Community Support Specialist - ACT
St Louis, MO, US, 63101-1114
St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals and families build permanent, positive change in their lives through safe and affordable housing, sound mental and physical health, and employment and financial stability.
Working collaboratively with individuals, businesses, government and other service providers, St. Patrick Center will end chronic homelessness in the St. Louis region through Housing First, an evidence-based practice that tells us to remove barriers, do intake and assessment early, move people into housing and offer them support to achieve their goals.
Job Summary
St. Patrick Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is hiring a Community Support Specialist to join the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program. The specialist will provide treatment, rehabilitation, advocacy and case management services to program clients with severe and persistent mental illnesses and chemical dependency problems, conduct comprehensive, ongoing assessments of program clients, write and implement individualized treatment plans with client, and conduct routine and regular visits to clients in and out of their apartments or other community locations, among other duties. The Community Support Specialist will provide community support to people with serious mental illness at varying levels of intensity. This position works Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM. The hourly range is between $20 and $25 an hour.
Job Responsibilities
- Conduct routine and regular visits to client in and out of apartments or other community locations
- Use personal vehicle to transport clients to and from appointments or to access community resources.
- Conduct comprehensive, ongoing assessments of mental illness, physical health, housing status and other relevant needs of client.
- Act as liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
- Link client with supportive community services, enabling as much self-sufficiency as possible.
- Write and implement individualized treatment plans with client.
- Problem solving/assistance with community survival skills (shopping, managing money, public transportation)
- Act as liaison and consult with community agencies and clients to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
- Collaborate with other members of the ACT team during daily and weekly staff meetings.
- Provide community support to people with serious mental illness at varying levels of intensity based on individual client needs for assistance.
- Provide on-call crisis intervention in coordination with other ACT team members, covering nighttime hours and weekends.
- Maintain St. Patrick Center client tracking system and client files to document client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity.
- Responsible for agency policy regarding work hours, building security and all written personnel standards.
- Ensure the care model by interacting with all other St. Patrick Center programs.
- Report to and work with Manager of Behavioral Health Programs (Team Leader - ACT)
- Attend and participate in all appropriate St. Patrick Center meetings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Job Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Understanding of mental illness and substance use disorder
- Experience in counseling and case management
- Knowledge and understanding of community agencies.
- Knowledge of federal, state, and agency policies of client confidentiality
- Excellent communication and organizational skills with attention to detail
- Counseling and crisis intervention expertise
- Self-motivation
- Respect for clients and staff and sensitive to cultural diversity
- Ability to work in a team atmosphere.
- Moderate computer skills
SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS IN JOB
- Driver license required (MO residents require a Class E)
- Valid and current auto insurance required.
- Reliable vehicle required.
- Ability to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Degree in social work or related human services field preferred.
St. Patrick Center does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its federally assisted programs and activities. St. Patrick Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, or disability.
Pre-Employment Screening
All candidates receiving an employment offer must submit a pre-employment screening. The screenings will include criminal background check and other background checks (as needed), Family Care Safety Registration, a drug screen, and an employment and education or licensure/certification verification. Various positions will require Tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis A. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.