Community Support Specialist

Provide case management for an assigned group of clients including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team; assume primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating and revising overall treatment goals and plans in collaboration with the client and the I'm provide individual supportive therapy, psychotherapy, and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the treatment plans as clients' needs change; educate and support clients' families, and advocate for clients' 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 consults with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.

Document client progress in the electronic medical record to maintain a record of client 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., vocational specialists).

Provide ongoing assessment of clients' mental illness symptoms and clients' response to treatment. Make appropriate changes in treatment plans to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior that put clients at risk (e.g., suicidality).

Provide education to enable clients to identify their mental illness symptoms.

Provide direct clinical services including individual supportive therapy and psychotherapy to clients 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 clients to adapt to and cope with internal and external stresses.

Provide individual and group treatment in the office and in community settings in a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational, considers interactions of mental illness and substance abuse, and has client-determined goals.

Coordinate with outside inpatient services to detoxify clients and establish linkage to outpatient treatment, self-help programs (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous), outpatient services, and residential facilities.

Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable clients to identify vocational strengths and problems, establish vocational or 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 clients' needs, abilities, and interests.

Conduct on-the-job performance assessments and evaluations, regular work review sessions with clients 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).

Provide ongoing assessment, problem-solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision (e.g., prompts, assignments, monitoring, encouragement), and environmental adaptations to assist clients with activities of daily living.

Assist clients to find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live — apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities (e.g., telephone, furnishings, linens).

Assist and support clients to carry out personal hygiene and grooming tasks.

Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.

Assist and support clients to perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry.

Ensure that clients 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 clients in accessing financial services (e.g., professional financial counseling, emergency loan sources).

Help clients to access reliable transportation (e.g., obtain a driver's license and car, arrange for cabs, access bus line, find rides).

Assist and support clients to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists as required.

Provide individual supportive therapy (e.g., problem solving, role-playing, modeling and support), social-skill development, and assertiveness training to increase client social and interpersonal activities in community settings.

Plan, structure, and prompt social and leisure-time activities on evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Provide side-by-side support and coaching to help clients socialize (e.g., going with a client to a basketball game, coaching and supporting a client before he or she goes to a family reunion).

Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities to structure clients' time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills and receive feedback and support.

Provide practical help and supports, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving, direct assistance, training, and supervision to help clients 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., payee ships); and transportation

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or Psychology from an accredited university.
• Must maintain a valid MS Driver’s license.

Ability to have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services.

Ability to establish supportive, trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for client rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential.

Ability to drive to homes and/or other community settings to see clients face-to-face.