Clinical Counselor I (Bilingual Preferred- Creole/English)

The Clinical Counselor I is responsible for the delivery of appropriate mental health and substance abuse services to Care Resource clients.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Recruitment and Screening:

• Maintain assigned billable hours per week on average throughout the year.
• Contact referrals to enlist clients into caseload and documents results.
• Screen clients for mental health and substance abuse disorders as well as for available counseling interventions.

Informed Consent:

• Obtain informed consent utilizing agency forms prior to providing services.
• Conduct client orientation to treatment program according to applicable laws and agency procedures.

Assessment:

• Conduct In-Depth Assessment to determine diagnoses and/or course of treatment for both individuals and groups.
• Complete assessment requirements for various available counseling interventions and programs.

Treatment and Service Planning and Documentation:

• Provide mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, including diagnosis, crisis intervention, treatment planning and reviews for both individuals and groups.
• Adhere to agency procedures and protocols in the provision of effective delivery of mental health and substance abuse counseling and maintenance of standards of care.
• Serve and maintain an active caseload as assigned with concomitant productivity.
• Ensure documentation is timely, accurate, legible and clear.
• Maintain updated and complete treatment plans, treatment plan reviews, progress notes and other required information in client records as specified in performance standards.

Intervention & Crisis:

• Conduct interventions with clients including individual, group and other appropriate counseling interventions.
• Determine client need for specialized services within or outside of the agency, such as medical treatment, psychiatric care, psychological testing as well as with other health-related organizations in accordance with the client's treatment plan and communicate all such actions to the psychosocial team as applicable.
• Assess clients in crisis for appropriateness of Baker Act proceedings, utilizes Baker Act documentation when necessary and coordinates with police, family, and other staff as required to place client when necessary.

Supervision:

• Provide daily documentation of work performed (e.g., Informed Consents, Assessments, Treatment Plans & Reviews, Case notes, Discharge Summaries)
• Attend at least weekly supervision with supervisor to review work, obtain signed documentation, discuss clinical issues and staff critical cases until such time as licensure under FS 491 is achieved. Provides supervisor with productivity report weekly.

Manages Resources:

• Coordinate with client case manager for clients support services as needed.
• Facilitate drug urinalysis for court mandated clients following agency procedures.
• Coordinate court referred programs by writing reports and progress notes as required.
• Input client information using specific software as required.
• Provide clients with information about bill-coverage, services and procedures as required.
• Perform quality assurance reviews monthly achieving a minimum score of 90%.
• Participate in staff training sessions as required by the agency.

Community Involvement:

Participates in agency developmental activities.

Culture of Service: 3 C's

Compassion

Greets internal or external customers (i.e., patient, client, staff, vendor) with courtesy, making eye contact, responding with a proper tone and nonverbal language.

Listens to the internal or external customer (i.e., patient, client, staff, vendor) attentively, reassuring and understanding of the request and providing appropriate options or resolutions.

Competency

Provides services required by following established protocols and when needed, procure additional help to answer questions to ensure appropriate services are delivered.

Commitment

Takes initiative and anticipates internal or external customer needs by engaging them in the process and following up as needed.

Prioritize internal or external customer (i.e., patient, client, staff, vendor) requests to ensure the prompt and effective response is provided

Safety

• Ensure proper hand washing according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
• Ensures each new client receives screening for their risk of suicide.
• Understands and appropriately acts upon assigned role in Emergency Code System
• Understands and performs assigned role in Agency Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
• Other duties as assigned.