Substance Abuse Counselor

Description

Rate of Pay:  $27.00 to $30.00 Per Hour Depending on Experience

MHM Services, a Centurion company, is proud to be the provider of mental health services to the California Department of State Hospitals-Forensic Assertive Community Treatment Program (FACT).  The FACT program is a statewide system that provides an unlocked, supervised living environment with 24-hour staffing. FACT's model of care is centralized services with a slow transition to community-based services.   Services needed to support community reintegration include but are not limited to the following:

• Forensic mental health treatment through individual and group therapy settings
• Life skills training
• Day socialization groups
• Collateral contacts
• Home visits
• Substance abuse screenings
• Psychiatric services
• Case Management
• Court reports
• Psychological assessments

Under the direction of the Program Director, Forensic Peer Specialist is responsible for providing support, guidance, and mentoring the patients in a community setting to meet service delivery requirements of the FACT Program.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities 

• Assists individuals with developing their individual service plans and other activities aimed at increasing their active participation in person-centered planning and focus on recidivism reduction.
• Shares personal recovery stories and describes personal experiences to inspire and support individuals throughout the recovery process, as appropriate.
• Assists individuals with the development of mental health advanced preferences.[LS1] 
• Supports individuals with problem solving related to their reintegration into the community.
• Supports individuals in ensuring their attendance at court hearings and attending evaluations.
• Advises and informs individuals on community resources, including housing, employment, education, transportation, recreation, health, religious/spiritual, and other resources to meet their individual recovery goals.
• Provides individuals with support and guidance on recognizing the early signs of crisis, developing crisis plans, and implementing identified coping strategies.
• Assists individuals with developing and maintaining positive personal and social support networks.
• Assists individuals with developing their self-help skills and cultivates their ability to make informed, independent choices.
• Plans and facilitates practical activities for individuals to increase their self-worth and improve their self-concepts.
• Assists in facilitating skills-based groups.
• Attends treatment/recovery team meetings.
• Documents services provided to individuals/groups.
• Acts as an advocate for individuals to facilitate positive changes in their recovery.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with the Judiciary, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Parole Agents, DSH staff, and local law enforcement officials as needed.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with the community agencies that could positively impact community opportunities for patients.
• Maintain an ethical commitment to ensure confidentiality.
• Deliver care in a nonjudgmental/nondiscriminatory manner to protect the autonomy, dignity and rights of patients.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Schedule:  Monday through Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm

MHM/Centurion offers a comprehensive benefits package for our full-time team members including:

• Health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Flexible Spending Account
• Continuing Education benefits
• Much more...

Qualifications

Qualifications 

• Forensic Peer Support Specialist experience preferred.
• Experience working in a psychiatric hospital, behavioral health, correctional facility, or a community behavioral health center preferred.
• Knowledge of mental health peer support services required.
• Knowledge of the recovery process and how it applies to individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Knowledge of the criminal-legal system.
• Knowledge of community supports.
• Ability to interact well with varied levels of managerial, clinical, court, and administrative staff in housing and community environments.
• Must be able to work independently, set and meet deadlines, ability to work from home and demonstrate productivity.
• Ability to document paying attention to detail.
• A valid automobile driver’s license, appropriate automobile insurance, and a safe, reliable, registered automobile available for use during work is required.
• Active in-person CPR certification required along with current tuberculosis screening.
• May be required to pass background investigation and obtain agency security clearance as required by DSH. As well as obtain hiring approval from DSH.