Clinical Social Worker Associate (35 Hour)

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

Are you a self-starter?  Do you have a passion for supporting others?  Do you want to make a difference while participating in a dynamic and reciprocal health care environment in the public sector?  If so, we want you to join us!

The DMHAS, Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA) seeks a qualified individual for the position of Clinical Social Worker Associate. This position is within the Wellness Recovery Advocacy Program (WRAP) located at our SMHA campus, 401 West Thames Street, Building 301, Norwich, CT.  This is a full-time, 35 hours per week position. The work schedule is 1st shift, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The position number is 125955.  

Our team is passionate about the work we do for our clients! WRAP provides an array of clinical and case management services to 200+ adults who often have significant trauma histories, legal involvement, complex medical and psychiatric challenges and limited life skills and experience.  Many services are provided to clients in the community and are personalized to meet the client’s expressed needs/preferences. 

In this role you will:

• Provide team leadership for the Community Support Program (CSP) staff within the WRAP Program;
• Compose client assignments to skill building staff, monthly group and individual supervision and field supervision of assigned CSP staff;
• Educate skill building staff on the CSP model;
• Develop tools for skill building staff to ensure fidelity to CSP is met;
• Attend SMHA committee meetings, monthly statewide CSP meetings, probate hearings, and treatment team meetings in the community;
• Conduct education and training on functional assessments, person-centered planning, re-assessments, and encounter notes;
• Develop person-centered recovery plans, complete reassessments, complete PHQ-9, Columbia suicide severity scale, and other clinical assessment tools as needed;
• Provide clinical interventions as warranted to clients assigned to the team;
• Complete quarterly attendance reviews and annual performance appraisals with assigned staff;
• Monitor staff productivity and work performance, following established guidelines to address any deficits;
• Complete biopsychosocial assessments for new clients to the program and conservatorship applications; and
• Establish relationships with area providers.                                                            

Our employees participate in a generous and competitive benefits plan that includes healthcare coverage, a retirement plan as well as paid time off!

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualifications - as listed on the job opening - will be considered for this role, as determined by qualifications stated on the submitted application.

Please ensure that your application is complete and you have included your resume in the “Resume Tab” of your application as you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.  Individuals considered for interview will be required to submit additional documentation supporting their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include performance reviews, attendance, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc.  You do not have to attach these documents to your application.   

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs) which will be sent to you via email after the closing date. The email notification will include an expiration date by which you must submit (Finish) your responses. Please regularly check your email for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders, as emails could end up there in error. 

Applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies.

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Doreen Clemson at Doreen.Clemson@ct.gov or (860) 785-9855. 

In a state agency behavioral health program as part of a multi-disciplinary team at one or more locations this class is accountable for skilled clinical social work treatment and leadership services involving complex case assignments.

Independently provides highly skilled direct clinical social work treatment and/or substance abuse services to clients with complex psychological and social problems through comprehensive clinical assessments and provision of individual, family and group treatment; provides individual field work instruction and/or clinical supervision which includes instruction in use of comprehensive psychosocial assessments and current diagnostic categories, taking into consideration cultural, social, economic, medical, environmental and legal issues; develops comprehensive service plans including measurable treatment objectives; initiates consultation and collaboration with other mental health providers to improve delivery of current services and/or identify unmet needs within current service system; assists in resolution of administrative, personnel and clinical issues in program and/or agency; develops data for statistical and planning systems and/or research and publication; prepares administrative reports and suggests operational policies and procedures; oversees development and/or implementation of individual client treatment and/or service plans; may be assigned administrative oversight of research projects; may provide clinical and/or administrative leadership to program components such as crisis intervention teams, inpatient treatment teams, case management teams, psychoeducational program services, psychosocial rehabilitation and forensic services; may provide forensic evaluations and expert testimony to courts; may represent program or agency during licensing and certification inspections conducted by regulatory bodies; may represent program or agency in liaison relationships with other community agencies and resources; may provide in-service educational presentations concerning available health, mental health and human services resources and means to access them; may chair facility or community based committees that develop policies and plans to serve psychiatrically disabled individuals; may present information on mental illness and mental health services to community groups; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of and ability to instruct others about theories of human behavior, current diagnostic categories of mental illness, family dynamics, substance abuse and human sexuality; considerable knowledge of social, cultural, economic, political, religious, medical, psychological and legal issues which influence behavior of clients, families, service programs and society at large; knowledge of statutes, regulations and standards relating to mental health services; knowledge of state law governing licensed clinical social worker practice standards; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable administrative skills; considerable ability to independently apply in practice current psychiatric treatment modalities including but not limited to behavioral, cognitive, object-relations, crisis intervention and psychosocial rehabilitation approaches; ability to integrate theory and case material in assessing and devising comprehensive treatment and/or service plans for difficult and/or complex case assignments; ability to lead task groups including but not limited to treatment teams and agency committees.

Preference will be given to candidates who:

• Speak, read and write fluently in Spanish;
• Have worked with clients who are Spanish-speaking only;
• Possess experience in providing individual, family and group psychotherapy; and
• Possess supervision experience completing performance appraisals, time and attendance reviews and progressive discipline.

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 designated positions.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in designated positions.
5. Incumbents in this class may be required to be a certified Substance Abuse/HIV Supervisor.
6. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Incumbents in the class may be exposed to some risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive clients.

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.