Counselor II - Bilingual

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Counselor II (ACT) will be responsible for providing crisis care, case management service delivery, individual rehabilitation activities, skills building, transportation and all aspects required to help clients succeed. The incumbent will be responsible will be responsible for assisting adults and their families residing in Salinas and South Monterey County with serious mental illness and serious functioning impairments, new to services, not engaged with services, and/or difficulty connecting to system's services due to psychosocial and/or other barriers. Counselor II will provide crisis support services, case management, counseling, skills building, resources and referrals and family engagement and psychoeducation to best serve the client's and family's needs. In addition, Counselor II will counsel clients individually to set, track and achieve rehabilitation and recovery goals and establish and maintain linkage with other social services, health and mental health facilities and services. The individual will also maintain accurate and secure information based on documentation in computer files and databases. The Counselor II will work at assigned location(s).

WHO WE ARE

Looking to make a difference? Our mission at Interim is to provide services and affordable housing to supporting members of our community with mental illness by building productive and satisfying lives in a world in which people with mental illness are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in the community. Join our team and instill hope in the community.

WHAT WE OFFER

An exceptional benefit package including; Medical/Dental/Vision/403(b) retirement plan and Life Insurance. Offers competitive vacation and sick time.

HOW TO APPLY

To learn more about Interim and to apply for this position, please go to our website at http://www.interiminc.org/employment/.

SALARY

$28.57 - $40.97 per hour; Non-Exempt; Full Time; 40 hours/week; Eligible for overtime.

REPORTS TO

Program Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required: Bilingual in Spanish. Bachelor's degree in mental health or related field; a minimum of one to two years of experience in a mental health field.

Drivers license for at least two years and driving record acceptable to insurance carrier.

Valid California driver's license; auto in safe operating condition; auto liability insurance; good driving record; criminal record clearance; proof of authorization to work in the United States as required by Immigration and Reform Act of 1986. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Preferred: Proficient in Outlook email correspondence and computer software. Knowledge of community resources. Ability to; work as a member of a team, accept supervision, maintain appropriate boundaries while working in close interpersonal relationships; learn and apply principles of social rehabilitation; organized, responsible; flexible; empathic and able to relate effectively with clients, other staff, professionals and members of the community.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Clinical Specialist, Counselor II will assist with the following duties:

• Provide on-call services.
• Case management service delivery and individual rehabilitation activities to clients, families and other support team members as identified by the client.
• Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate recovery-oriented, trauma informed, wellness centered approach to consumers' recovery.
• Assist clients in attaining community stability and reaching their recovery and rehabilitation goals, including helping clients to find and keep employment.
• Reduce mental health and substance abuse symptoms to reduce utilization of involuntary care and emergency rooms for mental health and non-acute physical health problems.
• Assist clients with their mental health recovery process and with developing the skills necessary to the lead independent or interdependent, healthy and meaningful lives in the community.
• Increase natural support - Engage, offer support, and mental health information to clients' family members.
• Provide community-based outreach and engagement in homes and other environments.
• Provide assessment and counseling services including but not limited to Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Harm Reduction and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
• Conduct and utilize client needs assessments for development and tracking of client centered treatment planning.
• Facilitate a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques that give clients the opportunity to gain skills and learning in areas of basic living, substance use recovery, and interpersonal relationships/communication through a variety of evidence base practices.
• Counsel clients individually to set, track and achieve rehabilitation and recovery goals.
• Listen, respond empathically and engage in problem solving. Identify symptoms and assist clients in self-management skills for mental illness and substance use.
• Establish and maintain linkage with other social service, health and mental health agencies, including county psychiatrist and case coordinator.
• Maintain legible, accurate and timely documentation of treatment plans and other necessary information on clients, including documentation required for Medi-Cal standards.
• Maintain accurate and secure summary information based on documentation in computer files and databases and follow the HIPAA Privacy Rules guidelines for protecting client's medical records.
• Identify, assess and respond to crisis situations. Set clear limits and ensure that both clients and facility are safe.
• Meet and record productivity and outcome standards of the program.
• Ability to travel and work at various program locations. (Salinas, Marina, Monterey, and South County)
• Collaborate and coordinate services with multidisciplinary staff team members, Psychiatrist, Nurses, Family Partner, Peer and other staff to provide effective services.
• Provide individual and group psychoeducation for families and other support team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to: operate a motor vehicle; climb stairs; possess good communication skills; meet the requirements of the classification and have mobility, vision, hearing and dexterity levels appropriate to the duties to be performed. Capable of the following extended activities: walking, standing, sitting, stooping, climbing stairs.

Capable of the following intermittent activities: stooping, kneeling, lift up to 25 pounds or more and bending in the performance of infrequently performed office duties.