain licenses and certifications, meet training requirements, attend supervision, and participate in required meetings.
- Serve in a consultative role for Mobile Crisis during and after working hours.
- Develop treatment plans and treatment goals and objectives with clients, and make clinical decisions regarding treatment, follow-up, physician linkage, and medication coordination.
- Report to work during emergencies when requested, even if the center is closed.
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- 15 days of annual (vacation) leave per year
- 15 days of sick leave per year
- 13 paid holidays
- Paid parental leave
- S.C. Deferred Compensation Program
- State Retirement Plan (SCRS) or State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP); enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for FTE employees
- Possible SCOMH Student Loan Repayment to cover some outstanding loan balance associated with a relevant healthcare degree
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
