Mental Health Specialist V

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Employee Benefits:

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS). To learn more about all the benefits available to you as a DSHS employee and other DSHS opportunities for early career pathways, visit the DSHS Careers Page.

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Functional Title: Mental Health Specialist V
Job Title: Health Specialist V
Agency: Dept of State Health Services
Department: TX Ctr for Infectious Disease
Posting Number: 19160
Closing Date: 01/20/2027
Posting Audience: Internal and External
Occupational Category: Healthcare Support
Salary Range: $5,530.00- $7,253.83
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-21
Shift: Regular Night
Additional Shift: Days (First)
Telework: Not Eligible for Telework
Travel: Up to 10%
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full Time/Part Time: Full time
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt
Facility Location: Texas Center for Infectious Disease
Job Location City: SAN ANTONIO
Job Location Address: 2303 SE MILITARY DR
Other Locations: San Antonio
MOS Codes: 230X,43HX,4C0X1,4E0X1,71F,73A,73B,HM,HN,HS,MED,SEI12

Brief Job Description:

The Mental Health Specialist V - Performs highly advanced (senior-level) clinical and administrative social work for patients with complex behavioral, medical, psychosocial needs, and substance use needs. The position supports a multidisciplinary team serving individuals with long-term or court-ordered hospitalizations due to infectious disease and co-morbid behavioral health conditions. The Health Specialist V provides trauma-informed, evidence-based counseling; discharge and transition planning; and operational support for behavioral health services. The role functions with minimal supervision and exercises extensive independent judgment.

Work involves overseeing behavioral testing and assessing, counseling, and reporting. Performs and documents advanced behavioral health services work to include serving as a liaison between the client, client’s rights, and others to assure ongoing care, treatment and support applying client centered practices. Gathers information to assess the client's support systems and service needs, including participation in the interdisciplinary team meetings. Collaborates with QM and other departments in the evaluation, creation and dissemination of knowledge essential to care needs. Completes an initial assessment, as well as maintains appropriate updates. May also support the assessment of the client's rights and capacity to make decisions and provides individual and group training to promote the exercise of rights. Designs and provides’ individual and group training to promote the exercise of rights and oversees training curriculum and materials. Assists with the coordination of admissions, transfers, transitions at discharge, as needed. Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Supervises behavioral staff under the direction of the Psychologist III and serves as interim or backup Behavioral Health Director, supporting staffing, operations, and communication.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may

Essential Job Functions:

Attend’s work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and perform other duties as assigned.

Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments for patients with complex behavioral, medical, and social needs to include substance use history, risk behaviors, and recovery readiness. 15%

Screens for chemical dependency, trauma, psychosocial factors, and non-medical social determinants of health to inform care planning, withdrawal risk, relapse indicators, and recovery needs; integrates this into treatment planning for patients for potential program participation and services. 10%

Participates in developing and maintaining facility-level chemical dependency programming and group curricula for patients. Conducts chemical dependency program orientation sessions. 10%

Maintains patients' treatment plans and progress records and modifies treatment plans accordingly in a timely, accurate documentation aligned with clinical, ethical, and regulatory standards. Evaluates substance abuse counseling and education needs of the patient population. Develops, monitors, and updates individualized treatment and recovery plans in coordination with the care team. 10%

Facilitates individual and group counseling for patients with co-occurring behavioral health and substance use conditions using motivational interviewing, trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches. Assists in developing and implementing program policies and procedures. 10%

Participates in quality improvement initiatives to enhance care coordination, treatment access, and health optimization. Prepares clinical analyses, designs and monitors behavior modification and skill acquisition plans.10%

Designs and delivers staff development on trauma-informed care, ethics, and behavioral health best practices. Develops and presents educational and training programs, workshops, and seminars on substance abuse. 10%

Participates in conferences for diagnosis and treatment planning and facilitates discharge planning by linking patients to appropriate community resources, social support, and follow-up services and when needed coordinates referrals to outpatient or residential substance use programs, MAT (medication-assisted treatment), and peer support. 10%

Provides clinical supervision and consultation to behavioral health staff, interns, and support personnel and directly supervise staff in the Behavioral Health Department. Serves as interim or backup Behavioral Health Director, supporting staffing, operations, and communication. 10%

Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location. 5%

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

KNOWLEDGE IN:

Counseling, psychology, therapy, chemical dependency, addiction, co-dependency, counseling techniques, recovery processes, and related disciplines; psychological tests, measurements, and related disorders; and the laws and regulations regarding the treatment of substance abusers.

Treatment of mental illness. Joint Commission, CQI principles, DSHS standards, Texas Administrative Code Minimum Standards, and Texas Health and Safety Code Regulations. DSHS and TCID mission and policies and procedures. Ethical principles and code of conduct. Texas Mental Health Code for civil and criminal commitments. Psychiatric Disorders - DSM V TR. Medical Issues. Treatment Milieu. Behavior.

SKILLS IN:

Interviewing, in listening, in counseling clients and patients, and in the use of a computer and applicable software. Ability to screen and evaluate clients; to counsel and instruct clients; to plan, develop, and implement rehabilitative and chemical dependency treatment programs; to prepare reports. Effective communication. Problem solving. Crisis intervention. CPR and CPI. Working effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. Managing rapidly changing priorities and working effectively with a diverse case load. Skills in managing conflict among staff. Skills in analyzing workloads and how to assign staff to accomplish tasks in a timely and effective manner.

ABILITY TO:

Interpret diagnostic interviews and test data, to conduct individual and group discussions, to analyze behavioral deficits, to develop plans for implementing and monitoring rehabilitation activities in skill acquisition and behavior management, to communicate effectively, and to supervise the work of others. Must serve diverse population and be effective in using interpretation services for non-English patients.

Function effectively as a treatment team member. Serve as liaison between TCID, community resources, the court system, persons served and families. Identify persons served/family needs and activate the appropriate system. Organize and coordinate treatment issues. Skills and sensitivity in working with a diverse population. Serve as a backup to the Director of Behavioral Health Services for the Texas Center for Infectious Disease.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

Must have one of the following: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical or Master Social Worker (LCSW or LMSW), Licenses Psychological Associate (LPA),

Initial Screening Criteria:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's or doctorate degree in counseling, psychology, social work or a related field.

Three years of experience in psychological/therapeutic work.

Two (2) or more years with assessment and treatment including work with populations evidencing moderate to severe addiction and mental illness preferred.

Additional Information:

Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aid, Medication Aide and Employee Misconduct, List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE). Males between the ages of 18-25 must be registered with the Selective Service.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for employment at a state-operated facility. Terrell and Waco Center for Youth applicants must be 21 years of age.

Compliance with HHSC immunization policy and state hospital operating procedures related to immunizations is required. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers are considered to be at significant risk for acquiring or transmitting hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and influenza. All these diseases are vaccine preventable. As a result, state hospital policy requires employees be vaccinated according to their level of contact with individuals. In the event you choose to not be immunized for the influenza virus, you may be required to wear a mask and take other protective measures.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified for this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DSHS will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for individuals with a qualifying disability. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please notify the person who contacts you to schedule the interview. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at View phone number on aiapply.co or via email at View email address on aiapply.co.

Salary Information, Pre-employment Checks, and Work Eligibility:

• The salary offered will follow DSHS starting salary guidelines. Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds.
• Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.
• DSHS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Download the I-9 form