Mental Health Counselors interact with clients on a day-to-day basis providing individual and group counseling, as well as engaging in therapeutic and psychosocial activities. Mental Health Counselors promote higher levels of wellness,stability and quality of life, assist in the prevention of acute psychiatric episodes or substance abuse relapses requiring hospitalization,and help the consumer to lessen the debilitating symptoms of mental illness and/or substance abuse. Mental Health Counselors utilize and incorporate best practices in psychiatric services, substance abuse services, and social skills and illness management techniques with a strengths-based approach to recovery.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains a caseload as prescribed by the Program Manager. Provides a variety of services and interventions including group and individual counseling, crisis intervention, symptom management information and case management to each client.
• Performs initial assessments for medication clinic and mental health services clients.
• Initiates appropriate and timely interventions.
• Integrates clinical concepts with sound theoretical and practical applications of rehabilitative, individual, and group counseling principles.
• Demonstrates and supports a strong working knowledge of Psycho-social Rehabilitation practices and principles.
• Interacts therapeutically with clients, maintaining distinction between therapeutic and social relationships.
• Provides input to other treatment team members to develop and improve program services and delivery and individual client services.
• Maintains timely, accurate and legible documentation using assigned forms and formats for each client in their caseload.
•  Responsible for medical record documentation per contract and Medi-Cal requirements.
• Assists other staff in dealing with problematic client behavior.
• Facilitates and completes the Readiness Assessment as per contract agreement with the County of San Diego.
•  Provides leadership by:

a. Facilitating assigned groups in a timely manner.

b. When necessary, willingly filling-in for colleagues given little or no notice.

c. Overseeing milieu and being alert for crisis situations, client decompensation and  agitation.

d. Setting regular goals on client plan to include Long-term View and short term and long-term goals with program participants.

• Consults with attending psychiatrist regarding medication and treatment of clients.
• Consults with other treatment providers such as conservator, case manager, and board & care operators.
• Assesses and recognizes behavior or changes in mood that indicate suicidal or homicidal intent or plan, and immediately reports any concerns to Program Manager.
• Assists clients in reaching their vocational goals.
• Regularly contacts clients to assure stability and keep all appointments.
• Displays regular and reliable attendance. Reports to and departs from work on time, as scheduled, and accurately reflects all time on time card.
• Successfully functions as a team member.