State of Connecticut Executive Branch

In the Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Children and Families in-patient facility this class is accountable for directing and supervising a multi-shift clinical unit.

Directly supervises a unit of licensed professionals (such as clinical social workers, psychologists and/or nurse clinicians) and other professional and paraprofessional staff as assigned.

• Schedules, assigns and oversees the work of a multi-shift unit including direct supervision of all shifts; 
• Participates in the development of unit goals and objectives; 
• Develops unit procedures and policies; 
• Ensures compliance of unit procedures and policies; 
• Assists in recruitment, selection, training and development of staff; 
• Develops competency-based job descriptions for unit staff; 
• Ensures unit staff receive appropriate training; 
• Conducts performance appraisals, determines priorities and plans, coordinates and supervises unit activities; 
• Ensures cross-shift communication among staff; 
• Develops relationships with and acts as liaison to other operating units, agencies and outside officials; 
• Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team to develop, evaluate and monitor programs; 
• Coordinates interdisciplinary team meetings; 
• Collaborate and direct any necessary alternate treatment; 
• Monitors and tracks client care to ensure quality, effectiveness and timeliness of patient care and requisite hours of treatment are met; 
• Facilitates bilingual interpretation as needed; 
• Identifies barriers and assists in developing strategies and solutions for improving client care; 
• Prepares reports; 
• May perform clinical direct care duties; 
• May write client treatment plans; 
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • relevant agency policies and procedures; 
  • behavioral health treatment, principles and values of care; 
  • psychiatric rehabilitation principles and/or addictions detox rehabilitation; 
  • entitlement and benefit programs; 
  • variety of intervention and support strategies; 
• Knowledge of and ability to apply principles of risk management; 
• Knowledge of
  • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
  • societal, cultural and gender issues as they impact upon mental illness; 
  • psychotropic medications; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills; 
  • facilitation, collaboration and conflict resolution skills; 
• Ability to 
  • identify and articulate philosophical foundations for specific program models or service approaches; 
  • delegate authority; 
  • plan and organize effectively; 
  • integrate community resources into service delivery planning; 
  • develop and maintain effective relationships with community representatives and staff; 
• Supervisory ability.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been at a lead or supervisory level responsible for coordinating the work of a unit or team of professionals in a behavioral health setting.

NOTE: For state employees the lead level is interpreted at the level of a Clinical Social Work Associate for the social work discipline and a Head Nurse for the nursing discipline.  The supervisory level is interpreted at the level of a Supervising Addiction Counselor for the substance abuse/addictions discipline. 

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  
• A Master's degree in a health care field related to one of the disciplines in the Special Experience may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a current license as a Clinical Social Worker or as a Registered Professional Nurse or as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in the State of Connecticut.
  
• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess certification as a clinical supervisor by the Connecticut Certification Board.
  
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
  
• Incumbents in this class maybe required to travel.

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain clients, may have significant exposure to communicable and/or infectious diseases and risk of injury and may be exposed to strongly disagreeable conditions.

This replaces the existing specification for class of Behavioral Health Unit Supervisor in Salary Group FP 28 effective August 2, 2018. (Reviewed for content and revised to modernize format and add Acknowledgement section) Final No. 23-273