ACT Team Family Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: ACT Team Family Specialist Department: Behavioral Services

Reports to: Director of ACT Team Revision Date: 2/15/2024

Grade Level: 24 Status: Non-Exempt

Job Summary: Provide clinical treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation, and community support services designed to promote recovery by improving psychiatric symptoms, preventing relapse, teaching skills, providing direct assistance ad securing community resources necessary for successful functioning in work, school, home and social relationships.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provides therapy to those with chronic, persistent mental illness in the community on an outreach basis. Provide continuous coverage 24 hours a day, every day, including weekends and holidays.
• Assist clients in finding affordable housing.
• Medication Support: Rehabilitative counseling and skill development, regarding medications are provided under the supervision of the professional staff. Staff member may deliver medications from pharmacy, monitor medication response, side effects, patient filling medication bar and report observation, concerns to the licensed professional/provider and/or NP/RN.
• Teach empowerment/self-help. Encourage and assist consumers to participate in self-advocacy.
• Provide health education, sex education, and counseling. Schedule routine and acute medical and dental care appointments. Accompany clients to appointments if necessary.
• Assists clients in finding competitive work opportunities.
• Teaches problem solving, coping and relationship skills to clients and their natural supports.
• Educates clients and their natural supports about mental illness.
• Teaches client to identify relapse triggers and develop a relapse plan.
• Service Planning: Develop with clients a comprehensive, individualized service plan that is goal oriented. Identify strengths and weaknesses, needs and goals. Identify risk factors regarding harm to self and/or others.
• Provide crisis counseling when necessary, including weekends and holidays.
• Lead responsibility for integrating family goals and services with the tasks of all team members and for providing family psycho-education groups.
• Identifies and assesses client’s support systems, available community resources, and other factors to plan, develop, and implement an appropriate natural support/family plan
• Assist natural supports/family with building their support team to develop the goals and actions steps to address needs
• Provide support and psycho-education to family members, friends and other collateral individuals..
• Assume lead responsibility within the multi-disciplinary team for integrating family goals and services with the tasks of all team members and for providing family psycho-education individually and in groups.
• Conduct home visits, interview families and natural supports to assess their needs, plan and develop individualized goals and a plan to achieve them.
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Required Skills/Abilities (Unit Specific):
• Use computer programs including order entry per policy as assigned.
• Complete all department documentation accurately as assigned.
• Accurately identifies all information before filing, or reporting data.
• Maintain charts and files in a systematic order.
• Prepare and process routine correspondence as assigned.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail.
• Request and obtain past medical records for patients upon admission.
• Schedule patient appointments to meet the needs of customers.
• Assist with discharge planning by making appointments with other agencies and Out-Treatment.
• Complete Release of Information by obtaining data from discharge releases and other agencies.
• Maintain client chart list.
• Complete reports as assigned.
• Prepare information packets and discharge packets as assigned.
• Complete special ordering through Purchasing as needed.
• Fax information to appropriate agencies after ROI obtained
• Maintain client calendar for appointments.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum 6 months of direct care experience with serious mental health illness is required.
• Valid Driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable vehicle required.

Working Conditions:

• Position requires the ability to drive frequently and the use of a personal vehicle.
• Requires the ability to sit and type at a computer frequently.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk frequently.
• Ability to climb flights of stairs, ability to lift a minimum of 40 pounds (or more) using proper body mechanics for personal and patient/client safety.
• Requires cross-training to other specialty roles in the ACT team to best support clients.
• Actively participate in-service programs, Quality Assurance and QAIP; attend all mandatory classes, meetings and committees as required; complete department-specific requirements/competencies.
• Complies with DOH requirements for annual health assessments and required immunizations.

Pay Range: $23.00-$26.00/hr

Employee salary is based on commensurate experience and other qualifications.

About Oswego Health:
The mission of Oswego Health is to provide accessible, quality care and improve the health of residents throughout Oswego County. As a nonprofit healthcare system established in 1881, Oswego Health is proud to be Oswego County’s largest private employer. More than 1,300 employees spread throughout its 18 locations, work for the Oswego Health system, which includes the 132-bed community Oswego Hospital, a 32-bed psychiatric acute-care facility with multiple outpatient behavioral health service locations, The Manor at Seneca Hill, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, and Springside at Seneca Hill, an independent retirement community. The health system also operates Oswego Health Home Care, the only hospital-based certified home healthcare agency in the County, as well as two outpatient centers, including the Fulton Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, physical therapy, and occupational health services, and the Central Square Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, and physical therapy services. In addition, the healthcare system includes Oswego Health Medical Practice, a multi-specialty medical group offering the community accessible, high-quality healthcare. 100+ physicians and advanced practice providers offer an extensive array of services across CNY, including primary care and specialty care in the areas of orthopedics, cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, breast care, general surgery, urology, and bariatrics.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Oswego Health is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment-related matters, without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race), creed, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age, marital or familial status, disability, pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, citizenship status, ancestry, arrest/conviction record, military or veteran status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, reproductive health decision making, relationship or association with a member of a protected category, or any other legally protected characteristic. Decisions affecting your position including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, training, tuition assistance, leaves of absence, disciplinary action, layoff/recall, and terminations will be made in accordance with this policy.