Mental Health Specialist
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.
Position Summary
St. Patrick Center, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is hiring a Mental Health Specialist to join our Housing, Employment and Recovery Opportunities (HERO) Program. we are looking for a specialist to join our compassionate team! In this rewarding role, you will conduct mental health assessments and provide essential case management for clients facing severe and persistent mental illnesses, as well as chemical dependency challenges. Your expertise will guide individual and group counseling/therapy sessions, along with offering family support to foster healing and recovery. Collaborating with our team, you will play a key role in treatment planning and coordinate clinical services to ensure best practices are followed in service delivery. You'll also be there to provide on-call crisis intervention, helping clients navigate difficult moments with care and understanding. The core work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Overview and Responsibilites
• Conduct comprehensive, ongoing assessments of program participants mental illness, physical health, housing status and other relevant needs, where appropriate
• Provide direct clinical services to clients on an individual and group basis in the office and in community settings, making appropriate changes in treatment plans to ensure the client’s ability to cope with internal and external stresses
• Refer clients to appropriate community agencies, assisting clients when needed
• Act as liaison and consult with community agencies and program clients to maintain coordination in the treatment process
• Collaborate with other members of case mgmt. team during daily and weekly staff meetings
• Facilitate treatment planning groups, participating in setting treatment goals and plans with clients with an emphasis on facilitating personal growth and development towards recovery and wellness
• Provide on-call crisis intervention in coordination with other case mgrs., covering nighttime hours and weekends
• Conduct weekly or monthly follow ups on all program placements and document progress
• Complete daily and monthly departmental paperwork
• Maintain St Patrick Center Client Tracking System and client files, documenting client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity
• Assist team members with life skills classes
• Responsible for a case load of 5-10 clients
• Ability to respond to after hour emergencies and crisis intervention
• Assist team member with budgeting and other supportive services
• Research additional benefits available to enhance services
• Responsible for the completion of departmental goals of mental health specialist as outlined
• Responsible for maintaining records and statistics for the completion of annual reports
• Ensure the care model by interacting with all other St Patrick Center programs
• Other duties as assigned
Knowledge and Experience Requirements
• Master’s degree in related area from an accredited university or college required
• Licensure or Credential in Social Work or Counseling required
• Understanding of mental illness and substance use
• Trauma Informed Care Trained
• Experience with wrap-around services preferred
• Experience in conducting home visits
• Knowledge and understanding of area/community resources to provide appropriate referrals
• Knowledge of federal, state, and agency HIPAA policies
• Requires driver’s license (MO residents require Class E)
• Requires reliable vehicle and valid and current auto insurance
Skills and Responsibilites
• Excellent communication skills
• Counseling and crisis intervention expertise
• Self-motivated
• Respect for clients and staff
• Sensitivity to cultural diversity
• Ability to work in team atmosphere
• Moderate computer skills
Resources for Which Accountable
- None
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, drug screen, and an employment and education or licensure/certification verification. Various positions will require physical examination, Tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis A. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.