Community Support Worker

Community Support Worker

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Community Support is a rehabilitative and support service for individuals with primary diagnosis consistent with a serious mental illness (CSMH) or a primary substance use disorder (CS-SUD). Intention of the level of care is to support the individual in maintaining stable community living, prevent exacerbation of mental illness, promote recovery, and prevent admission to higher levels of care.

Goodwill has a contractual arrangement with Region 3/Region 4 and the Department of Health & Human Services: Division of Behavioral Health.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: (NOTE: Qualified persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation will be made.)

1. Develop the individualized treatment plan: utilizing a strength-based assessment to develop a treatment/rehabilitative/recovery plan with the individual integrating the individuals strengths/needs, considering community, family and other supports, stating measureable goals and specific interventions, and includes a documented discharge and relapse prevention plan. Facilitate the treatment team meeting collaborating with all members to building an effective support system.
2. Facilitate and track progress of the treatment plan: Provide interventions, in a trauma informed manner, to facilitate active rehabilitation. Interventions may include skill building in activities of daily living, symptom recognition, medication compliance, relapse prevention, social skills, budgeting, and other independent living skills that enable the individual to reside in their community.
3. Provide crisis management: provide therapeutic support and intervention in time of crisis and develop a crisis relapse prevention plan.
4. Adhere to program documentation policies & procedures: Track data or client demographics, outcomes, service providers, referrals, goal progress, level of engagement in recovery, and related information, etc. in the participants electronic health record. Complete documentation in a timely manner as required, including the development of the ITTP, goal review process, and progress notes. Competently present each cases medical necessity for authorization and reauthorization to Managed Care Organizations to ensure the service provided will be a billable service and within the appropriate level of care.
5. Provide face-to-face service coordination and case management community-based activities: Provide and document required face-to-face community-based contacts on a monthly basis, per contract specification (Medicaid and Region requirements) and budgeted unit utilization. Provide active rehabilitation and support interventions with focus on activities of daily living, education, budgeting, medication adherence, and self-administration, relapse prevention, social skills, and other independent living skills that enable the individual to reside successfully in their community. Assist in admission and discharges to ensure continuity of care, when hospitalization or treatment with other facility is needed.
6. Clinical Supervision: Actively participate in routine (minimum of monthly) Clinical Supervision meetings to review the treatment plan, determine appropriate level of care, evaluate ongoing medical necessity, and explore/implement recommendations per care reviewed. Complete chart audit worksheets to track the documentation contract/accreditation requirements.
7. Competency in diagnostics and treatment options: Be knowledgeable on diagnostics and medications, including treatment options, reasons for taking the medications, possible complications/side effects, etc.
8. Client-centered approach that focuses on exploring and resolving ambivalence and centers on motivational processes within the individual that facilitates change that includes identification, examination, and resolution of ambivalence about changing behavior.
9. Use of Motivational Interviewing skills and approach that focuses on building rapport between case worker and participant that encourages participant autonomy that evokes change. Change is supported in a manner congruent with the participants own values and concerns and Recovery Vision.
10. Motivational Interviewing skills and strategies are used to evoke the MI Spirit (Expressing Empathy, Support Self-efficacy, Roll with Resistance, Develop Discrepancy); include OARS, Affirmation, Reflections and Summaries.
11. Effective team communication: Work effectively with participants professional affiliates, i.e. therapist, medication provider, guardian, etc. Be responsible for communicating necessary information to the professionals in a timely and respectful manner. Participate in admission and discharge planning with hospital/treatment center staff to assure that proper continuity of care occurs.
12. Adhere to licensure and/or contract requirements: Be knowledgeable of CARF Requirements, Medicaid regulations, and Division of Behavioral Healths Service Definitions and assure that standards are being met. Comply with state regulations and guidelines to assure future certification of the program.
13. Comply with transportation policies and procedures: Follow all state and agency rules and regulations when transporting self and/or a participant. Travel is required for business purposes.
14. Adhere to confidentiality policies and procedures: Process all information in a professional and confidential manner, following HIPPA standards of conduct.
15. Perform work activities in conformance to Goodwill Values Statement which includes the values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Stewardship, Learning, Teamwork and Entrepreneurial Spirit.
16. Immediately report any wrongdoing, unethical or improper conduct, fraud, fiscal mismanagement or misappropriation of funds, etc. (Refer to the Corporate Compliance Program Policy and Procedure for instructions on how to report.)
17. Encourage and do not hinder in any way an employee making a report pertaining to Goodwills Corporate Compliance Program Policy and Procedure or making a report of work injury.
18. Ensure no employee is retaliated against in any way as a result of making a report related to Goodwills Corporate Compliance Program Policy and Procedure or making a report of work injury.
19. Welcome and embrace cultural diversity in all areas of Goodwill, i.e. customers, donors, volunteers, employees, or participants served.

Qualifications

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Demonstrated skills and competencies in treatment with individuals with a behavioral health diagnosis, demonstrated by at least one of the following: two years lived experience; two years direct care experience in a human service field; two years of training in a human service field; or a bachelors degree or higher in psychology, sociology, or related human service field, which is preferred.
2. Must be authorized for coverage under agency insurance if operating agency vehicle. Must have good driving record, valid Nebraska drivers license, and/or required level of personal auto insurance.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Ability to communicate in spoken conversation, adequate volume speech and have normal hearing for conversation, telephone use and emergency information systems.
2. Visual acuity, depth perception and field of vision within normal range.
3. Ability to be independently mobile on all surfaces and situations, to move safely about the work area.
4. Ability to travel extensively to meet with participants at their residence or in the community.
5. Have the physical stamina to work at least eight (8) hours per day and be able to travel to conferences, seminars, etc.

MENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Demonstrated ability to make decisions using personal judgment and creative thinking.
2. Well developed skill in the ability to give recognition or appreciation to others.
3. Ability to plan and coordinate an entire activity/individual service program to include effective teamwork with other service agencies, family members, etc.
4. Demonstrated ability to analyze job/tasks as well as functional understanding of technical information and instructions presented in books, manuals and diagrams.
5. Demonstrated flexibility to perform duties with change occurring routinely
6. Demonstrate ability to navigate an electronic health record system for documentation.