Job Description
Community Support Specialist
InterCommunity, Inc. is a growing, progressive, non-profit community health center with over 40 years of experience in the community. We’ve been the grateful recipient over the past several years of numerous local and national awards for the innovative services we provide, and have just been named a Hartford Courant/Fox CT Top Small Workplace Award winner for the EIGHTH consecutive year!
We are currently recruiting a full-time Community Support Specialist who works with people in recovery, members of the CST and other internal and external providers to promote, support and teach people in recovery the skills needed to better function in the community, thus improving their quality of life.
- Works with other members of CST and clients in order to promote & support recovery and all agency initiatives and teach people in recovery the skills needed to better function in the community, thus improving their quality of life.
- Provides support to facilitate recovery (including support and assistance with defining what recovery means to the individual in order to assist the individual with recovery-based goal setting and attainment).
- Provides assistance in identifying, with the individual, risk factors related to psychiatric and/or substance abuse disorder relapse and strategies to prevent relapse.
- Participates in the development and implementation of an individual’s treatment plan which supports recovery.
- Provides assistance and support for the individual in crisis situations; coordination and/or assistance with crisis providers as needed.
- Provides education, support and consultation to individual’s families and their support system which is directed exclusively to the well being and benefit of the individual.
- CSS will provide linkages with various community resources.
- The position will assist in providing each client access to necessary clinical, medical, social, educational, rehabilitative vocational and/ or other services.
- Participates in admission and discharge planning activities as well as team meetings both internally and with external providers, i.e. CVH, Cedarcrest, etc.
- Completes all required documentation related to treatment in accordance with established procedures;
- Transport clients to and from appointments.
- May assist in development of treatment plans for new and existing clients.
- CSS work with their clients collaboratively to identify required services by assessing the overall needs of each client and develop an individual service plan to meet those needs.
- A CSS is responsible for ensuring that the client is actively involved in the service(s) he or she requires to remain in the community, arrange for needed services, regularly check on the client’s progress, monitor the impact of these services and advocate on behalf of their clients.
- Performs related duties as required.
Job Requirements
Knowledge of Recovery and Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care; knowledge of psychiatric rehabilitation, and/or case management principles and procedures; knowledge of community support systems and resources, casework, group work; knowledge of social, cultural, economic, medical, psychological and legal issues which influence attitudes and behaviors of clients and families; knowledge of community resources available to individuals and families; knowledge of approaches to treatment; ability to work in a cooperative and collaborative manner as a team member with agency associates as well as external teams and with family members and individuals in recovery; considerable ability to prepare clear and concise reports and case histories considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral, written, and computer communication skills. Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management; prioritize workload.
A Bachelor’s degree in a health care or related field and two (2) years of experience using community support techniques in a Behavioral Health setting. A Master’s degree in a behavioral health discipline may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience. Extensive community mental health experience with seriously and persistently mentally ill persons may be substituted for the degree requirements noted above.