What are the responsibilities and job description for the BH/DS Behavior Specialist II position at City of Virginia Beach?
The City of Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is seeking to hire a candidate who has experience providing outreach and support services to chronically homeless individuals with substance use and mental illness disorders for the Behavior Specialist II positions at the PATH program. In addition, the preferred candidate will meet the qualifications of a QMHP-A or a Peer Recovery Specialist and who demonstrates empathy, caring, and concern to bolster person’s self-esteem and confidence to establish rapport.
Responsibilities:
- Provide one-on-one services to chronically homeless clients with substance use disorder diagnoses.
- Assist clients with managing chemical dependency issues and promoting efforts for education and recovery and connecting them to some of their basic needs to including food, clothing, showers, laundry, transportation, identification, benefits etc.
- Use evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing to engage substance using adult in knowledge of relapse; relapse prevention strategies; and developing a specific relapse prevention plan.
- Review and discuss stages of change to educate and help client understand the process/journey of recovery.
- Ensure documentation of client notes are entered into HMIS within 24 hours of client engagement/collateral contact.
- Provide life skills training to clients and collaborate with other agencies and stakeholders to coordinate and maintain services.
- Assist individuals, Stakeholders, and other agency providers of SUD services in outreaching and identifying individuals weekly with SUD's who can benefit from Behavior Health programs, such as, Adult Outpatient Services programs.
- Work with PATH by assisting and supporting the individuals during the intake and orientation process of Behavioral Health services.
- Provide Recovery Support groups at the Pathways Center, Housing Resource Center, and other Stakeholder locations each week and provide counseling.
- Assist individuals in obtaining services that suit the individual’s recovery needs by providing names of community resources and groups that may be useful. These resources could be but not limited to AA, NA, Al-Anon, and other recovery groups or organizations.
- Assist the individual housing options that might be available and helping with the application through move in process.
- Assist individual in scheduling and keeping medical/dental/medication appointments.
The City offers a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, holidays and Paid-Time-Off.
