SUPPORT PLACEMENT SPECIALIST

JOB SUMMARY

The Behavioral Health Supported Placement Specialist is responsible for ensuring new Care Resource patients accessing Behavioral Health and Individual Placement Services for the first time are properly enrolled and provided with adequate options to engage and remain in care with the agency. S/he must maximize access to agency and community services aimed at improving their overall behavioral and medical health as well as improve their overall employment services. S/he assists with linking individuals to services for the treatment of behavioral health or substance use disorders.  S/he works with individuals in linking them to vocational rehabilitation services for job skill development, assist individuals in developing necessary employment skills to apply for and retain viable employment. S/he develops community relationships with viable employers to link individuals to improve and sustain successful employment.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Caseload Management:

• Engages, counsels, manages, motivates, and effectively works with high-risk, vulnerable patient populations in the office and community setting.
• Demonstrates and maintains expertise in the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations.
• Creates rapport through patient interaction to facilitate services access planning and affordability options.
• Engages individuals 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.
• Assists clients in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment for clients to make good decisions about employment opportunities.
• Refers clients to benefits counseling, as needed.
• Helps clients report earnings, as needed.
• Assesses clients' vocational functioning on ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences. With the client's permission, provides education and support to family members. 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.
• In coordination with medical department and healthcare marketing unit, ensures all new patients are adequately registered and financial eligibility challenges are addressed for the patients to return for their follow up appointments.
• Orients each assigned patient every time to agency services and provides information about how to access needed services.
• In coordination with the medical department ensures new patients assigned by managed care plans are properly registered and oriented to agency services.
• Providing individual and/or group intervention to address substance use and other high-risk factors, including linkage to the Behavioral Health Department and other community resources, aftercare/discharge planning, and follow-up.
• Provide support for linkage and adherence to Medical and Behavioral Health care.
• Provides case management support including following-up on the status of assessments performed, follow-up on the status of service of process, communicating regularly with treatment facilities to obtain status updates, tracking progress, addressing specific needs of respondents ordered to treatment by the Court, coordinating the transfer of Respondents to different treatment facilities when necessary, and informing the Court when treatment orders are violated, and works as liaison with law enforcement as to compliance.
• Enrolls assigned patients into available community programs and coordinates, supports and follows up on every referral, every time.
• Responsible for applying for SNAP programming on behalf of eligible patients.
• Tracks referral success rates including a monthly, quarterly, and annual benefit analysis.
• Serves as a liaison, coordinator and/or advocate between various co-workers within the Case Management, Medical Care departments or other community medical or agency service provider to remove barriers to accessing programming for assigned patients.
• Uses knowledge of individual programs to conducts home visits, hospital visits and coordinates with other professionals or family members to apply for services as needed
• Coordinates with physicians for appropriate benefit access.
• Maintains a complete understanding of Insurances accepted by Care Resource providers and provides information to patients for their decision making.
• Maintains an organized and current system of tracking benefit applications to help patients remain compliant with application guidelines and follow up; all with the goal of maximizing available federal, state and local services/benefits for individuals assigned.
• Promotes health center services and coordinates patient enrollment by engaging in recruitment and retention initiatives with other departments as required

Service Planning and Documentation:

• Ensures all documentation is Timely, Accurate, Legible and Clear.
• Completes required documentation in electronic health record and data bases.
• Develops comprehensive, individualized service access plans or plans.
• Monitors patients to assess efficacy of service plans and re-assesses and adjusts as necessary.
• Empowers patients to participate in their service planning.
• Maintains service plans, benefit applications and notes in patient records as specified in agency policy, program guidelines and performance standards.
• Coordinates with MMA Managed Care Coordinator on behalf of clients’ healthcare requirements.
• Inputs patient information using electronic data entry according to agency and departmental guidelines.
• Maintains an accurate record on time sheet reflecting time spent in each program worked (e.g. Case management (80 hours per month, and 25 hours community outreach for job placement – or as adjusted by management based on need).
• Reports on total services value added per patient monthly, quarterly and annually (e.g. total successful benefits accessed per month, linkage to care, clients employed, etc.).
• Prepares necessary program reports and records as requested by the supervisor and/or manager.

Job Specification:

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in a behavioral science field like Social Work, Nursing or Psychology is required.

Training and Experience:

Two years of successful benefits application experience are required. Extensive knowledge of Federal, State and Local Entitlements, Benefits and Services programing Interviews prospective patients to determine individual needs and eligibility for various medical and social services. Knowledge of substance abuse prevention, interventions and mental health treatment linkage is preferred. Familiarity with principles of data collection and evaluation is preferred. Experience and training in outreach, presentations and public speaking is required. Experience in developing community relations and establishing relationships for employment placement for Individual Placement Services. Knowledge of vocational rehabilitation services within the community.

Licenses and/or certifications:

Completed background application and fingerprinting submitted to supervisor within 30 days of hire. Certification in Individual Placement Services (within 90 days of hire).

Job Knowledge and Skills:

Bilingual (English Spanish/ English-Creole) is preferred. Computer knowledge should include Microsoft Word and Excel. Good organizational and teamwork skills. Excellent communication, decision making and problem-solving skills. Ability to work with multicultural and diverse population is required.

Culture of Service: 3 C’s

Compassion

Greets internal or external customers (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) with courtesy, making eye contact, responding with a proper tone and nonverbal language.

Listens to the internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) attentively, reassuring and understanding of the request and providing appropriate options or resolutions.

Competency

Provides services required by following established protocols and when needed, procure additional help to answer questions to ensure appropriate services are delivered

Commitment

Takes initiative and anticipates internal or external customer needs by engaging them in the process and following up as needed

Prioritize internal or external customer (i.e. patient, client, staff, vendor) requests to ensure the prompt and effective response is provided

Safety

Ensures proper handwashing according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Understands and appropriately acts upon the assigned role in Emergency Code System.

Understands and performs assigned roles in the organization’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).

Contact Responsibility:

The responsibility for internal and external contacts is frequent and important.

Physical Requirements:

This work requires the following physical activities: constant sitting, walking, hearing, talking in person and talking on the phone, must be able to transfer up to 10 pounds. Occasional driving stretching/reaching, and standing are required. Work usually is performed in an office setting. Sometimes, work is performed in the community, patient’s homes, and community agency settings and in hospitals.  

Other

Participates in health center developmental activities as requested.

Other duties as assigned.