Job Description:

Job Summary:

The Community Support Specialist II provides support and activities for clients through an organized treatment plan designed to ease an individual’s immediate and continued adjustment to community living by using advanced knowledge of psychological concepts and coordinating delivery of mental health services with other services provided by practitioners and community agencies. The Support Specialist II will also provide support and assistance to those in the Community Support Specialist role.

Essential Job Functions:

Utilization of specialized knowledge of behavioral science principles, such as motivation, reinforcement, operant conditioning, social norming, attitude change, persuasion, hierarchy of needs, interpersonal and group dynamics, cognitive processing, attentional processes, personality, and empirically supported behavioral intervention strategies to support the client in becoming more successful in their home and community environment.

Utilizes a supportive educational approach to promote improved functioning to meet the needs of the client and the goals of treatment while encouraging recovery and increased resiliency. Engages in any other activities that meet those needs and goals.

Establishes a caseload, the size and nature of which is to be coordinated with supervisory staff.

According to Brightli guidelines, participates in staffing of clients to identify problems and establish goals and objectives for treatment and assumes management responsibilities for cases assigned.

Exercise discretion and judgment when participating in emergency services in order to provide rapid aid in cases of emotional crisis.

Provides and/or coordinates a comprehensive follow-up to all clients for whom he/she has been responsible, including follow up for missed appointments, and conducting outreach and engagement as needed (i.e. partner with assigned Community Support Specialists for home visits).

Be readily available for assigned Community Support Specialists to shadow your work with clients and serve as back up for high acuity clients when Community Support Specialist is unavailable (sickness, vacation, etc.)

Engages in committee work, team meetings, and actively facilitates and participates in resource share sessions.

Provide mentorship to assigned Community Support Specialists. Mentorship is defined as an individual with expertise who can help develop a mentee’s skills—a mentor functions as a coach who guides the mentee's professional performance and development. The psychosocial function of mentorship establishes the mentor as a role model and support system for the mentee. Both functions provide explicit and implicit lessons related to professional development and general work-life balance. The mentor’s role is to share experience and insights and give feedback to guide the mentee in achieving their learning objectives. Listening plays an integral part in the mentoring role – listening to understand the mentee’s goals and uncover key learning opportunities that support those goals. Mentor Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Hold regularly scheduled individual sessions and complete site visits to observe work with clients of assigned Community Support Specialists. These responsibilities are as directed by supervisor.

Establish positive relationships with assigned Community Support Specialists and maintain regular interaction and consistent support.

Take the initiative for contacting and staying in touch with your assigned Community Support Specialists;

Devote time to the relationship and be available when requested;

Assist assigned Community Support Specialists with questions, needs, or concerns;

Follow up on the progress of your assigned Community Support Specialists; and

Maintain confidentiality of the information shared by assigned Community Support Specialists.

Help the assigned Community Support Specialists develop job related skills by helping establish time-management, communication skills, knowledge of community partnerships and how to navigate the partnerships.

Assist assigned Community Support Specialists in becoming familiar with the services Brightli has to offer clients and employees.

Help assigned Community Support Specialists develop goals to address personal, educational, and career goals.

Be a source of support and guidance by sharing knowledge and experience with assigned Community Support Specialists.

Provide assigned Community Support Specialists with assistance in establishing groups and co-facilitating groups when appropriate.

Functions in accordance with Brightli Behavioral Health Operational Guidelines and within his/her professional code of ethics.

Participates in and contributes to the various staff development activities of Brightli.

Is sensitive and responsible to management needs, such as data collection, program evaluation, development of grant applications or maintenance of various contracts for services, etc.

Regularly participates in evaluation of self, according to Brightli Operational guidelines.  

Is responsive to all quality assurance procedures of Brightli, cooperates with utilization review procedures and follows established procedures, rules and regulations of the Clinical Records Department.

Performs other special functions as may, from time to time, be deemed necessary to ensure successful delivery of mental health services.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to communicate effectively before groups of residents, employees of the organization, family members and other contacts in the community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

REASONING ABILITY:  Ability to apply logic and understanding to carry out instructions furnished in writing, oral or diagram form. Ability to solve and manage problems with several concrete variable standardized situations.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Must be able to establish effective relationships with clients and the needed network of care via telephone and personal contacts. Must be able to follow direction and accept supervision.

Experience and Education Qualifications:

Advanced knowledge in mental health issues as evidenced by a bachelor’s degree in a human services field, which includes social work, psychology, nursing, education, criminal justice, recreational therapy, human development and family studies, counseling, child development, gerontology, sociology, human services, behavioral science and rehabilitation counseling; or an individual with any four year degree and two years of qualifying experience; or any four year combination of higher education and qualifying experience; or an associate of Applied Science in Behavioral Health Support from an approved institution; or an individual with four years of qualifying experience. In addition, 18 months of experience at Brightli as a Community Support Specialist is required.

Must have or obtain within two (2) weeks of employment a valid Driver’s License.  Must have use of personal auto for occasional transport of clients.  Must have auto liability insurance including uninsured motorist coverage.

Supervisory Requirements:

None

Employment Requirements:

Successful completion of background check including criminal record, driving record, abuse/neglect and fingerprint check.

Completion of New Hire Orientation at the beginning of employment.

All training requirements including Relias at the beginning of employment and annually thereafter.

Current driver’s license, acceptable driving record and current auto insurance.

Physical Requirements:

ADA Consideration - Sedentary work:  Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (exists up the 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (exists 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, or pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.  Repetitive movements of hands, fingers, and arms for typing and/or writing during work shift.

Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time.  Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability or veteran status, or to other non-work related factors.

Burrell is a Smoke and Tobacco Free Workplace.