Vocational Rehab Specialist (Behavioral Health Services)

Vinfen•Quincy, MA

9d•$40,520 - $49,520

About The Position

This member of the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) multidisciplinary team has training in the areas of vocational and employment specialties and the skills and experience to assess, plan, develop, coordinate, and provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to program persons served with severe and persistent mental illnesses under the clinical supervision of the Team Leader and the Psychiatrist. Functions as a clinical member of the multidisciplinary team and provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services. The PACT Lead Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist provides leadership for employment services; personalized job development skills and training; finds employment and educational opportunities; evaluates work readiness; and works with employers to access job opportunities for persons served.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience working with people with SMI in employment rehabilitation settings.
Master’s degree in a human service discipline 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 six months, 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 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 preferencesin 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 crisisintervention techniques
Strong commitment to the right and ability of program person served to live, work, and seek supports as the general population at large
Knowledge of therapy and teaching modalities
Clinical skills

Nice To Haves

Certification in vocational rehabilitation preferred.

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 in providing individual supportive therapy and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the IAP as persons served needs change; educate and support persons served families, and advocate for persons 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.
Perform shift management in coordination with other PACT shift managers according to established policies and procedures.
Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours and weekends.
Document persons 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., Substance Abuse Specialist).
Provide ongoing assessment of persons served mental illness symptoms and persons served response to treatment. Make appropriate changes of IAPs to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior which put person served at risk (e.g., suicidality).
Provide symptom education to enable persons served to identify their mental illness symptoms.
Provide direct clinical services to person 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 person served to adapt to and cope with internal and external stresses.
Take a lead role or participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable persons served to identify vocational strengths and problems, establish vocational and 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 person served needs, abilities, and interests.
Conduct on-the-job performance assessments and evaluations, regular work review sessions with person 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 rehabilitation and other-employment services.
Provide benefits counseling (e.g., Supplemental Security Income (SSI) veterans; benefits).
Ensure that persons served have adequate financial support (e.g., help to gain employment or apply for entitlements).
Teach money-management skills (e.g., budgeting and bill paying) and assist persons served in accessing financial services (e.g., professional financial counseling, emergency loan sources).
Help persons served to access reliable transportation (e.g., obtain a driver's license and car, arrange for cabs, access bus line, find rides).
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 (e.g., SSI, SSDI, and veterans' benefits) or housing subsidies (e.g., HUD Section 8); supported housing (e.g., adult foster care, paid roommates, meals brought in for those who need it); money-management services (e.g., payeeships); and transportation.
Perform other related duties, as required.