Job: Mental Health Specialist

*This position provides comprehensive intervention and psychological assessments of inmates for a diverse and complex caseload using advanced treatment modalities.
*The duties include provisions of treatment planning and follow-up on caseload.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities of Mental Health Specialist includes :

*Assists inmates to plan a program for reentry into the community which includes, but is not limited to identifying inmates work skills, interpersonal relationships, leisure activities, life skills, and communication skills
*Provides emotional support and encouragement to inmates and their families.
*Coordinates activities with other staff as necessary, communicates social work practice to staff members, and works with other staff members as part of interdisciplinary treatment team.
*Maintains contacts with outside agencies, community resources, employers, volunteers, and etc. to implement rehabilitative and social services programs to inmates.
*Plans, prioritizes, and manages individual treatment programs by evaluating an inmate's functioning; conducting intensive interviews; and gathering historical, legal, and technical date in order to determine and implement the most effective type of psychological intervention. Is professionally responsible for more complex diagnostic cases and methodological intervention strategies. Provides advanced psychological case management to individuals and groups when this intervention is determined to be appropriate. Difficult, long-term casework is performed without immediate supervision.
*Determines where specialized treatment is indicated to overcome major problems involving social dysfunctions, behavioral disorders, and/or severe risk of self or others and arranges for appropriate treatment planning.
*Participates in quality assurance review activities.
*Interviews assigned cases for mental status examinations as requested by the parole board.
*Maintains detailed case records and official reports on clients, charting and reviewing the treatment provided, recommendations made, the progress of each case and correcting case plans, utilizing consultation as needed. Maintains statistics on number and type of inmates seen. Make specific referrals to psychiatrists, psychologists, medical staff, and chaplains.
*Reviews records, psychological tests and social history assessments, and interviews inmates to present relevant mental health information profiles to and serve as member of initial Classification Board on inmates arriving at the facility, and makes appropriate referrals for treatment to other Mental Health Team professionals for these inmates. Also serves as a member of Cell Block Review Boards and Reclassification Boards to provide mental health information as it pertains to inmate housing and work assignments, and participates as a member of the Disciplinary Board when assigned.
*Performs other duties as assigned.

*Master's degree in social work from an accredited school or master's level professional counselor with two years of case work and counseling experience. State certification required.
*Must be mature, professional, cooperative and empathetic to the program needs of the agency, facility and inmates.
*Experience in working with an offender population is highly desired.
*Ability to reinforce facility rules and procedures.
*Ability to discuss with inmate's needs and concerns and initiate problem identification and problem solving techniques.
*Ability to work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.

Equal Opportunity Employer