SENIOR MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT SPECIALIST I & II

Job Specifications

Class Code:	SK5/SL6
Analyst:	LR/JS, MM, MM, JES

Date Originated:	01/82
Date Revised:	9/84, 10/90, 4/97, 9/11, 7/14, 9/21

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

DEFINITION

Under direction, to provide highly skilled, specialized, and intensive mental health and/or substance use services, counseling, therapy, and case management services to individuals with mental illness or emotional disturbance, their families and support network; to serve as a liaison to other community agencies/ organizations in a training, educational, advisory, and/or consulting capacity; and to do other work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Incumbents provide intensive therapy, treatment and diagnosis for the most complex cases and act as a consultant in specialized areas. Incumbents may serve as team leader in the diagnosis and treatment of assigned clients; and may supervise student interns through an accredited program.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I is the advanced journey level classification in the professional Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder series. Incumbents are licensed clinicians who provide assessment services, counseling, individual, family or group therapy and case management services. Clients include children or adults, experiencing serious mental illness, or substance use disorder or severe emotional disturbance. This classification is distinguished from the Mental Health Client Specialist II classification in requiring licensing and an advanced level of professional knowledge in a variety or diagnostic, assessment, and mental health and/or substance use disorder services. This classification differs from the Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II in that the latter is assigned to crisis intervention teams.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II is the super journey level classification in the professional Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder series. Incumbents are licensed clinicians whose primary focus is providing crisis intervention services, with mobile emergency response or law enforcement/emergency medical co-response, walk-in crisis and/or street medicine or outreach. This includes programs such as the Access Program which provides assessment and crisis intervention to individuals presenting as a walk-in for crisis services and requests for treatment. This classification differs from the Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I in the requirements for specific experience providing crisis intervention services. This classification differs from the Mental Health Supervising Client Specialist tasks in that the latter manages and directs a program area and supervises professional employees.

TYPICAL TASKS

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I/II

· Interview clients and makes a psycho-social assessment and evaluation of problems;

· Conduct individual, group and family psychotherapy using accepted diagnostic and assessment procedures;

· Prepare case histories and diagnostic service plans;

· Identify special needs of clients and serve as a coordinator to oversee the implementation of individual service plans in accordance with client's coordination plan;

· Participate in case conferences and meetings of team members to review treatment/service plans including Child and Family Team Meetings;

· Act as a resource to other Agency staff members regarding service plans, diagnostic and assessment methods;

· Assess and make a recommendation for children needing placement in a Short-Term Residential Therapeutic (STRTP);

· Participate in the training of internal or contract facility staff in therapeutic treatment techniques and psychiatric evaluation and serve as a resource in a specific discipline such as psycho-social rehabilitation, benefits advocacy, supported housing, vocational rehabilitation, children's services, older adults, and services to those incarcerated or institutionalized;

· Work with other agencies to educate them in various aspects of mental illness and/or substance abuse to participate in the collaborative care of shared clients to identify, promote and develop needed health care services;

· Initiate and maintain a variety of records, reports, case notes, correspondence, forms, etc. for assigned client case load; participate in and/or lead staff conferences/workshops in client evaluation and plan development;

· Participate in planning for and evaluating new and/or improved mental health and/or substance abuse services in relation to Agency needs and priorities;

· May supervise, oversee, and instruct student interns participating in an approved program, assigning, coordinating, and reviewing their work;

· May act as a case management or assessment team leader;

· Develop and implement appropriate plans for assigned clients;

· Plan, coordinate and participate in special programs/projects as assigned;

· Input and access data using a computer and the County Electronic Health Record.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II

All of the above;
Respond to crisis calls in the community to conduct clinical assessments, risk of harm and determination of the appropriate level of care and referrals;
Assess for and initiate of a 5150 and 5585 holds for adults and children, in the office, the community, crisis stabilization programs, or the emergency department, and lifting of holds when clinically indicated following an assessment;
Provide emergency assessments with law enforcement or emergency medical services as a co-responder for individuals in crisis or see walk-in patients who are in crisis through the Access or Mobile Emergency Response Team (MERT) Program or other similar programs.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I

Knowledge of:

Thorough knowledge of:

Psychological and social aspects and characteristics of emotional disturbances and mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
Principles and methods of counseling and the accepted techniques for assessing psycho-social behavior.

Working knowledge of:

Human behavior and development.
Appropriate and available community resources.
Problems, needs and attitudes of individuals with emotional and social disturbance.
Pertinent laws and regulations regarding health and social service programs.
Laws and regulations as they pertain to clients' legal rights.

Some knowledge of:

Pharmacology of medications and psychotropic drug treatment.
Current diagnostic and statistical manual of the American Psychiatric Association.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II

Thorough knowledge of:

· All of the above.

· Welfare and institution codes 5150 and 5585.

· Crisis intervention models.

Ability to:

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I & II

Assess and diagnose all types of client behavioral, substance use and emotional actions/problems, and develop and implement effective and appropriate treatment plans.
Conduct effective and appropriate individual and group psychotherapy on an on-going basis.
Train others at various levels of expertise in the concepts and theories of the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
Prepare a variety of administrative and professional reports.
Lead and participate in a treatment team, including effectively coordinating and directing the work of others.
Establish and maintain a variety of case notes, client records and other required documentation.
Communicate effectively in both oral and written form, expressing complex and technical terminology and concepts in an understandable manner.
Learn Agency's policies and procedures relative to client support and treatment programs.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
Learn to input and access data utilizing a computer.
Distinguish speech and non-speech sounds in noisy environments.
Intervene and diffuse situations involving individuals in crisis who are presenting a danger to themselves or others due to a grave disability.
Stand and walk for extended periods of time may be required for some positions.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II

· All of the above.

· Work in field-based settings.

· Be designated to perform 5150 and/or 5585 assessments and holds, including lifting holds when indicated following a comprehensive risk assessment in a variety of settings including in the community, in the office, or as a co-responder with law enforcement or emergency medical services.

· Interact with individuals in crisis and utilize evidence-based crisis de-escalation techniques to stabilize the individual and connect them with services, including hospitalization or admission to a crisis program in the community.

· See new patients who are not connected with services and presenting as a walk-in to the Access Team or similar programs.

· Perform suicide risk assessments and utilize that information to develop a comprehensive safety plan for the individual.

Training and Experience

Any combination of training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and abilities, is qualifying. A typical way to obtain these knowledge and abilities would be:

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I

· Possession of a master's degree or PhD with a major in social work, psychology, clinical counseling, psychiatric nursing or a closely related behavioral science field which has included completion of a university approved internship, preferably a clinical internship, in a mental health agency.

AND

Two years of experience providing treatment, counseling, or case management services to clients in a mental health setting.

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist II

· Possession of a master’s degree or PhD with a major in social work, psychology, clinical counseling, psychiatric nursing or a closely related behavioral science field which has included completion of a university approved internship, preferably a clinical internship, in a mental health agency.

AND

One year of full-time experience as a Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I at the County of Santa Cruz or equivalent experience.

AND

Three years’ experience in crisis intervention as a Mental Health Client Specialist II.

Special Requirements/Conditions:

Senior Mental Health Client Specialist I & II

· License Requirement: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver license, or the ability to provide suitable transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.

· Possession of one of the following licenses issued by the State of California: Clinical Social Worker; Marriage and Family Therapist; Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor; or Clinical Psychologist. If licensed in another state, incumbent must obtain the appropriate license issued by the State of California within twenty-four months from the date of employment.

· Alcohol and Drug Assignment: All persons providing alcohol and drug counseling services within the Alcohol and Drug Program must be certified as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor OR be licensed as a mental health professional, OR within six (6) months of the date of hire, all non-licensed individuals pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 8, Subchapter 2, or non-certified individuals providing counseling services in an AOD program, must be registered to obtain certification as an AOD counselor by one of the approved certifying organization (CCR, Section 13035 (f)).

Background Investigation: Fingerprinting is required.

Special Working Conditions: All assignments: Exposure to offensive odors such as unwashed people and clothes, human and animal feces; the possibility of infections which may cause chronic disease or death; and may be exposed to cigarette smoke. Juvenile Hall and Acute/Emergency Services assignments: Exposure to noise, such as people yelling. Children's Service assignment: Exposure to disturbing material, such as photos of abused children; allergens such as poison oak, insect stings or bites, and pollens. Some position may require lifting objects such as boxes of belongings weighing up to fifty pounds. Note: Persons in this classification may be assigned to positions with any of the above working conditions on an emergency, as needed basis.

Other Special Requirements: Positions may be assigned to carry an agency issued cell phone and laptop and respond to crisis situations and perform "on-call" or call/back duties. Work situations may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Bargaining Unit: 41

EEOC Job Category: 02

Occupational Grouping: 50

Worker's Comp Code: 0290 – SMHCS I

0285 – SMHCS II