Mental Health Therapist FACT/ Criminal Justice Specialist

Provides professional comprehensive care aligned with ICARE values to patients of the URMC / Strong Ties / Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams. Collaborates with health, behavioral health and social service providers and is responsible for assessing patient's needs, developing and managing care plans with patients enrolled in ACT services. ACT serves the most complex, high utilizing patients that need comprehensive community treatment and care management services. Services include, but are not limited to: care coordination, health promotion, patient and family support, referral to community and social supports, crisis intervention, and family support. The Mental Health Therapist functions a general therapist for assigned patients and provides direct clinical service including individual and family therapy, group therapy, crisis intervention, and community outreach. The Forensic Mental Health Therapist/Criminal Justice Specialist also serves as a liaison with local law enforcement, local treatment courts, parole/probation officers and attorneys in the county.

Responsibilities

Provides professional comprehensive care aligned with ICARE values to patients of the URMC / Strong Ties / Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams; Collaborates with health, behavioral health and social service providers and assesses patient needs, develops and manages care plans with patients enrolled in ACT services; Provides direct clinical service including individual and family therapy, group therapy, crisis intervention, and community outreach; Serves as a liaison with local law enforcement, local treatment courts, parole/probation officers and attorneys; Conducts risk-needs assessment for all forensic patients admitted to the program to inform treatment plans by identifying criminogenic needs; Attends court appearances, meets with attorneys, and advocates for treatment court when appropriate; Administers breathalyzer tests and obtains toxicology samples per client's AOT court order and provides weekly reports to AOT for those with an AOT court order; Comprehensively documents all clinical findings, assessments and encounters in the EMR per Hospital guidelines; Assists clients in maintaining themselves in the community, including finding and furnishing apartments, setting up financial budgets, applying for entitlements, and learning skills of daily living; Transports clients as needed to appointments and assists clients in moving or shopping; Participates on a rotational basis in on-call group during evening/weekend hours and responds after hours to psychiatric crises in the community

Requirements

Master's degree from a Counsel for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) accredited program with major course work in mental health counseling required; Or equivalent combination of education and experience; Working with the SPMI (severe and persistently mentally ill) patient population required; NYS licensure as a mental health practitioner (e.g., Mental Health Counselor, Creative Arts Therapist) upon hire required; If licensure has not been obtained upon employment, an active limited permit or submitted application to the NYS Department of Education upon hire required and NYS licensure as a mental health practitioner (e.g., Mental Health Counselor, Creative Arts Therapist) within 36 months of hire; If working on the ACT or Mobile Crisis teams NYS licensure as a mental health practitioner within 48 months required

Nice to have

Community-based setting (preferred)