Mental Health Employment Specialist

Mental Health Employment Associate Job Description

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full Time/Exempt/Regular

REGULAR WORK SCHEDULE: Primarily M-F 9-5 but may vary and includes some evening, weekend and holiday hours.

REPORTS TO: Employment Director

Bellevue Clubhouse, a program of HERO House NW, located in Bellevue, WA is a Clubhouse, Accredited by Clubhouse International, where members recovering from Mental illness come to reclaim their lives and rejoin their community.

OVERALL FUNCTION: Carries out the services of the IPS Supported Employment program by assisting members obtain and maintain employment that is consistent with their vocational goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Engages members and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community job settings with other workers without psychiatric disabilities.

Assists members in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment in order for members to make good decisions about employment opportunities.

Refers members to benefits counseling, as needed.

Assesses members' vocational functioning on ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences.

With the member's permission, provides education and support to family members.

Discusses member's preference for disclosure of psychiatric status to employers.

Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the principles and procedures of supported employment.

Conducts a minimum of six employer contacts per week. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe member strengths that are relevant to the position.

Provides individualized follow-along supports to assist members in maintaining employment.

Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by members that may include negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact with the employer.

Provides outreach services as necessary to members when they appear to disengage from the service. Uses a variety of methods to provide outreach (phone, email, and visitation).

Attends meetings with mental health treatment teams and communicates individually with team members between meetings in order to coordinate and integrate vocational services into mental health treatment.

Has face-to-face meetings with vocational rehabilitation counselors (DVR) regularly to coordinate services for members.

Develops an individual employment plan with the member, mental health worker, and other treatment team providers and updates it quarterly.

Develops job support plans with the member using input from the member, mental health workers, family members, past employment experiences and information about current job.

Spends 65% or more of scheduled work hours in the community. For example, meets member at community locations such as home, workplace, coffee shop, library, VR office, family home, etc. or takes member to apply for jobs, investigate local GED or colleges, etc.

Provides supported education, using principles similar to supported employment, for members who express interest in education to advance their employment goals.

Is responsible for a minimum of 12 job starts per year or maintaining 40% employment on caseload.

Other duties as assigned by the supervisor. QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and experience equivalent to undergraduate degree in mental health, social services, or business.

Experience working with people with serious mental illness, experience providing employment services, and knowledge of the work world are preferred.

Ability to work as an effective team player is essential but is also able to be a self-starter and work independently. EMPLOYMENT GENERALIST COMPETENCIES:

Develops relationships with employers by learning about their businesses, hiring practices, hiring preferences etc., over multiple visits.

Investigates the local business community in order to learn about different employers and types of jobs available.

Utilizes good member interviewing skills in order to learn about individual preferences, past experiences, hopes and concerns regarding employment.

Effectively collaborates with mental health practitioners, VR counselors, family members and other members of the vocational unit.

Utilizes a strengths-based approach when serving members by recognizing each person's skills, experiences, personal values that support employment.

Employs a recovery-based orientation including the belief that people learn from their experiences, develop new skills, and achieve life goals over time.

Keeps current with, and applies, new work methods, skills and technologies to complete work.

Assists with finding and accessing resources such as work incentives planning, local schools, available transportation, etc.

Uses a problem-solving approach when faced with challenging or difficult situations.

Conducts work in community settings (at least 65% of work week).

Assists individuals to analyze each work experience for lessons learned, using input from employers, the worker, mental health practitioners, VR counselors, family members or others.

Writes person-specific plans that are congruent with each person's goals and includes specific steps that will be taken to meet those goals.

Provides timely documentation that meets requirements of various funding sources.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL SKILLS/ABILITIES:

Must be proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, and the Internet.

Must have the ability to make presentations regarding supported employment to employers, business leaders, and VR counselors.

Prior experience working with people with disabilities and/or other disadvantaged populations is preferred

REQUIRED LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, REGISTRATIONS:

Must have a valid driver's license and be insurable under the HERO House NW Liability Insurance Plan.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: Three (3) years related experience and/or training.

ACCESS TO CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: High access to confidential records. Access to Consumer Case files and HIPAA protected information.

OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Must be able to pass a DMV and pre-employment security check (when applicable) and comply with the GWIK Drug/Alcohol Free Workplace

Bellevue Clubhouse, a program of HERO House NW, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.