In-Home Behavioral Health Counselor

Position Summary:   Provide home-based family services, including counseling, crisis intervention, skill building, advocacy, and advise and facilitate patient focused counseling within the Integrative Care Model. Guide individuals served through available programs with a focus on quality care and personal attention to patient needs. 

Essential Functions:

• Counsel patients, individually or in family sessions in the homes, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.  
• Screen for DSM-IV-TR diagnosis, test and assess mental and behavioral health and substance abuse and dependence.
• Coordinate counseling efforts for the Healthy/Start/Home Visiting program, specifically servicing mothers affected with Post-Partum Depression and/or anxiety.
• Advocate for patients for the protection of their rights and entitlements as recipients of services and as persons eligible for services.
• Collaborate with patients and family members to develop treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories focused on outcome-oriented factors.
• Explore options and set goals with patient and team of providers; connect patient with Tribal, State, and Federal Governmental services with the goal of achieving positive outcomes.
• Assure provided behavioral health services are complementary and deliver the coordinated synergies to achieve positive outcomes for each individual served. Assure services are patient-centered, empower the patient, culturally appropriate, flexible, focus on strengths of the patient, normalized and incorporated into natural support systems of the patient, meet special needs and are consistent and accountable to the individual being served.
• Coordinate counseling efforts with mental health professionals or other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, or social workers.  
• Chart progress throughout treatment and maintain progress notes. Prepare reports and enter data into computerized and physical Pokagon Band record keeping systems.
• Plan follow-up or aftercare programs for patients to be discharged from programs.
• Participate in weekly team staffing’s, integrative treatment team meetings, individual supervision, and case conferences as needed.
• Assess and assist with various emergency mental health or behavioral health crisis situations where patients or other individuals may be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
• Assist with developing policies and operating procedures in alignment with the Pokagon Band’s Vision, Mission, Expected Outcomes and Strategic Initiatives. Maintain operations by following policies and procedures and tribal and applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements. Participate in quality reviews, and report needed changes. 
• Attend events throughout and beyond service delivery area to provide program services education in the community and improve referral sourcing.  
• Collaborate with outside providers, school systems, outside governmental bodies (DHHS, Legal, etc.).
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications and researching governmental rulings.  Maintain required continual Education credits to maintain required licensures.

Non-Essential Functions:

• Appear in court when required or request to act as expert testimony.
• Participate at cultural events to promote services and/or assist in crises at events or in community.
• Perform other related functions as assigned. 

Equipment:

• Standard office equipment.  
• Systems used:  MS Office Applications, Internet, Electronic Medical Records 

Position Requirements:  

• Master’s degree in Social Work or related behavioral science discipline preferred. Bachelor’s degree and current enrollment in a master’s level accredited program required. Degree must be from an accredited institution whose program of study has been recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education. 
• Licensed Professional Counselor or Mental Health Professional credentials in the state of Michigan, Indiana, or another state with the ability to meet qualifications for licensing in Michigan if license is in another state preferred. Working towards licensure with the understanding that full licensure is achieved within 24 months.
• Minimum of four (4) years recent experience providing counseling services directly to individuals, with preference in home-based services, including family crisis intervention.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to alleviate stress and anxiety and be supportive of persons and work tactfully, collaboratively, diplomatically and with highest level of confidentiality required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required. 
• Proficiency with MS Office Applications preferred.
• Experience working with Native American communities; knowledge of Native American traditional practices and values and Native American issues preferred.

Indian Preference

• Pokagon Band Preference Code applies.

Physical Requirements:  

• Use of office equipment, such as computers, fax and copiers.  
• Ability to perform a range of physical motions, including but not limited to: sitting for long periods of time, standing, walking, driving, and climbing stairs.
• Frequently required to talk and hear. 

Work environment:

• Work is performed primarily in patient homes.
• Requires working flexible hours, including evenings, weekends and occasional holidays.
• Requires extensive travel to patient homes and throughout the community.
• Involves potential exposure to tobacco smoke, domestic animals, household pests, and other conditions common to domestic environments.

Competencies:

• Adaptability
• Fostering Communication
• Teamwork
• Acting with Empathy and Compassion
• Exemplifying Integrity