TITLE:                                      Mental Health Specialist

STATUS:                                   FULL-TIME / PART-TIME EMPLOYEE

PAY SCALE: $13-$17.30/hr DOE

QUALIFICATIONS:
1.   Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Sociology, related field, and at least two (2) years of experience working with clients who have a serious and persistent mental illness is required. Master's Degree is preferred.
2.      Experience in case management and in coordinating services to clients.
3.      Excellent interpersonal and client engagement skills and experience.
4.      Knowledge and understanding of record charting.
5.      Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
6.      Ability to work well with minimal supervision.
7.      Ability to work well with physicians, nurses and other clinicians. Must work as a team player.
8.      Ability to handle multiple demands and/or crisis situations in a calm professional manner.                                                           

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The Mental Health Specialist is responsible for coordinating client intake and admission as well as coordinating program and case management services with other service providers.

RESPONSIBLE TO: Program Administrator             

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Mental Health Specialist shall: 

1. Complete initial intake/admission paperwork on all new clients. Develop a New Client Orientation Packet and ensure that at a minimum every client gets: Patient Rights Forms, New Clinic Packet, Clinic Policies/Procedures, After-Hour Telephone #s, etc. 

2. Ensure that eligibility verification has been completed on each client scheduled daily. 

3. Develop therapeutic relationship with all clients enrolled in the clinic, and ensures that the waiting time in the lobby is reasonable at all times. 

4. Responsible for managing the flow of patients for the program Psychiatrists. 

5. Review client's goals and progress in treatment sessions during their regular scheduled appointments. 

6. Document daily contacts with others involved in the client's care (i.e. case managers, ACCESS, family members, residential care providers, guardians, hospital discharge planner, etc.) 

7. Monitor client participation in treatment and set up client engagement systems to follow up as soon as clients miss scheduled appointments. 

8. Assist in obtaining insurance cards, maintaining housing and providing a list of resources for clients in need of these services.  If working with the children/adolescents, make contact with schools, courts, family services etc. as needed for clients. 

9. Check each chart from the clients that have been seen daily to ensure that physicians, clinicians and clients have signed and completed all pertinent forms. [medical consent forms, client treatment plan, etc.] 

10. Work closely with Physicians, Nurses, Psychiatric Technicians and/or Therapist on discharge planning for assigned clients. 

11. Complete the required clinician documentation daily/weekly and keep medical records and clinical documentation current at all times. All notes must be legible. 

12. Attend staff meetings and communicate clinical concerns to team. 

13. Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement and Quality Management team programs as requested by the Program Administrator. [i.e. distribute client satisfaction surveys to client at each visit to the clinic, monitor how many clients are being hospitalized each month, etc.] 

14. Participate in Case Conferences and Client Staffings' when required. 

15. Provide all clients with care, dignity and respect continuously striving to deliver superior clinical and client-centered treatment. 
16. Travel to alternative clinic locations on an as needed basis. 
17. Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Administrator.