What are the responsibilities and job description for the Residential Counselor position at City of Alexandria, VA?
The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Residential Counselor position.
An Overview
The Residential Counselor provides residential services to individuals with serious mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders and/or developmental disabilities, completes assessments, provides information to develop service plans, help and train residents in their daily living skills.
What You Should Bring
The ideal candidate should have good knowledge of large household coordination and maintenance; good knowledge of the nature of mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental delay and the role of residential support services; an ability to work with not only the individual in residential service, but also their family members; empathy with the problems of people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or developmental delay; ability to identify behavior which indicates movement toward a crisis situation; ability to plan and supervise the work of clients; ability to instruct clients in difficult situations; ability to understand the needs and abilities of individuals with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders; and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Remains on site daily to provide individual or group assistance based on the individual needs.
- Completes documentation at a minimum of one shift note for each resident for each shift worked.
- Maintains clinical records following all applicable licensing and Medicaid regulations.
- Instructs and guides residents in the completion of tasks to ensure the development of skills and confidence, and monitors, evaluates and records resident’s performance through written progress notes.
- Monitors medication management of residents by observation and reporting medication concerns to treatment team and/or supervisor; participates in treatment team meetings as applicable.
- Assist residents in planning recreational and educational activities.
- Reports all maintenance issues of the facility.
- Assist residents with grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and other ADL skill building.
- Provides transportation for residents using City vehicles.
- Performs related work as required.
About the Department
Minimum & Additional Requirements
High School Diploma or GED plus completion of post-high-school training/education pertaining to behavioral health, medical health, substance abuse and/or mental health; at least one year of direct work experience with individuals served by the specific program where the position is located (Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, and/or Substance Abuse/Dependence); or an equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees in this class must possess a valid driver's license issued in the state of their residence.
Preferred Qualifications
Possession of a Bachelors’ degree in a human services field; Licensed or license eligible as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP). One year of experience working with individuals suffering from mental illnesses and/or substance abuse disorder.
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