Social Service Counselor (809030)

Established in 1994, NiteLines USA has successfully delivered support services to more than 144 government institutions and medical treatment facilities across the country. We’re a dynamic and growing organization, offering a wide range of employment opportunities. We are seeking professionals and dedicated individuals to be part of our team, where integrity, respect, accountability, and collaboration are among our core principles. Work with a dedicated and caring organization and start doing your life's best work.

FL-DCF-Chattahoochee-FSH-Social Service Counselor (809030)

Pay rate: $32.00 per hour.

Temp (6 months+).

Job location: 100 N. Main St Chattahoochee, FL  32324.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.

Job Summary

• This is a professional position in the Office of Social Services at Florida State Hospital providing aftercare discharge planning guidance and consultation with Recovery Team members, Florida State Hospital, court systems, mental health centers, other agencies, and Department of Children and Families Continuity of Care Management System.
• Maintains appropriate cooperative relationships with other disciplines, including, but not limited to, working closely with Social Services Management Team, Hospital Legal, Social Services staff, Civil and Forensic Liaisons, Benefits Coordinator, SVPP Coordinator, court systems, mental health centers, other agencies (including Agency for Persons with Disabilities), and Department of Children and Families Continuity of Care Management System to ensure the development of appropriate discharge planning/aftercare of residents state-wide while promoting the practice of cooperative team work in the work place.
• Ensures chosen discharge facilities meet licensure requirements according to AHCA standards.
• Coordinates discharges by scheduling all aftercare appointments to promote continuity of care.
• Assists with securing identification documents including taking to local driver's license office to have identification cards made. Completes requests for funding to payment of identification cards.
• Transports residents to discharge facility. Reviews discharge summary with resident and facility representative. Completes all required discharge paperwork by obtaining signatures and completes satisfaction surveys with residents. Completes post discharge surveys to ensure continuity of care.
• Functions as the Civil and Forensic Liaisons between Florida State Hospital and the court system, mental health centers, other agencies (including Agency for Persons with Disabilities), and Department of Children and Families Continuity of Care Management System.
• Provides consultation/coordination services related to the conditional release process and other social services policy and procedure relative to Civil and Forensic Services during New Employee Orientation and as assigned. Provides consultation/coordination of services related to standards through recruitment, screening, evaluation, orientation and monitoring, and hiring interviews (at unit's request). Monitors completion of training module.
• Utilizes social work knowledge and skills to assist unit social service staff in expediting "stat" discharges as indicated or assigned by supervisor.
• Position may maintain a caseload in a unit in the event of need. This will require that the position provide social services, counseling guidance, and discharge planning (i.e., identifying alternative living environments, securing financial benefits, identifying barriers to discharge, etc.) with individuals with acute or chronic mental disabilities, who are emotionally disturbed, indigent, or assigned a legal status of civil and ex-forensic. Participates on monthly contact with case management and interact with Community Case Managers and Forensic Specialists during case management visits to maintain effective working relationships, and to develop Discharge Plans and Conditional Release Plans.
• If carrying a caseload, the position will complete all necessary social services progress notes and assessments to include Comprehensive Psychosocial summaries, Baker Act Summaries, Advance Directive documents, and other documents associated with discharge planning in a timely manner, ensuring that Quality Assurance requirements are met, and Continuity of Care plans for residents being discharged are arranged. Represents the unit and social services department at legal hearings (if applicable). Maintains assessments in compliance with Department of Children and Families, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabiltive Facilities, Performance Improvement and Planning, and Florida State Hospital Operating Procedures

Minimum qualifications:

• Hold a Valid Florida's driver's license and pass a level 2 background.
• Must have a bachelor's degree in social work, Psychology, Education or Nursing with 3 yrs of experience in providing social work, health education, nursing or counseling services or a master’s degree in social work, psychology, education or nursing and two years of professional experience.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of social work, education or counseling.
• Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing, and analyzing data.
• Knowledge of Florida State Hospital, Social Service policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of Florida Statutes, Chapters 394 and 916.7. Knowledge of various computer programs to include Microsoft Word.
• Knowledge of counseling techniques and practices.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.10. Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data. 
• Ability to develop treatment and rehabilitation programs. 
• Ability to provide casework services to residents. 
• Ability to follow through on all phases of the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of residents. 
• Ability to develop and present training programs. 
• Ability to develop guidelines and procedures for the delivery if social services.

Work environment: This is a State of Florida Psychiatric Hospital which operates 24/7, 7 days a week.  It currently has 223 buildings on campus with a capacity of 1,334 patients.  Some patients as young as 13 yrs old. The hospital's current Administration Building is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Types of patients:  Categories of patients are treated at the hospital; those civilly committed under Statute 394, who represent a small portion of the hospital's residents; and those forensically committed under Statute 916. The Civil portion of the hospital houses adult and elderly individuals who have been civilly committed to the hospital, and forensic residents who have been "stepped down" to the civil unit. The civil units are also known as Forensic Transition units. Forensic ward entry has security guards and a metal detector.  Most patients are ambulatory young adults age 20-25.  Facility also has a small geriatric dorm.

Orientation Requirements: No call outs during orientation will be accepted. Restarting NEO or the ability to continue will be at the facility’s discretion.  NEFSH will provide all required in-house training (MANDT, CPR, etc.) during the first two weeks of orientation following hire.

Leave request: Once agency staff begin employment, no leave requests will be accepted during the first eight (8) weeks of employment.

Driving requirement: Will be available to assist other staff with transportation on recreational outings, escort individuals to appointments for prosthetic devices or hospital wide celebrations, and transport individuals to the community for discharge readiness appointments or actual discharge.