Mental Health Specialist II - Part Time - NJ Hopeline

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 has 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 part time Mental Health Specialist II within the NJ Hopeline within Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare. Performs functions in support of the Unit’s mission providing streamlined, prompt, and “customer friendly” services to clients of the 988 Lifeline Services. Receives telephone, chat and/or text requests for service, undertakes assessment of the service need of the client and responds by offering support and appropriate referrals or disposition. Demonstrates competency in recognizing the unique needs of clients and applying relevant assessment and support skills with regard to a wide range of issues.

Among the key duties of this position are the following:

Models for clients’ good communication skills, recovery-oriented living skills, effective coping skills, and self help strategies as observed by supervisor and as indicated by feedback from clients and team members.

Accepts service requests, responds to incoming calls, chats and/or texts within prescribed timeframe, as observed by supervisor.

Maintains comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of resources and programs used by the Center and Unit in order to provide guidance to clients and make appropriate referrals, as observed by supervisor.

Performs assessment and makes appropriate disposition as indicated by feedback from receiving program/referral; client satisfaction supervised observations, or other provider.

Collaborates effectively with other staff members and referral sources for disposition, as indicated by supervisory observation.

Documents all client contact information in accordance with departmental protocols and accurately and appropriately inputs data in unit’s informational system, as observed by supervisor.

Four (4) years of relevant full-time paid experience (part time and/or per diem experience may be substituted for the fulltime equivalent) in a mental health field or a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant mental health, social or human services field.

This position demands standing, walking throughout the program space.

Lifting up to 20 lbs.

Handles phone requests under time and decision-making pressure.

Generally pleasant working conditions in a clean, well-lighted, and quiet to moderately loud setting.

Crisis intervention is a common occurrence.