MENTAL HEALTH WORKER


QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s level human services professional with at least 2 years experience working with children with behavioral problems. Associate degree or high school diploma with (5) years experience.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION: The Mental Health Worker is responsible for the development and implementation of growth promoting leisure time activities for nine youth placed in three homes. The Mental Health Worker provides growth promoting therapeutic group activities. The Mental Health Worker will assist youth to develop positive alliance within the community as well as to make effective use of community resources and opportunities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Important Related Qualifications:

• Good time management and organizational skills;
• Willingness to maintain a flexible work schedule;
• Familiarity with the application of behavior management principles;
• Good oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to be resourceful;
• Ability to work cooperatively and supportively as a team member;
• Good teaching/counseling skills;
• Ability to manage work related stress;
• The ability to successfully complete a safe physical management course.

Critical Dimensions of the Position:

• Responsible for socialization/recreation programming for up to nine youth;
• Responsible for liaison work with other service providers;
• Responsible for identifying and maintaining a file of resources available to youth in their immediate communities;
• Assist in the development and implementation of treatment plans for nine youth;
• Responsible for assisting the implementation of strategies detailed in each youth’s treatment plan;
• Supports and serves as backup to Professional Parent.
• To assure the continuous physical well being of designated youth, the Mental Health Worker will;

1. Follow program designated procedures for all physical contact with youth during safe physical management restraints;
2. In cooperation with the Parent Supervisor and the Professional Parent, assure the delivery of medical and dental services as needed and required;
3. Coordinate and monitor youth’s participation in safe, wholesome, growth-promoting activities;
4. Follow program designated procedures for supervision of youth;
5. When transporting youth, maintain safe driving procedures;



• To assure the integration of the youth in the communities in which they reside, the Mental Health Worker will:

1. Establish and maintain familiarity with community recreation providers;
2. Provide updated information to the treatment team regarding community resources available to youth;
3. Develop and implement a structured schedule of activities for nine youth;
4. Connect each youth with growth-promoting cultural and recreational activities;
5. Model and teach socialization skills through experiential and didactic individual and group processes;
6. Provide youth with supportive feedback regarding community integration issues.

• To assure continuous emotional well being designed youth, the Mental Health Worker will:

1. Assist youth in developing and utilizing pro-social problem solving skills;
2. With cooperation of Professional Parent and Parent Supervisor, initiate and facilitate youth’s participating in individual and group self-affirmation, self-esteem building activities;
3. Assist with youth understanding and appropriate application and use of personal care skills and services;
4. Develop and implement regular life skills groups;
5. Encourage youth to identify and cultivate individual talents;
6. Coordinate opportunities to enhance youth’s cultural identification and enrichment;
7. Provide youth with supportive counseling around self-esteem issues.

• To assure that Carson Community Homes provides good and effective treatment services to the population it serves and assure continuous compliance with external licensing and regulatory agencies, the Mental Health Worker will:

1. Participate in ongoing program development and evaluation;
2. Participate in weekly team meetings and weekly individual supervision;
3. Maintain all record keeping and documentation procedures related to each youth according to regulatory criteria;
4. Perform other duties and responsibilities as needed and required.

STATUS: Non-Exempt

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Moderate physical exertion required. Ability to maintain composure in crisis situations with youth and adults, ability to restrain youth physically and in accordance with accepted agency guidelines.