Introduction
Do you want to utilize your skills and make a difference? Are you looking to take the next step in your career?
If so, please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity!
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:
- Facility: Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA)
- Team: Mobile Outreach Team (MOT)
- Location: Norwich, CT
- Schedule: Full-time, 2nd shift, 4:00pm - 12:30am, every other weekend & rotating holidays
- Week 1 ON: Friday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
- Week 2 ON:
Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Thursday
- PCN: 26172
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
- Engage in a rewarding career;
- Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
- Thrive in an exciting environment;
- Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do;
- Work together in a collaborative team environment.
THE ROLE:
This role is critical within crisis
services by delivering community-based mental health and substance use crisis
intervention, assessments, risk management and emergency certifications. The Advanced Professional Counselor (APC)
will play a key role in ensuring timely, compassionate, and clinically sound
responses to individuals in crisis across New London County, helping to
maintain the safety and well-being of both SMHA clients and the broader
community.
Job duties include but are not limited to:
- Deliver crisis intervention services to
individuals experiencing acute mental health or behavioral challenges.
- Conduct community-based risk and crisis
assessments to determine appropriate interventions and support plans.
- Provide trauma-informed care to individuals
with severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorders, and
co-occurring medical conditions.
- Complete comprehensive biopsychosocial intake
assessments to inform individualized treatment planning.
MORE ABOUT US:
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.
SMHA is a community mental health agency operated by the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Its primary goal is to provide high quality behavioral health services to those in our community with mental health and substance use disorders who are 18 years or older and reside in New London County and its surrounding towns. Services, which include case management, outpatient behavioral health, crisis intervention, respite care, and forensic services, are recovery oriented and offered in a trauma informed and culturally sensitive manner. We support individuals to identify and achieve their own goals in recovery, fostering independence, dignity, and ability.
Please note:
A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.
All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

Selection Plan
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.
BEFORE YOU APPLY:
- Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
- Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
- Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
- Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
AFTER YOU APPLY:
- Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
- Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
- Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
- Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:
Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Julie Barker at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.
Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
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 counseling treatment and leadership services involving complex case assignments.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Independently provides highly skilled direct professional counseling treatment services to clients with complex emotional, behavioral or interpersonal 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, case management, needs assessment and supportive counseling;
- Develops and maintains comprehensive treatment and/or rehabilitation 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;
- 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 plans;
- May be assigned administrative oversight of research projects;
- May provide expert testimony to courts;
- May represent program in liaison relationships with other community agencies and resources;
- May chair or serve on unit committees that develop services for clients;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Considerable knowledge of
- and ability to instruct others on principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment;
- family and interpersonal relationship dynamics;
- Knowledge of
- statutes, regulations and standards relating to mental health services;
- state law governing licensed professional counselor practice standards;
- Considerable
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- Ability to
- integrate theory and case material in assessing and devising comprehensive treatment plans for difficult and/or complex case assignments;
- lead task groups including but not limited to treatment teams.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
One (1) year of experience as a licensed professional counselor.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in the provision of
crisis intervention services.
- Experience completing biopsychosocial intake
assessments.
- Experience in completing community-based risk and
crisis assessments.
- Experience providing trauma-sensitive services to
individuals with severe and prolonged mental illness, addiction, and co-morbid
medical conditions.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice professional counselor work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (aa-jj) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
- 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.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive clients.
Conclusion
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.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.