Support Employment Specialist

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Works autonomously and collectively as an empowered staff member of Sea Mar's Behavioral Health

program. Participates in the development and ongoing delivery of services. This position works

exclusively with the First Episode Psychosis (FEP) team and its enrolled consumers. FEP is an evidence

based practice in the treatment of consumers through a multidisciplinary team providing

early intervention for first episode psychosis. The FEP team seeks to deliver high fidelity

clinical, rehabilitative and support services to generate the best possible outcomes for enrolled

consumers. This position is responsible for his/her own caseload, for providing the team with

consultations regarding vocational services, and for the delivery of Individual Placement and Support

(IPS) Model evidence based Supported Employment and Education (SEE) services for FEP clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on

the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances

self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered,

culturally-aware services.

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an

excellent client experience by:

Understanding and empathizing with client needs

Surpassing client expectations

Demonstrating a high level of integrity

Exhibiting compassion and commitment

Advocating for social justice

Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team

Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

Job Description

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their

utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

• Provide IPS Model SEE services to help clients find and maintain employment or school enrollment

in community-based and integrated settings of their choosing.

• Conduct consistent engagement of enrolled consumers on the many economic, social, medical

and recovery benefits of employment and/or education.

• Assess consumer employment and/or academic interests, abilities, preferences, barriers, likes, dislikes

and strengths through a vocational and/or educational assessment as per the IPS Model of SEE.

Continued assessment as consumers are placed in community-based jobs or school. Fully attend to

the risks and benefits of disclosure as part of the assessment as these will impact the delivery of

services. Attend to the need for benefits planning to evaluate the impact of working and wages on

consumer public benefits.

• Assess the effect(s) of the client's mental illness on employment, with Identification of specific

behaviors that interfere with the client's work performance and development of interventions to

reduce, manage or eliminate those behaviors in collaboration with other members of the FEP team.

• Develop a consumer driven, consensual and specific employment or education goal.
• Conduct community-based development based on consumer's specific job or education goal

Develop and maintain relationships with employers and area schools to facilitate consumers'

specific job or education goal through repeat visits and continuing cultivation of the relationship.

• Work closely with consumers in areas such as interviewing skills, resume development, completion

of applications, attending to gaps in employment or school history, background checks, financial

resources needed to enroll in school, and so forth.

• Utilize the relationships with area employers and school to get consumers considered for

employment or enrollment and affirmative decisions in hiring or enrollment. Assist and support

consumer, based on his/her preferences, with all human resources and/or admissions requirements

to get started in work or school

• Provide job coaching and supportive counseling to assist consumers to identify and cope with

the symptoms of mental illness and/or other issues that may interfere with their work or school

performance. Arrange for other supports as/if needed. Titrate and adjust job coaching and

supportive counseling as needed.

• Respond to work or school related conduct or performance issues in a timely manner.
• Attend to the need for work or school related support needs, such as assistance with grooming

and personal hygiene, securing of appropriate clothing, wake-up calls, and transportation in

conjunction with other FEP team members. Attend to the need for regular reporting of

income to all income maintenance and health insurance providers.

• Provide clinical and other interventions to assist consumer in meeting treatment and level of care

needs. Clinical interventions may include individual, family, and group modalities, and may include

counseling, case management, medication management, vocational rehabilitation, system

coordination, consumer advocacy, and crisis management.

• Ensure that treatment planning and interventions are client centered, culturally competent and

age appropriate. Considers all aspects of the consumer's, their families, and their community's

psychosocial, economic and cultural needs. Provides mental health care with respect for

consumer confidentiality, safety and self-determination.

• Utilize community and natural supports to supplement services, with the intent to better integrate

the consumer into their community, and to eventually graduate the client from services when

possible and clinically indicated.

Work collaboratively with co-workers and with personnel from other agencies with whom we interact.

Complete all required documentation in an accurate, complete, and timely manner per agency policies

and procedures. Takes the initiative to seek supervisory or collegial assistance with follow-through or

methodology if problems with documentation quality or timeliness persist.

Actively contributes to program development by participating in agency meetings, serving on working

committees, and undertaking agreed upon independent projects for the improvement of the agency and

enhancement of services.

Maintain the safety, security, and confidentiality of consumers and their families.

Ensures own professional development. Maintains licensure and/or certification requirements.

Contributes to the overall professional development of the agency. Contributes to the functioning of the

agency as a training institution.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications include:

A strong background in both community mental health and vocational services, prefer experience with

supported employment services. Familiarity with IPS Model SEE and/or ACT services is a plus.

A strong commitment to right of each mental health care consumer to have access to helpful, competent,

and individually tailored support and services.

A strong commitment to working collaboratively, assertively and interdependently with co-workers.

Promotes and respects the worth and dignity of the consumer. Promotes and reinforces the consumer's

best possible functioning within the community.

Must possess the skills and competence necessary to establish and maintain supportive, collaborative, and

therapeutically effective relationships with consumers.

Demonstrated ability to effectively plan and organize work to satisfactory completion.

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Computer proficiency (Word, Excel).

Must complete an annual clinical competency test an employment specialist.

Education, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

Requires Bachelor's or Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology or related field.

Valid Washington State Department of Health License/credential or ability to obtain a minimum of

an Agency Affiliated Counselor credential within 60 days from hire date.

Must have access to a car, a valid driver's license, and proof of auto insurance.

Must authorize Sea Mar to obtain current driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles (and

annually thereafter) to determine employees' driving eligibility. Driving record must meet Sea Mar's

insurance carrier's minimum standards related to driving for the purpose of determining eligibility.

The employee must provide Sea Mar proof of auto insurance (upon hire and at renewal time). Employee

must submit a copy of the endorsements page of their insurance policy to Human Resources. Employee

must carry minimum liability coverage required by the state where they reside.

This position may require employees to transport clients and employee will be required to carry

additional liability coverage. HR will provide employee with the additional liability coverage limits that are

required.

Must pass a TB test at time of hire and annually.

This position must obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR within 90 days of hire date and is required

to maintain current BLS CPR throughout employment.

Must be able to obtain Clark County Jail clearance

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Pre-hire and annual employee health screening required.

Annual influenza vaccine required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious

exemption approved by Administration. Employees with an approved medical or religious

exemption must wear a mask at all times during the flu season.

Work Environment

Fast paced and challenging at times in order to meet client needs. Potential for occasional exposure to

conflict and/or aggressive behavior.

Physical Requirements

No physical requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for individuals with disabilities.

Hourly - Hourly Plan, 21.30 USD Hourly

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it's a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment.

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.