Clinical Mental Health Professional Sr.

Clinical Mental Health Professional Sr

Clinical Mental Health Professional Sr are mental health professionals who provide direct intervention services to youth involved with Travis County Juvenile Probation, both within a residential and community setting. They develop, implement and manage goals, and objectives related to screening, assessing, monitoring, and providing treatment to juveniles. Works with clinical autonomy and provides clinical services to youth involved with Travis County Juvenile Probation Department who may exhibit behavioral issues and/or mental health symptoms and/or substance use symptoms. May work within Assessment Services OR within Treatment Services providing one or more of the following functions: facilitation of psychoeducational therapeutic groups, working on multidisciplinary teams to develop treatment plans, conducting mental health and substance use assessments and producing forensic reports, providing individual and family counseling, providing crisis interventions and other therapeutic services identified by direct supervisor.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: This is the second in a series of three (3) Clinical Mental Health Professional job classifications within the Social Services job family and provides professional mental health services to inmates incarcerated in the Travis County Jail. This classification is distinguished from other Correctional Mental Health Professionals in that activities are conducted with clinical autonomy. This classification requires work in a secure facility with inmates, who have serious mental health illnesses and requires a flexible schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain safety and security of self, others and facility at all times.
• Completes regularly assigned screening and assessment of patient suicidal behavior, mental illness, substance use and vulnerabilities.
• Observes and monitors patient's physical, mental and emotional well-being by looking for behavior patterns and report observations to treatment team.
• Develops patient treatment plans.
• Provides clinical mental health diagnosis of inmate.
• Develops and leads group counseling programs for inmates with mental illness.
• Completes daily documentation of patient status.
• Reports and documents any issues, concerns or problems with medications, or changes in patient mental or physical health.
• Participates as a member of the treatment team.
• Communicates patient treatment plans and concerns with mental health and medical staff and corrections officers.
• Provides training to medical, counseling, program and correctional staff.
• Provides clinical supervision to interns.
• Performs other job related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience: Master's Degree in Counseling, Social Work or Psychology AND two (2) years social service experience. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Valid Texas Driver's License. At least one of the following: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Psychologist Preferred: Four (4) years paid experience in the counseling, social work, human services, education or criminal justice fields providing direct services to individuals. Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of: Mental illness, substance use, intellectual & developmental disabilities, head and traumatic brain injuries.
• Treatment and counseling strategies to address maladaptive behaviors.
• Criminogenic risk factors that lead to incarceration.
• Proper documentation practices.
• Preventative management strategies of aggressive individuals.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Knowledge of and adherence to HIPAA and other federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.
• Skill in: Active listening, critical thinking, active learning, service orientation, assertiveness, sound judgment and decision making.
• Effective communication with those impacted by symptoms of mental illness such as depression, anxiety, mania and hallucinations.
• Development of treatment plans.
• Problem solving.
• Use of Electronic Medical Record, Microsoft Office Suite and other basic computer applications.
• Both verbal and written communication.
• Ability to: Discern potential problems and involve appropriate staff in problem solving.
• Resolve conflict and work with resistant patients to meet treatment goals.
• Maintain a safe and secure environment.
• Interact with patients in a caring manner.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, other County employees and officials, community outreach and other organizations, clinical service providers, law enforcement personnel and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, repetitive motion, driving, client/customer contact, and squatting to perform the essential functions. Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday. May work some holidays, some nights, some weekends

Location: 2515 South Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704

Department: Juvenile Probation

Criminal background check, driving, education, and employment verification are required.

Physical Exam, Drug Test, Alcohol Test, Psychological Exam