Recovery CounselorAt — Stars Behavioral Health Group

JOB SUMMARY:    The Recovery Counselor is a para-professional treatment team member who is responsible for providing direct care to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of the clients through direct and indirect physical and verbal interaction.  Duties are performed under direct supervision of the Program Manager, or designee in most cases, but some tasks are accomplished independently.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 Applicants must have attained the age of 18 years of age

Employment is contingent on:

• Successfully completing a pre-employment Health Screening and a TB clearance
• Receipt of “clear” or approved Live Scan results and Criminal Background Clearance

 Education

High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED)

 Experience

Minimum of one year of full-time experience performing non-professional, consumer directed services in a mental health, health care or social service agency. 

 License or Certification

Certification as Nurse’s Assistant (optional)

Valid California Driver's License – may be required

Valid California Class “B” Driver’s License preferred.

First Aid certification from persons qualified by agencies including but not limited to the American Red Cross.   

 

Specialized Skills

Ability to interact and communicate both verbally and in writing with seriously and persistently mentally ill clients, other staff and the public.

Knowledge of co-occurring disorder supports, employment resources, and experience serving individuals living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

Experience and skills associated with being a disabled person helping other disabled people.

Bilingual Spanish-speaking preferred.

 JOB DESCRIPTION, CONTINUED:   Recovery Counselor

Physical Requirements

Ability to visually and audibly assess client's behavior and needs.

Ability to complete Professional Assault Crisis trainings.

Ability to physically perform Professional Assault Crisis Training principles.

Ability to physically assist in lifting items above 10 pounds.

Ability to walk and run.

Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time, up to 3 hours at a time.

 

POTENTIAL JOB HAZARDS

Assaultive clients

Blood and Body Fluid Contact (Category I)

Operation of company vehicle.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS REQUIRED

Demonstrated use of Professional Assault Crisis Training (Pro-ACT).

Demonstrated use of Standard Precautions.

Demonstrated safe driving record with DMV and attendance at vehicle orientation.

CORE COMPETENCIES

1. Quality Patient Care  
   • Demonstrated ability to engage clients and families.  
   • Demonstrated understanding of psychiatric illness and its treatment as appropriate for Scope of practice.  
   • Demonstrated understanding of age related development and other issues for the population(s) served (i.e. early childhood (0-5), child/adolescent (6-15), transition age youth (16-24), adult (25-64), and older adult (65+). 

1. Compliance/Ethics  

• Demonstrated understanding of company’s Compliance Program and Code of Ethics. 
• Demonstrated understanding of laws and regulation affecting behavioral health clinical care. 

1. Clinical Documentation/EMR  

• Ability to perform clear and concise documentation including through the use of the EMR where applicable. 

1. Community or Facility Safety and Risk   

• Ability to drive to and from client’s homes in personal vehicle, if applicable.  
• Demonstrated understanding of how to behave in a safe manner while seeing clients in the community or facility as applicable.   
• Demonstrated ability to recognize dangerous behavior by client and intervene as appropriate. 

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

1. Promotes and assists clients with self-help skills in the areas of eating, hygiene and grooming and other activity or nursing activities.
2. Monitors client’s attendance at assigned activities and maximizes client participation through appropriate motivational techniques.
3. Conducts and assists both large and small activity groups and outings independently but under the supervision of the Program Manager or his/her designee.
4. Conducts and assists both large and small activity groups and outings independently but under the supervision of the Program Manager or his/her designee.
5. Encourages client’s interaction and socialization with other peers, providing feedback to clients on appropriate behavior while acting as a role model.
6. Accurately documents in writing each client’s attendance and response to activity and therapeutic groups or individual counseling in the individual medical record.
7. Attends and actively participates in Treatment Team meetings.
8. Visually and audibly observes and reports on client’s physical and psychiatric conditions
9. Reports significant changes to the Program Manager while documenting those observations in writing in the medical record.
10. Implements the individualized Treatment Plan.
11. Transports clients in facility vehicles as directed.
12. Maintains a safe and clean environment at the nursing station and generally.
13. Demonstrates knowledge of nursing and safety policies utilizing Policy and Procedure manuals on the unit.
14. Participates in in-service education as required by State and facility regulations.
15. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and employee will also perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by the Program Manager or his/her designee as needed.

 Training:

Shadowing and will continue with all company training

Learning Outcome:

promotes and assists clients with self-help skills in the areas of eating, hygiene and grooming and other activity or nursing activities.
Monitors client’s attendance at assigned activities and maximizes client participation through appropriate motivational techniques.
Conducts and assists both large and small activity groups and outings independently but under the supervision of the Program Manager or his/her designee.
Conducts and assists both large and small activity groups and outings independently but under the supervision of the Program Manager or his/her designee.
Encourages client’s interaction and socialization with other peers, providing feedback to clients on appropriate behavior while acting as a role model.
Accurately documents in writing each client’s attendance and response to activity and therapeutic groups or individual counseling in the individual medical record.
Attends and actively participates in Treatment Team meetings.
Visually and audibly observes and reports on client’s physical and psychiatric conditions