Employment Specialist

About McIntosh Trail

At McIntosh Trail Community Service Board, we offer individuals experiencing symptoms associated with mental illness, addictive disease, and/or developmental disability the hope for optimal functioning and recovery by providing quality behavioral health services and supports.

Summary

Under broad supervision, provides a broad range of social services to patients/clients/consumers and their families. Conducts patient/client/consumer intakes, participates in treatment team planning, and performs crisis intervention. Assists in dealing with personal and social problems. May provide supportive counseling to consumers and families and/ or serve as a liaison for social services. May perform case management duties.

Responsibilities

• Follows IPS model of Supported Employment
• Conducts a career profile and vocational assessment for clients
• Engages clients and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community job settings with other workers who do not necessarily have disabilities.
• Refers clients to benefits counseling, as needed.
• Assesses clients' vocational functioning on ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences.
• Discusses client's preference for disclosure of psychiatric status to employers.
• Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the principles and procedures of IPS-supported employment.
• Conducts a minimum of six employer contacts per week. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position.
• Provides individualized follow-along supports to assist clients in maintaining employment.
• Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by clients, which may include negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact by the employment specialist with the employer.
• Provides outreach services as necessary to clients when they appear to disengage from the service. Uses a variety of methods to provide outreach.
• Provides timely interventions.
• Returns phone calls and reacts to situations in a timely manner. For example, returns client phone calls within 24 hours. Goes to see employers about job loss or job problems within 24 hours. Follows up on job leads within 48 hours. Meets with clients within one week prior to job starts and within three days after job starts.
• Participates in weekly meetings with mental health treatment team and communicates individually with team members between meetings in order to coordinate and integrate vocational services into mental health treatment.
• Participates in face-to-face meetings with vocational rehabilitation counselors at least once a month to coordinate services for clients.
• Develops an individual employment (and/or education) plan with clients. Incorporates input from mental health team (referrals).
• Spends 65% or more of scheduled work hours in the community. For example, meets clients at community locations such as home, workplace, coffee shop, meeting with potential employers, library, One-Stop, VR office, family home, etc. or takes clients to apply for jobs, investigate local GED or colleges, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a social services-related field from an accredited college or university AND One year of experience in a social services-related field OR High school diploma or GED AND Three years of experience in a social services-related position OR One year of experience at the lower level Social Svcs Tech 2 (SST011) or position equivalent.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 25/50 lbs.
• Physical Demands may include: sitting, standing, and/or walking, pushing/pulling, handling, reaching, bending, twisting, crawling, kneeling, squatting, climbing (ladders or stairs), overhead reaching.

McIntosh Trail CSB is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons based on race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status.