SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

As an experienced clinician, the Senior Mental Health Counselor works at a maximum level of independence and responsibility, often sharing responsibility for program operations with the Program Director.  The majority of time is spent in direct client services, providing crisis and ongoing counseling and psychotherapy to new and ongoing clients.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide clinical supervision to assigned staff.  May supervise student interns
• Reviews and signs treatment plans developed by program staff.
• Assigns new cases to staff according to client needs and staff skills.
• Conducts utilization review of client charts to determine completeness of chart, appropriateness of treatment, and medical necessity for continued care or recommendations for alternate care.
• Provides initial and ongoing assessments of clients, including client history, evaluation of problems, and formulation of diagnosis.
• Develops initial and ongoing treatment plans which describe the goals of treatment and the methods to be used.
• Provides individual, family and group counseling and psychotherapy to assist clients in achieving the goals of treatment.
• Assists clients with linkages to appropriate community resources to enhance treatment and recovery.
• With appropriate releases of information, communicates with others in client service systems to coordinate care.  Such contract may include, but not limited to, primary care physicians, insurance companies and other service providers involved in the care of clients.

·  Schedule and assigned duties are subject to change based on the needs of the program and the clients we serve.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Must have knowledge of a variety of intervention techniques, including motivational enhancement; common mental disabilities, chemical dependency interventions and resources.
• Must possess good oral and written communication skill
• Must possess computer skills adequate to maintain the electronic record. 

·  Must appreciate cultural diversity and be aware of cross cultural counseling issues.

QUALIFICATIONS:

·  Master's degree in a human service field plus professional certification (e.g. LCSW, LMHC preferred but not required) plus at least three years of paid work experience in a mental health setting.

·  Bi-lingual Spanish preferred, but not required.