Community Support Specialist

Community Support Specialist

The Community Support Specialist provides input for needs assessments, develops individual recovery plans based on the assessment completed by a licensed mental health professional, provides direct skill teaching, crisis intervention, coordinates care with other health care providers/families and makes recommendations to ensure the quality of care for clients served. This position is entirely in the community. This position is for Fairfax & Arlington County.

Primary duties include assessing stage of treatment, stage of change, skills and abilities of clients and engages clients in skills building activities that focus on recovery, community integration and wellness. Carries caseload for mental health skill building and provides coordination of care for each person on caseload as determined by program needs. Provides input for prior authorizations for skill building services, the annual Needs Assessment and develops a person-centered Individual Recovery Plan for each person on caseload. Completes Log notes, Weekly Progress notes and a Quarterly Review of barriers encountered and/or progress made on objectives embedded in the person-centered Recovery Plan for each person on caseload and modifies objectives and/or interventions in a timely manner. Provides individualized education and skills teaching to include Illness Management, supportive counseling, and crisis intervention to persons served. Assists clients to make informed decisions about recovery from mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders. Routinely liaison and collaborate with other care-providers and/or treatment team: at least monthly - documentation of collaboration with case managers, and at least every six months - documentation of collaboration with medical providers. Maintains electronic health record (EHR) as required by CARF, Licensure and Medicaid. Completes clinical documentation within 24 hours of service delivery per Medicaid regulations. Meets billing targets as set by the organization. Demonstrates flexibility in performance of duties and/or other duties as assigned. Represents staff in agency and/or community-based workgroups to enhance services provided within, and related to, mental health support services for target population, as designated by supervisor.

Essential competencies include adaptability to changes in environment and situations, strong and effective communication skills and accepts criticism and feedback, dependability by following instructions, responds to management direction and keeps commitments, meets attendance punctuality guidelines, maintains emotional self-awareness and manages relationships positively, focuses on solving conflict, not blaming and building interpersonal relationships, contributes to building a positive team spirit and exhibits objectivity and openness to others views.

Qualifications include QMHP-A preferred, QMHP-T required, Bachelor's degree in psychology, social science, or related field preferred, progressively responsible experience working with seriously mentally ill adults, excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, excellent computer skills in Microsoft suite and procedures relevant to this position, high degree of empathy toward individuals with serious mental illness.