Professional Counselor (40 Hour)(Office/On-site)

Introduction

Are you a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) seeking an opportunity to make a significant impact?

Join our dynamic team and play a pivotal role in making lasting, positive changes throughout communities across Connecticut!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS),Southwest CT Mental Health System (SWCMHS) is seeking a Professional Counselor within Young Adult Services in Stamford. 

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• FACILITY: Southwest CT Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
• TEAM: Young Adult Services
• LOCATION: 1351 Washington Blvd. Stamford, CT
• SCHEDULE: Full time, 40 hours per week | Monday - Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm
• PCN: 26441

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU 

• Visit our newState Employee Benefits Overview page!
• 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
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO

• Provide substantial input regarding patient care needs, response to treatment, and recommend modifications in the overall plan of care.
• Complete comprehensive assessments for patients with acute psychiatric and addictive problems
• Provide direct patient care that includes education, counseling, medication administration and documentation of the treatment and progress made by the patient

MORE 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.

Southwest CT Mental Health System (SWCMHS) is a person centered/recovery oriented, culturally sensitive integrated system of care. With three locations throughout Fairfield County, SWCMHS, promotes and administers comprehensive recovery oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. These services include inpatient treatment programs and outpatient clinical services, as well as a wide range of additional supportive treatment services. 

The Young Adult Services (YAS) program is designed to provide age appropriate, clinical and residential support services to young adults with behavioral health disorders between the ages of 18-25, providing intensive recovery oriented services that take into account developmental processes, the impact of traumas, and family issues. YAS provides a wide range of services including clinical, employment, educational and rehabilitative support. YAS is designed to prevent these consumers from being “lifelong members” of the mental health service systems. Persons referred for services come through the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System Community Outreach and Engagement Service or through the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Office of the Commissioner’s central referral process. In both instances, these are usually youth who have been in residential treatment through the Department of Children and Families, in foster care, and/or in the juvenile justice system. YAS services include:

• Intensive Community Supports
• Clinical Services
• Residential Supports
• Community Support Program
• Educational Services
• Vocational Services
• Psychiatric/Medication Services
• Social Rehabilitation

START WITH US. STAY WITH US. GROW WITH US.

Please note:

• A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. 
• All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.  
  

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 

Please reador watchour Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Please Note: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

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. 
• 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.
• 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 and/or phone, 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. Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
• 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 Pamela Rochette at Pamela.Rochette@ct.gov. 

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency behavioral health program as part of a multi-disciplinary team at one or more locations this class is accountable for independently providing clinical counseling services.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• In this role, you will be a member of the multidisciplinary clinician team within the Young Adult Services. 
• This position requires competence in developing providing case management, needs assessment and supportive counseling in addressing client strengths, weaknesses and needs. 
• Develops psychosocial assessments through clinical interviews with assigned clients and families which include consideration of developmental, social and/or cultural, substance abuse, psychological, environmental and medical issues.
• Responsible for developing treatment plans with measurable treatment goals/objectives. 
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment plans, along with documenting treatment in clinical records. 
• Provides clinical treatment services in the form of individual, group and/or family therapy, crisis intervention and risk assessment. 
• Advocates and develops networks of social and clinical services to assist clients in meeting identified
• needs. 
• Completes reports in accordance with agency and accrediting bodies. 
• Consults and collaborates with other behavioral health providers to improve delivery of services to clients. 
• Complies with ethical standards and DMHAS work rules. 
• Maintains client and program safety. 
• Utilizes an electronic health record, computer technology and data to perform job functions and inform management and supervisory practices. 
• Performs safe work practices.
• Observes all confidentiality and client’s rights regulations. 
• Provides CPR and first aid as necessary. 
• Performs related duties as required, for more information click here.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment; 
  • family and interpersonal relationship dynamics; 
  • values, sanctions, purposes and ethics of professional counseling work; 
  • community resources; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills; 
• Ability to devise and implement a treatment plan with measurable goals that address client needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Licensure as a professional counselor in the State of Connecticut.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in a community-based outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment facility.
• Experience with principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment.
• Experience working in an environment which embraces a global cultural environment of diversity.
• Experience working with community providers, local hospitals, Police Departments, and outpatient clinical teams.
• Experience using word and excel computer software. 
• Experience using an Electronic Medical Record (WITS) and other proprietary software.
• Ability to transport clients.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice professional counselor work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (a-f) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in certain designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive clients.

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.