PROS - Employment Specialist

Description

Purpose:  The Employment Specialist will align his/her scope of work with Jawonio’s Mission, while incorporating Jawonio’s Core Values as the guiding principle for all work activities.

Summary:  Provides group/individual career development and employment counseling services to individuals with mental health disorders that are enrolled in the Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) program.  Assists individuals to obtain and maintain employment that is consistent with self-identified vocational and recovery goals.  Establishes and maintains regular contact with employers in the community to develop job opportunities for program participants.  Collaborates with colleagues on the PROS treatment team to provide support, resolve barriers and enhance successful employment outcomes for the individual.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

• Engages participants and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of obtaining competitive employment in community job settings.
• Conducts individual and group counseling to program participants, teaching the full range of job seeking and job performance skills.
• Provides on-going vocational counseling and support specific to the needs of each individual participant. Coaches and uses motivational techniques to help consumers develop to their potential. 

• Completes employment assessments to evaluate vocational skills and preferences and to appraise the interests, aptitudes, abilities, and personality characteristics of participants for employment planning.
• Establishes a culture promoting the virtues of employment within the PROS program through ongoing engagement with program participants, maintenance of a job board and planning of various employment-related activities.
• Spends at least 50% of scheduled work hours in the community, performing ORS and job development/job search activities with participants and community employers.

• Completes all mandated reporting requirements by Jawonio and regulatory agencies including but not limited to the following:
  • quarterly service plans
  • case notes
  • progress, incident, discharge, etc. reports
  • Agency related documentation
  • Reports required by funding/regulatory authorities

• Provides ongoing rehabilitation and support (ORS) services to employed participants in a person-centered manner, including:
  • Teaching methods and motivational techniques to assist participants to reach their highest potential and perform to the expectations of the employer
  • Teaching problem-solving skills to enable participants to resolve any internal or external problems/conflicts which may arise in the work setting
  • Teaching coping skills to enable participants to tolerate and manage stressors that may arise within a job environment.
  • Teaching communication skills to enable the participant to develop and maintain constructive relationships with co-workers and supervisors.
• Conducts job development and job search activities to identify positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of each program participant, including:
  • Connecting with community employers to identify employers’ needs and promote employment opportunities for individuals with mental health disorders
  • Providing job exploration counseling and education about the world of work, including reviewing job openings and job descriptions with program participants
  • Providing assistance in developing resumes, completing application forms and sharpening interviewing skills
• If desired by the participant, maintain contact and liaise with employer as needed to advocate for participant and facilitate opportunity for successful job performance.
• Markets promotional materials, educates and presents to employers (for job development), job fairs, businesses, government agencies, potential referral sources and potential PROS participants.
• Provide training to teach participants to travel independently.  May also transport individuals to and from job interviews, worksites and other appointments as needed.
• Assists participants to obtain information about how entitlements (e.g. SSI, Medicaid, etc.) will be affected by employment so participants can make decisions about employment opportunities.  Refers participants to benefits counseling and assists participant to report earnings as needed.
• Completes trainings and participates in learning collaboratives to gain expertise in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment.
• Learns and utilizes psychiatric rehabilitation techniques to assist participants in the areas of readiness determination, goal setting, functional and resource assessment, service planning, skill and resource development and discharge planning.

• Helps ensure appropriate safeguards for participants are developed and maintained.
• Reports unique or emergency medical conditions of participants to the program nurses and PROS management team.
• Embraces team approach, attending and participating in all staff meetings and mentoring new staff. 

• Models appropriate/acceptable social and work skills.
• Provides crisis intervention as assigned/needed when a participant is experiencing difficulties in the community or at the job site.
• Communicates and works with participants, their families and professional staff (both internal and external) to help ensure participant growth and recovery.
• Attends all required interdisciplinary and team conferences and special meetings both in and outside of the agency to determine appropriate programs and recovery plans for participants.
• Provides individual and group coverage for program participants as needed during staff absences and vacations.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

• A Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university.
• One year of experience working with people with mental health disabilities
• Experience providing employment services to others

Salary : $23 - $24