Clinical Social Worker (40 Hour)

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Western CT Mental Health Center (WCMHN) seeks qualified individuals for the position of Clinical Social Worker (Position # 025409) for the Waterbury Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT), 95 Thomaston Road, Waterbury, CT 06702; First Shift, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., full-time, 40 hours per week. 

The Clinical Social Worker serves as a member of a interdisciplinary Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT), working with clients with severe and persistent psychiatric and substance abuse disorders, who require the most  intensive level of engagement and community support.  

In this role you will:

• Serve as the team’s substance abuse specialist, providing community based mental health and substance abuse services including individual and group substance treatment of clients with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders at varying stages of change;
• Provide casework, skill building and clinical services to individuals served by the team;
• Provide client and family psychoeducation as well as linkage to available community resources including recovery support, residential, employment and educational programs;
• May complete intakes for clients seeking services;
• Provides culturally sensitive and evidence based treatments such as Individual Dual Diagnostic Treatment (IDDT) and Trauma treatment;
• Be responsible for substance and other assessments and ongoing evaluation of clients including making community visits to assess individuals in psychiatric emergency situations
• Be responsible for developing and monitoring the effectiveness of comprehensive client centered recovery plans, with measurable treatment objectives for an assigned case load;
• Participate in all treaters’ meetings, case conferences, critical incident reviews and other meetings as indicated. 
• Document all treatment episodes in the medical record in accordance with the standards of the agency and accrediting bodies. 

Questions about this recruitment should be directed to Julie Roy, Julie.Roy@ct.gov, 860-262-6782

In a state agency behavioral health program, as part of a multi-disciplinary team at one or more locations this class is accountable for independently providing clinical social work services.

OFFICE OF HEALTHCARE ADVOCATE, this class is accountable for serving as a case manager and advocate for clients that have received or need to receive behavioral health care services.

As a member of multi-disciplinary clinical team or within a network of community based behavioral health services develops psychosocial assessments through clinical interviews with assigned clients and families which include consideration of developmental, social and/or cultural, substance abuse, psychological, environmental and medical issues; develops treatment plans including measurable treatment objectives; provides clinical treatment services in form of triage, crisis intervention, individual, group and/or family therapy, screening and planning; advocates and develops networks of social and clinical services to assist clients in meeting identified needs; monitors and evaluates effectiveness of treatment plans, documents treatment in clinical records; completes reports in accordance with agency and accrediting bodies; consults and collaborates with other behavioral health providers to improve delivery of services to clients; provides forensic evaluations and court testimony as required; maintains social work treatment and standards as required; may participate in research projects; performs related duties as required.

OFFICE OF HEALTHCARE ADVOCATE: Manages a caseload of consumer behavioral healthcare insurance complaints concerning coverage and/or payment; reviews and assesses medical records including psychological assessment and treatment plans, concerning but not limited to mental, emotional, behavioral and addictive disorders to determine appropriate treatment plans and eligibility for insurance benefit payment; participates in insurance appeal hearings and serves as clinical expert to defend and demonstrate that the diagnostic assessment and treatment plans are appropriate and required to address client behavioral healthcare needs.

Knowledge of social work methodology, casework, group work and community mobilization; knowledge of family and interpersonal relationship dynamics; knowledge of values, sanctions, purposes and ethics of professional social work; knowledge of social, cultural, economic, medical, psychological and legal issues which influence attitudes and behaviors of clients and families; knowledge of mental illnesses and approaches to treatment; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; ability to devise and implement a treatment plan with measurable goals that address client needs; ability to independently apply current psychiatric treatment modalities to address client needs.

Preference will be given to candidates who possess the following:

• Knowledge and experience working with clients who have Substance Use and Co-occurring Disorders;
• Experience providing before Motivational Enhancement Therapy;
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy and other substance treatment interventions in an outpatient setting;
• Experience providing Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment.

1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice clinical social work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (m) through (r) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
2. Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. § 1320a-7b(f).
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in certain designated positions.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.
5. Incumbents in this class will be required to travel.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.