Psychiatric Social Worker I

Psychiatric Social Worker I

The Monterey County Health Department, Behavioral Health Bureau is seeking enthusiastic Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW), Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) candidates to work as part of a multidisciplinary care team serving children, youth, adults, and older adults as a Psychiatric Social Worker I.

As a member of a Behavioral Health care team, this position will assist and participate in interviewing clients and families, compile social case histories, participate in diagnostic and evaluative staff conferences, prepare reports, interpret and explain factors pertaining to mental illness, provide individual, group and case management services, and work collaboratively with a variety of community and county partners.

The Behavioral Health Bureau is a progressive agency that serves children, youth, adults older adults and their families with System of Care values of being community based, culturally relevant, client and family centered, using evidence-based practices to support clients in their wellness and recovery journey for mental illness and substance use disorder conditions.

Children's System of Care provides an array of clinical services from birth to 25 years of age and their families. Clinical teams include Early Childhood Services, Transition Age Youth, Post Hospitalization Support, as well clinical teams that partner with Child Welfare, Education and Juvenile Probation.

Adult System of Care provides a wide range of comprehensive integrated care to adults/older adults (18+ years of age) with serious mental illness, co-occurring substance use, and other complex issues. The multidisciplinary teams work together to provide an array of services including but not limited to psychosocial rehabilitation, individual and group therapy, strength-based case management, crisis intervention, family support and community integration. Clinical teams are based out of the outpatient regional clinics in Marina, Salinas, Soledad, and King City.

Access to Treatment clinics are entry points into services and provide an array of clinical services for individuals of all ages who are seeking to get connected to services for mental health and substance use issues that are impacting their ability to function in work, home, school, social and community settings. Services include screening, assessment, crisis intervention, individual and group therapy, linkage and referral to community resources as well as the Children and Adult Systems of Care.

Community Crisis Services (Mobile Crisis) Team responds to calls for crisis support and provides brief crisis intervention, de-escalation, triage, risk / safety assessment, safety planning, referral and linkage to individuals and families experiencing behavioral health crisis in the community. This team seeks to provide support to stabilize the situation in the community to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and divert from emergency resources (hospital/jail) when appropriate while providing linkage to ongoing care as needed.

Adult Justice Involved Services Team works with current and former justice involved adults (18+ years of age) some of whom are reentering society after a period of incarceration (jail/prison) and transitioning to community-based services to meet their mental health and substance use disorder treatment needs. Clients may be participating in one of the Collaborative Court or Diversion programs, CARE Act (Care Court) or referred to services through Post Release Community Supervision or the Cal AIM Justice Involved Behavioral Health Linkages Initiative.

The Health Department offers up to a $10,000 signing bonus to candidates hired into regular positions for this classification from this recruitment. The Eligible List established by this recruitment process will be used to fill current and future vacancies, both regular and temporary, as they arise.

Examples of Duties

• Conducts psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and clinical interventions.
• Performs initial diagnostic evaluations noting behavioral symptoms, which may indicate organic and/or mental disorders in children and in interpersonal/family dysfunctions related to child and adult consumers.
• Determines and develops appropriate annual treatment plans for all consumers in the caseload.
• Conducts individual, group and family counseling/therapy sessions for consumers toward the goal of achieving more adequate, satisfying and productive life adjustments in the community and provides case management services as appropriate.
• Participates in developing individual and group treatment plans utilizing a variety of psychotherapeutic, psychosocial and psycho educational modalities that meet the standards set by the Behavioral Health/State Quality Assurance Standard.
• Assesses progress of consumers on a selected basis and proposes modifications to rehabilitation plans in order to meet goals agreed upon by the consumers, youth or family.
• Prepares and maintains psychosocial assessments for use in diagnostic evaluations and consumer progress and desired outcomes.
• Provides community services to consumers who have underserved or unmet behavioral health needs.
• Collects, coordinates and evaluates additional medical and psychosocial data such as annual treatment plans and collateral information for the purpose of providing clinical interventions.
• Analyzes factors which exert an adverse effect upon health problems, treatment, or recovery, or which may contribute to or are responsible for mental illness or affect the potential for rehabilitation.
• Conducts treatment groups in schools and other community settings with emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children toward the goal of achieving higher functioning in interpersonal relationships and learning.
• Work as a psychiatric team member with other treatment disciplines.
• Provides consultation and psychoeducation services.
• Maintains clinical documentation to standard of care and in keeping with agency documentation standards.

The Successful Candidate

Will have a proven track record demonstrating the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

Working Knowledge of:

• Current philosophy, principles, and evidence-based practices for services to consumers with serious mental or emotional disturbance.
• Individual, group and family psychodynamics as they relate to adults or children.
• Psychiatric diagnostic methods and terminology.
• Personality and human development from infancy through adulthood.

Skill and Ability to:

• Provide treatment to adults, children or adolescents with various mental disabilities ranging from serious mental illness to dysfunctional behavior patterns including victims of sexual and physical abuse.
• In conjunction with the consumer, develop realistic, attainable and measurable service plans and facilitate their attainment.
• Evaluate the degree of community functioning or emotional distress of consumers.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing and able to complete work using electronic format.
• Ensure time sensitive documentation submitted within established guidelines.
• Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Ability to speak, read and write in English and Spanish

Examples of Experience/Education/Training

The skills necessary may be acquired through various types of education, training, and/or experience, typically:

Education:

Possession of a Master's Degree from an accredited school of social work and registration with the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners as an Associate Clinical Social Worker.

Required Conditions of Employment:

• Possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver's license or the ability to provide suitable transportation that is approved by the appointing authority.
• Be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and during times of disaster and/or emergency, travel out of County to attend meetings.
• Successfully complete a background check to include fingerprinting.
• Pursuant to the California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5751.2 (a) provide proof of Registration with the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners (BBSE) as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) or Intern – Marriage and Family Therapist.
• In accordance with HIPAA, incumbent must have applied for or have a National Provider Identifier (NPI).
• Comply with California licensure requirements as outlined by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.