Mental Health Specialist III

Overview

Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC), established in 1971, offers a full continuum of evidence based behavioral health and addiction services for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors throughout New Jersey. UBHC's 1,060 experienced behavioral health professionals and support staff are dedicated to treatment, prevention, and education. UBHC, one of the largest providers of behavioral health care in the country, has a budget of $260 million and operates 15 sites throughout New Jersey.

Services are readily accessible and include inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, screening, crisis stabilization, family/caregiver support, community outreach and case management, supportive housing, supported employment, prevention and consultation, employee assistance programs, and a licensed therapeutic school from preschool through high school. Specialty services include the New Jersey suicide prevention helpline and peer help lines for police, veterans, active military, teachers, mothers of special needs children and child protective service workers.

In FY2016, UBHC treated 16,199 consumers, had 24,502 admissions, and touched the lives of 19,441 individual callers through peer support. In addition, UBHC is the primary mental health training resource for the New Jersey departments of Human Services, Children and Families, and Corrections, delivering 16,000 trainings each year.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Mental Health Specialist III for the Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services within Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. The primary purpose of the Mental Health Specialist III is to provide support to the Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (CMRSS) program in the identified service area that meets quality and quantity standards within UBHC and the NJ Children's System of Care (CSOC);
Provides support during the 8-week stabilization period through weekly contacts with youth/family, treatment providers/community agencies and other collateral contacts. Performs functions in support of the UBHC mission providing streamlined, prompt, and "consumer friendly" crisis response services. Receives telephone requests for service, supports in community dispatches, assists with referral process for time-limited stabilization services, monitors effectiveness of services and assists with linkages for aftercare.

Demonstrates competency in recognizing the unique needs and applying relevant crisis stabilization approaches for children and adolescents and their families.

• Supports family dispatches as a backup team member completing required registration and PE applications with the legal guardian during the dispatch.
• Conducts in-person follow up meetings as needed and completes collateral calls on a weekly basis, responding to contacts with families, professionals, and outside agencies in a professional and cordial manner.
• Promptly responds to all service requests; effectively addressing identified problems and/or referring to appropriate CMRSS staff.
• Assist with end of service contacts to youth/family and treatment providers/community agencies and other collateral contacts.
• Ensures that telephone contacts with clients or family members occur in an appropriately courteous, helpful fashion.
• Acquires familiarity with agencies within the identified service area that provides services to children, adolescents and their families that can provide crisis stabilization services and provide ongoing support/resources for the family.
• Maintains client records and program logs in a timely and accurate manner.

• Three (3) years of relevant full-time paid experience in the mental health field or one (1) year of full-time paid experience (part time and/or per diem experience may be substituted for the full-time equivalent) along with at least two (2) years of college majoring in a relevant mental health, social, or human services field, including twenty-four (24) verified credits in a relevant mental health, social, or human services field, such as psychology, social work, counseling or three (3) years of…