Smith County Jail- Licensed Mental Health Counselor-Full Time

Job Summary:

The Licensed Mental Health Counselor assesses, evaluates, and coordinates mental health care to incarcerated individuals. They formulate individualized release plans to coordinate a continuum of care.

Major Responsibilities / Duties / Critical Tasks:

• Functions as a member of an interdisciplinary team.

• Efficiently and effectively interact with team members, internal and external partners to accomplish essential tasks.

• Communicates, collaborates, and coordinates with co-workers, unit leaderships, physicians, and all other members of the patient care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.

• Ensures compliance/adherence with applicable laws and regulations. Responsible for social work compliance with surveys (CMS and State).

• Communicates, collaborates, and coordinates with co-workers, unit leadership, and physicians.

• Assesses psychiatric emergencies and provides crisis intervention to emotionally distressed and mentally ill inmates.

• Conducts evaluations of inmates for the purpose of suicide intervention and prevention.

• Coordinates inmate care with Facility and Medical staff to ensure inmates' special needs are addressed.

• Performs MAT/substance abuse counseling.

• Develops individualized treatment plans for psychiatric inmates who require intensive behavior management; completes referrals to Provider for medication management services.

• Promotes linkages with community mental health agencies, other support services and families for inmate care and coordination for continuum of care; including discharge planning; collaborates with community health providers for inmates who are enrolled clients.

• Completes inmate need assessments and develops individualized release plans for inmates suffering from mental illness to connect inmates with appropriate services in the community.

• Maintains the safety and security of staff and inmates when making clinical decisions regarding inmates.

• Participates in on-call responsibilities for off-hours MHP coverage.

• Provides mental health training for jail staff as needed.

• Delivers client-centered, evidence-based therapies.

• Provides effective documentation procedures.

• Responds to requests for Mental Health services in Jail ATM (Kiosk) and corresponds as necessary with patients/inmates.

• Attends meetings scheduled by Jail Staff or Andrew's Center regarding the Forensic List patients.

• Triages, schedules, and updates scheduled routine and urgent tasks daily.

• Creates and distributes educational materials for Mental Health.

• Completes other duties as assigned.

Accompanying Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies:

• Ability to cultivate a compassionate environment.

• Ability to implement and follow established Behavioral Standards:

o Patient Centered Customer Service: Genuinely care about people.

o Cultivate a compassionate environment: Changing lives for the better together.

o Clinical and Operational Excellence: A relentless drive to be the best.

o Holistic Approach: Think and act for the benefit of the whole.

o Promote a collaborative environment: Build effective working relationships with others.

o Identify and Develop Talent: Prepare others to deliver excellence.

o Continually Simplify and Improve: Work to make everything as efficient as possible.

o Foster Innovation: Seek and apply leading edge solutions.

o Set Clear Direction: Tell others where you are going, how to get there and why.

Required Education / Experience:

• Master's degree in social work, clinical psychology, psychiatric nursing, or related field.

• Three years of health care experience is required. Social services experience in psychiatric setting is preferred.

Required Certification / Licenses:

• Must be able to obtain and maintain current BLS certification.

• Must possess physical ability to perform SAMA.

• Licensed as a Social Worker, Marriage/Family Therapist, Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Professional Counselor required. Must possess current license in State of Texas.

Working Environment:

This position is within the Smith County Jail.