Duties include but are not limited to those described below. Reasonable accommodation will be made when requested and determined by the County to be appropriate under applicable law.
•Provide community-based crisis intervention and stabilization services for clients and their families, including conducting risk assessments, creating safety plans, and supporting clients in accessing higher levels of care when needed;
•assists clients with understanding their problems and developing plans to resolve them; provides short-term, stabilizing counseling;
•advise clients on available community resources and serves as a liaison with organizations and service agencies;
•provide case management services, including collaborating with a client’s existing treatment team members (e.g., therapists, psychiatrists, child welfare workers, school staff, etc.) and/or make referrals and other arrangements for client treatment and service, as necessary;
•maintain flexibility with schedule changes and availability to provide on-call weekend rotation coverage as needed;
•serves as a consultant for other Behavioral Health staff;
•prepares and present progress reports on assigned cases;
•cooperates with professionals from other disciplines in the development of team and collaborative diagnoses and treatment programs;
•develops recommendations for discharge and follow-up treatment planning for clients and their families;
•may be assigned administrative responsibilities, including scheduling and case assignments;
•performs crisis intervention;
•performs involuntary hospitalization assessments and arranges for hospitalization, if necessary, may serve as an expert witness in court cases;
•performs concurrent review of inpatient admits and discharge planning; other duties as assigned.
Knowledge of:
Principles, techniques and trends in counseling, psychotherapy, and various treatment modalities; biological, behavioral, and environmental aspects of emotional disturbances, mental disability, retardation, and substance abuse; the scope and activities of public and private health and welfare agencies and other available community resources; identification of individual, social, and environmental problems and their analysis and resolution in existing social contexts; legislative and administrative rules and regulations pertaining to Lanterman-Petris-Short and Short-Doyle services.
Ability to:
Perform a variety of complex psychiatric social work and psychotherapy for Mental Health Department clients; develop clear and comprehensive case records and documentation; develop and maintain cooperative, constructive relationships with families of clients, members of other professional disciplines, social agencies, and other staff; prepare treatment plans, client treatment recommendations, and a variety of reports; organize and manage a caseload; define a therapist's role and deal with clients in a variety of circumstances and settings in accordance with professional standards and ethics; conceptualize and prioritize the problems of mentally disordered persons, determining their needs, services, and appropriate treatment methods; integrate a number of clinical approaches into a treatment plan; recognize a potential crisis and deliver crisis intervention services; handle stress and unstable client behavior; work with people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds; effectively represent the Behavioral Health Department in contacts with clients, the public, community organizations, other County staff, and other government agencies; safely operate a motor vehicle.
Physical Requirements/Work Environment:
Work is performed in an office, clinic, home, school, or community environments; work is performed with people who may exhibit unstable behavior, who have a mental health condition/concern and chemically dependent and potentially violent behavior; continuous contact with other staff and the public; work with individuals that may become confrontational, potentially hostile and violent; some positions will be assigned to perform duties inside a severely controlled access or lockdown facility; may be exposed to traffic hazards, adverse weather conditions, and temperature and noise extremes. Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 lbs.; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment, including computer, telephone, calculator, copiers, and FAX.; hear and communicate orally in person, on the phone and in meetings; hand/eye coordination for use of computer/office equipment and safely operate a motor vehicle.
Selection Process:
All completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed. Depending upon the number of applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process may include a screening committee (pass/fail) and/or an oral examination (100%) which may include a written practical component to determine placement on the eligible list.
Disaster Service Workers:
All San Benito County employees are designated “Disaster Service Workers” through state and local laws (CA Government Code Sec. 3100-3109 and Emergency Services Chapter 6 via adoption of local Ordinance No. 361 § 1, 2-25-75). As Disaster Service Workers, all County employees are expected to remain at work, or to report for work as soon as practicable, following significant emergency or disaster.
