Mental Health Supervising Client Specialist (#SK8 )

$51.31-$64.89 hourly / $8,893.56-$11,247.38 monthly / $106,724.80-$134,971.20 yearly

• Supervise, train, and evaluate professional and support staff in an assigned program area;
• Assist in the management and administration of an assigned program area such as case management, children’s or adult services, geriatrics, or crisis intervention;
• Participate in providing professional services within the program area during high workload periods and provide backup support to staff in office and field settings to ensure maximum client support;
• Conduct individual, group, and family psychotherapy or other rehabilitation methods using accepted diagnostic and assessment procedures and provide long-term therapy or rehabilitation as needed;
• De-escalate situations involving combative clients;
• Facilitate and participate in case conferences and team meetings to review individual needs and service plans;
• Act as liaison between the assigned program area and other Agency programs, community resources, and State and Federal programs;
• Collaborate with other agencies to identify, promote, and develop needed health care services, including providing information, education, coordination, and serving as a resource;
• Assist in the development and implementation of programs and/or special projects;
• Provide professional input and review of annual plans to ensure quality case management;
• Research, analyze, coordinate, implement, and evaluate professional service needs;
• Develop procedures for administrative and professional services in accordance with established policies, agency priorities, and client needs;
• Identify potential or actual programmatic or operational issues and assist in developing solutions;
• Serve as liaison between assigned staff and administration to coordinate needs, priorities, and information;
• Prepare a variety of administrative and professional reports and records;
• Monitor program budgets and contracts for the assigned program area;
• Represent the Program Manager at meetings, conferences, and committees as assigned;
• May provide vacation or temporary relief for other classes.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge of:

Thorough knowledge of:

• Psychological and social aspects and characteristics of emotional disturbances and mental illness.
• Principles and methods of counseling and the accepted techniques for assessing psycho-social behavior.
• Human behavior and development.

Working knowledge of:

• Appropriate community resources.
• Problems and needs of mentally ill and socially disturbed individuals.
• Pertinent laws and regulations regarding health and social service programs laws and regulations as they pertain to clients' legal rights.
• Pharmacology of medications and psychotropic drug treatment.

Some knowledge of:

• Principles and techniques of supervision including staffing, employee motivation and development, planning and organizing workload.
• Principles and development of case management and rehabilitative services.
• Principles of care system design and service delivery.

Ability to:

• Assess and diagnose all types of client behavioral and emotional actions/problems, and develop and implement effective and appropriate treatment plans.
• Conduct effective and appropriate individual and group psychotherapy on an on-going basis.
• Supervise, train, evaluate and motivate assigned professional and support staff.
• Implement Agency policies and procedures as they relate to proper management and administration of programs and client services.
• Learn Agency's policies and procedures as they relate to employee supervision, training and evaluation.
• Establish and maintain a variety of personnel and administrative records, case notes, client records, and other required documentation.
• Prepare and present a variety of periodic and special reports of both a professional and administrative nature.
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written form, including expressing complex and technical terminology and concepts in an understandable and non-threatening manner.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
• Monitor budgets and contracts.
• Perform Short-Doyle MediCal and MediCare utilization review and quality improvement functions.
• Distinguish speech and non-speech sounds in noisy environments.
• Lift objects such as boxes of belongings and move furniture weighing up to fifty pounds.
• Restrain combative clients who may require physical strength and stamina.
• Stand and walk for extended periods of time may be required for some positions.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and abilities, is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Possession of a Master's Degree with a major in Social Work, Psychology, Psychiatric Nursing, Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, Registered Nursing, Certificate of Occupational Therapy, or closely related behavioral science field which has included completion of a university approved internship, preferably a clinical internship, in a mental health agency. AND

The equivalent to one year of experience at the level of Senior Mental Health Client Specialist providing treatment, counseling, or case management services to clients in a mental health setting, including some supervisory or lead experience. OR

Qualification as a Certified Occupational Therapist or a Licensed Registered Nurse and five years of experience in mental health service delivery including some supervisory or lead experience.

Special Requirements, Conditions:

License Requirements: Possession of a valid California classes C driver license or the ability to obtain suitable transportation, which is approved by the appointing authority. Possession of one of the following licenses issued by the State of California: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT); Registered Nurse (RN); Clinical Psychologist; or Occupational Therapist (OT). If licensed in another state, incumbent must obtain the appropriate license issued by the State of California within twenty-four months from the date of employment.

Background Investigation: Fingerprinting is required.

Special Working Conditions: All assignments: Exposure to offensive odors such as unwashed people and clothes, human and animal feces; the possibility of infections which may cause chronic disease or death may occur in the course of physical interventions to control client behavior; hostile or violent individuals. Juvenile Hall and Acute/Emergency Services assignments: Exposure to noise, such as people yelling. Children's Service assignment: Exposure to disturbing material, such as photos of abused children; allergens such as poison oak, insect stings or bites, and pollens. Note: Persons in this classification may be assigned to positions with any of the above working conditions on an emergency, as needed basis.

Other Special Requirements: Availability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays and on an emergency, as needed basis, which may include 24 hour "on-call" availability.

EST: 10/90 REV: 8/21, 4/95 Analyst: SC, JS

Bargaining Unit: 41

EEOC Job Category: 02

Occupational Grouping: 50

Workers' Comp Code: 0290

Analyst: JS