STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Mental Health Assistant 2 (35 Hour)

Office/On-site

Recruitment #231128-5723HN-001

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Introduction

Are you looking to be accountable for independently performing the full range of paraprofessional functions in case management and crisis intervention services?
If so, we have an excellent opportunity for you to join our hospital’s team! 

THE POSITION
The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is seeking a Mental Health Assistant 2 to join their team.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • FACILITY: Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA) 
  • UNIT: Young Adult Services (YAS) 
  • ADDRESS: 401 West Thames Street, Unit 301, Norwich, CT  
  • SCHEDULE: Full-time, second shift, 35 hours per week, 1:00pm - 8:30pm, Monday through Friday  
  • POSITION NUMBER: 114714
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule
  • A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings
  • Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year
  • Professional growth and development opportunities
  • A healthy work/life balance to all employees
  • State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
      DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
      • Provide case management services in the YAS Program serving 60+ young adults, whose risk increases when their psychosocial needs are not met; 
      • Assist clients with housing, maintenance of entitlements, transportation to essential mental health, substance abuse, and court stipulated appointments; and 
      • Support clients with gaining access to community resources that provide for the young adults' basic needs. 
      ABOUT US 
      DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve. 

      SMHA is a community mental health agency operated by the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Its primary goal is to provide high quality behavioral health services to those in our community with mental health and substance use disorders who are 18 years or older and reside in New London County and its surrounding towns. Services, which include case management, outpatient behavioral health, crisis intervention, respite care, and forensic services, are recovery oriented and offered in a trauma informed and culturally sensitive manner.  We support individuals to identify and achieve their own goals in recovery, fostering independence, dignity, and ability.

      Selection Plan

      FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 
      Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page.

      Please Note: In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.

      TO APPLY
      • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
      • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
      • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
      • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
      • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
      AFTER YOU APPLY 
      • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
      • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
      • NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
      • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
      • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
      • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
      CONNECT WITH US 
      • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. 
      • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jensine Tran at jensine.tran@ct.gov. 

      PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

      In a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services hospital, community behavioral health facility or program this class is accountable for leading Mental Health Assistants in the assessment, planning and implementation of paraprofessional nursing, clinical and/or rehabilitative interventions designed to support client short and/or long-term needs. In outpatient or community programs this class is accountable for independently performing the full range of paraprofessional functions in case management and crisis intervention services.

      EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

      • Participates in assigned nursing, clinical and/or rehabilitative interventions to meet client short and long-term needs; 
      • Advocates for services or resources that meet client needs and preferences; 
      • Observes and records client behavior; 
      • Prepares incident and accident reports; 
      • Monitors client progress; 
      • Assists client with decision making and problem solving; 
      • Assists client in learning and utilizing daily living skills, budgeting, medication monitoring and/or community adaptation skills; 
      • Acts as a role model and instructs staff in crisis intervention techniques; 
      • Develops goal-directed relationships with individuals and/or groups; 
      • Identifies and facilitates use of appropriate support networks; 
      • Investigates alternative placement for client; 
      • Participates in education and training activities to further skill development; 
      • Participates in admission and discharge planning activities; 
      • Protects civil rights of client; 
      • Maintains a safe and healthy environment; 
      • May coordinate and direct programs and activities for a group of clients; 
      • Performs related duties as required.

      Community and/or Outpatient Programs: 

      • Functions as a team member of a case management or crisis intervention team; 
      • Participates in assessment, crisis intervention and monitoring of clients within facility or community at large (i.e., emergency rooms, jails, homeless shelters, outpatient programs, etc.); 
      • Provides individual, group and/or family supportive treatment under appropriate supervision; 
      • Identifies and reinforces client skills, strengths, resources and preferences; 
      • Applies accepted standards of nursing care to clients; 
      • Participates in community outreach programs that include crisis intervention and family contact in home settings; 
      • Identifies and accesses a wide range of community resources; 
      • Participates as a liaison to community agencies; 
      • Makes arrangements for outpatient appointments; 
      • Consults with care givers in other facilities regarding crisis intervention techniques; 
      • Manages client behaviors through verbal communication when necessary; 
      • May problem solve with clients in community.

      Inpatient Ward or Unit: 

      • Leads, trains and participates in training and development of Mental Health Assistants and other assigned employees; 
      • Participates in developing and maintaining a therapeutic milieu; 
      • Coordinates maintenance of a safe and healthy living environment; 
      • Participates in meeting psychological and physical needs of client; 
      • Identifies client strengths and assists in development of treatment plans; 
      • Orients new client to ward or unit; 
      • Participates in team nursing activities and development of nursing care and rehabilitation programs; 
      • May supervise self-administration of oral medications; 
      • May assist with data collection.

      KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

      • Considerable knowledge of
        • psychiatric rehabilitation and/or case management principles, practices and procedures; 
        • acceptable standards of nursing care; 
      • Knowledge of
        • dynamics of human behavior; 
        • hygiene and sanitation; 
        • safety and fire procedures and security measures; 
        • community resources and programs; 
      • Considerable
        • interpersonal skills; 
        • oral and written communication skills; 
        • counseling skills; 
      • Observation skills; 
      • Ability to
        • lead staff; 
        • supervise client activity; 
        • interpret and implement agency and/or facility policies and procedures; 
        • apply principles of therapeutic counseling under supervision; 
        • develop curricula and instruct groups; 
        • organize; 
        • understand, interpret and carry out oral and written instructions.

      MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

      Three (3) years of experience at the level of a Mental Health Assistant 1.

      MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

      • College training in mental health technology, a behavioral science, social work, rehabilitation therapy or its equivalent 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 two (2) years.
      • Completion of a mental health trainee certificate program may be substituted for one-half (1/2) year of the General Experience.

      PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

      • Experience working in the community with clients diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness and substance abuse disorders
      • Experience teaching daily living skills, such as money management, food management, home management, and accessing transportation with clients in the community
      • Experience working with clients in accessing community resources and in securing and maintaining housing
      • Experience working with clients who are pre-contemplative and contemplative in their recovery

      SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

      • Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
      • Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.
      • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

      WORKING CONDITIONS

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

      Conclusion

      AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

      The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

      As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.




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