ACT Vocational Specialist

UnityPoint Health Information

Functions as a practicing clinician on the team providing support and education services to the patients enrolled in ACT (Assertive Community Treatment). Primary responsibility for coordinating state vocational rehabilitations and other employment services for ACT patients. Candidates will provide intervention to clients on crisis calls in community or home settings where the crisis is occurring.

* Assists in the structuring of patient's time and employment as part of the treatment team.

* Provides individual vocation-supportive counseling to enable patients to identify vocational strengths and problems, establish vocation/career goals and plans to reach them, and recognize symptoms that interfere with work

* Plans and provides work-related supportive services (grooming, hygiene, appropriate clothing, transportation)

* Teaches job-seeking skills

* Develops individualized jobs based on patients' needs, abilities and interests

* Conducts on-the-job performance assessment/evaluations, work review sessions with patients and employers

* Provides benefits counseling (SSI, SSDI, VA, etc)

* Helps patients to access reliable transportation (driver's license, public transit, volunteer drivers)

* Provides as resource to other team members in the area of vocational rehabilitation and employment, Department of Human Services entitlements and Social Security Benefits

* Initiates and maintains relationships, in coordination with other staff, with law enforcement, other human service agencies, and informal community resources, (e.g. landlords, employers, etc).

* Documents patient progress to maintain a permanent record of activity according to established methods and procedure and in a timely manner.

* Maintains compliance with Human Resources policies and procedures.

* Performs shift management in coordination with other ACT staff according to the established policy and procedures.

* Provides on-call interventions covering after business hours, overnights and weekends as assigned.

* Functions as a member on the team and provides service coordination (case management) for an assigned group of patients.

* Participates in patient-centered comprehensive assessment within 30 days of new admission and once yearly on patients as assigned.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in a behavioral health, Human Service or Social Services or related field.

Experience:

Multiple years of experience providing service to individuals with a severe and persistent behavioral health needs

License(s)/Certification(s):

Valid driver's license when driving any vehicle for work-related reasons. Class D license. Vocational Rehabilitation certification preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Ability to delegate wisely, exercise good judgment, maintain good
interpersonal relationships, adapt to change, evaluate critically and think
creatively. Individual will demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to
provide appropriate care to adolescents, adult and geriatric patients with severe
and persistent mental illnesses. Individual will demonstrate effective written
and verbal skills allowing communication with physicians, co-workers, other
clinic/hospital personnel, as well as the public. Position requires good organizational skills. Position also requires a valid driver's license