Wellness Specialist

BRIDGEWAY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES•Newton, NJ

5h•$39,000 - $46,000

About The Position

As a Wellness Specialist, you will join an evidence-based program and a dynamic team for the opportunity to learn and refine your clinical and engagement skills and accomplish your dream of helping people to make progress on their unique recovery journeys. The work is sometimes challenging and always rewarding by engaging with persons we serve and co-workers as we all learn, grow, and thrive. POSITION OVERVIEW: Under the direction of the assigned supervisor, as part of the Community Support Teams, provides direct services such as assessment, service planning, service linkage, ongoing monitoring, ongoing clinical support and advocacy for individuals enrolled in the CST’s/ICMS Program wherever they are such as the community, hospital, CST’s site, etc.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work or related area
One year post graduate experience in a mental health or related field
Two years paid post degree work experience in mental health
One-year residential mental health experience required in order to provide supportive housing services
Valid driver’s license required
No more than one moving violation within the past 12 months
Vehicle required
Knowledge of SOAR application process, engagement and outreach with individuals in various stages of change, motivational interviewing, Cognitive behavioral techniques, Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment, Care management, non-judgmental, and resourceful.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual preferred

Responsibilities

Create and Maintain: • A wellness and recovery-oriented environment by using person-first language, respectful documentation, and person-centered planning. All services provided will promote wellness and recovery outcomes. • A culture of compliance with internal and external policies, regulations, laws and high ethical standards
Conduct assessments (clinical and functional) on individual holistic needs and then tailoring services to meet the unique needs addressing the areas of strengths, needs, resources, motivation, level of functioning, skills (of community living, daily living, self-care, social, etc.), mental status and risk category. Comprehensive assessments also include assessing the areas of mental health, substance abuse, legal, housing, vocational, and community needs.
Provide intensive community-based engagement services via outreach to maximize each individuals access to services, ability to successfully perform community living functions and integrate into the community. Encourages reluctant individuals to accept mental health services through interventions with him/her and/or family members and friends concerned with the welfare of the person served.
Supports individuals with securing immediate needs, including exploring and locating shelter/housing options, entitlements, clothing, medical care/medication, identification and food.
Coordinates the development of the Individual Recovery Plan for each individual, and IRP reviews and revisions based on the individual’s life events and goal attainment. The IRP may include a plan for medication management, in consultation with prescribers, for individuals in need of such a plan.
Link individuals to all needed community-based services, and accompanies individuals to all initial appointments and provides transportation when necessary.
Provides supportive counseling, legal advocacy, medication education, mental health education, community living skill assessment and monitoring, and early crisis intervention in the home or other community environment.
Provide assessment of the need for crisis intervention, and assistance to providers of psychiatric emergency services in resolving crisis.
Supports individuals with training in the areas of linkages, community resources, and advocacy.
Supports individuals with developing a supportive network in the community, including use of self-help centers, and through the development of a Wellness Recovery Action Plan and facilitation of Illness Management and Recovery (IMR)/Illness Self-Management and Wellness.
Provides frequent face-to-face contact, monitoring and on-going support in order to engage and provide service monitoring for each individual to include medical, mental health, social services, and housing. Identify service gaps and advocate on behalf of the person to remove barriers to needed services.
Provide supportive counseling, education and ongoing support services for the individual and may include support within the persons natural support system including family, friends and employers and typically occurs where the person resides or frequents. Frequency of support services is coordinated with the individuals risk status and assessed individualized needs.
Utilizes a clinical skill-set by forging therapeutic relationships with diverse individuals through a trauma-informed and recovery-based lens.
Provide direct clinical intervention using evidenced based practices, including Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Techniques, IMR (Illness Management and Recovery), Trauma Informed Care, Permanent Supportive Housing/tenant rights, and Career Development, when engaging individuals with their recovery.
Provides technical assistance and education to team members in the area of recovery and wellness. Works with the team to develop materials and strategies for teaching wellness strategies including WRAP plans, instilling hope, promoting choice, advocacy and empowerment, and spirituality.
Participates in 24 hour on-call rotating schedule for afterhours and weekends.
Consults with other service providers and resource people regarding the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation needs of the people receiving ICMS.
Coordinates referrals and linkages to housing, mental health, substance abuse, medical, and various social service providers as needed for the individual. Provides monitoring of service providers including routine follow-up with the individuals service providers to assess provision of services per the individuals Individualized Recovery Plan.
Attends all scheduled team meetings and hospital-based referral and/or discharge planning meetings.
Completes all statistical reports related to services provided on a daily basis
Maintains individual’s records according to policy and procedures and completes documentation in a timely manner
Participates in clinical and non-clinical team meetings including individual and team supervision. Actively seeks out monthly supervision from supervisor.

Benefits

Medical
Dental
Vision
403b
basic life and AD&D
flexible spending accounts
EAP
Eligible for medical benefits after 30 days of employment
Flexible work schedules
clinical training series
leadership development program
10 paid holidays (an 11th after 2 years of employment), generous vacation and sick time