Professional Counselor (40 Hour)

State of Connecticut•Middletown, CT

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is seeking a dedicated and experienced Professional Counselor to join their team at Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) in the Addiction Services Division (ASD). This full-time position, Monday-Friday, 8AM-4:30PM, offers the opportunity to provide meaningful clinical care within an acute psychiatric hospital setting. The role involves delivering active treatment and comprehensive discharge planning for patients in a 22-bed unit, ensuring continuity of care and successful transitions to community-based services. As a key member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, the Professional Counselor conducts psychosocial assessments, develops and implements individualized treatment plans, and provides clinical services such as crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, and care coordination. The position emphasizes collaboration, professional judgment, and the use of community resources to promote patient strengths, improve outcomes, and support timely movement to the least restrictive level of care. This role is ideal for a counselor who is passionate about recovery-oriented care, teamwork, and making a direct impact in an acute behavioral health environment. DMHAS's mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency. CVH's vision and mission is to promote recovery through collaborative, compassionate, and culturally competent treatment in a safe, healthy, and caring environment. They provide trauma-informed, gender-responsive treatment that empowers individuals to manage recovery, improve quality of life, and return to the community. CVH fosters a collaborative, supportive environment where team members work together to create life-changing outcomes.

Requirements

Licensure as a professional counselor in the State of Connecticut.
Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice professional counselor work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (aa-jj) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
Knowledge of principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment.
Knowledge of family and interpersonal relationship dynamics.
Knowledge of values, sanctions, purposes and ethics of professional counseling work.
Knowledge of community resources.
Considerable interpersonal skills.
Oral and written communication skills.
Ability to devise and implement a treatment plan with measurable goals that address client needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience working independently and self-directed.
Experience utilizing oral and written communication skills.
Experience with organizational and time management skills.
Experience utilizing interpersonal skills and maintaining a professional manner.
Experience using evidence-based practices in the treatment of substance use disorders.
Knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in certain designated positions.
Ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.
May be required to travel.

Responsibilities

Provides case management, needs assessment and supportive counseling in addressing client strengths, weaknesses and needs.
Develops, implements and maintains individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans for clients.
Works with treatment teams to assist individual patients in achieving social and emotional stability.
Develops psychosocial assessments through clinical interviews.
Provides clinical treatment services such as: triage, crisis intervention, individual and/or group counseling, screening and planning.
Makes use of available community services and facilities to assist clients in meeting identified needs.
Interprets and synthesizes client information, professional observations and evaluation reports in order to form professional judgments about services.
Monitors and evaluates effectiveness of treatment plans, documents treatment in clinical records.
Completes reports in accordance with agency and accrediting bodies.
Consults and collaborates with other behavioral health providers to improve delivery of services to clients.
Maintains counseling treatment and standards as required.
Performs related duties as required.