Job Description Summary:

The Will’s Place Community Support Specialist (CSS) assists children, youth, and families impacted by a variety of behavioral health (addiction/substance use and mental health) issues in progress toward specific goals of an individualized treatment plan.  This person assists individuals and families in making informed choices and assures timely access by the consumer to psychiatric, medical, vocational, social, and educational systems. The CSS demonstrates a warm and welcoming, empathic, hopeful attitude while conveying a philosophy of dual recovery.  This person provides the mechanisms for an individual to progress within or among Ozark Center service delivery systems.  The Community Support Specialist serves children and youth between birth and twenty-five years of age who are assessed as seriously emotionally disturbed and/or who might also be dealing with addiction/substance use issues.  These children and youth may have been in treatment in an inpatient or residential setting,  on a waiting list for placement in a residential setting, or be youth diagnosed as seriously emotionally disturbed through an outpatient system of care. They may also be deemed at risk of dropping out of school, being placed outside of his/her parental family, or acute hospitalization.  The CSS provides services to individuals recognizing that the individuals we serve often times have experienced trauma that affects their development and adjustment. The CSS will be trained in trauma-informed care and will work to help provide services in an environment that is sensitive and responsive which will prevent victimization, abuse, or trauma as a result of the care received.  The CSS reports to the Children’s CPR Supervisor.

Education:

• An individual with a bachelor’s degree in a human services field which includes social work, psychology, nursing, education, criminal justice, recreational therapy, human development and family studies, counseling, child development, gerontology, sociology, human services, behavioral science, and rehabilitation counseling; or
• An individual with any four- (4-) year combination of higher education and qualifying experience; or
• An individual with any four- (4-) year degree and two (2) years of qualifying experience; or
• An individual with an Associate of Applied Science in Behavioral Health Support degree from an approved institution; or
• An individual with four (4) years of qualifying experience

Work Experiences:

• The CSS works with individuals experiencing a variety of behavioral health (substance use and mental health) issues within the community, the schools, and their homes.

Responsibilities:

• The CSS participates in the ongoing assessment of a client’s status and the development of a treatment plan for all children and youth admitted to Will’s Place. 
• The CSS will participate on any interagency and interdisciplinary teams to assure continuity and coordination of service delivery, which in all cases will meet time frames so specified in the treatment plan.
• The CSS will assist the client to access and utilize a variety of community agencies and resources that can provide a wide range of ongoing supports and activities including, but not limited to, social, educational, vocational, and recreational. 
• The CSS will provide individualized assistance in creating personal support systems that includes work with family members, legal guardians, or significant others regarding the needs and abilities of an identified client and providing back-up support to families, friends and community members.
• The CSS will provide direct services such as teaching, coaching, modeling, problem-solving, parenting skills, direct assistance, discharge planning, hospital follow-up, and crisis management to the client and family in negotiating systems of care for children and youth admitted to the CPR program.
• The CSS will record and complete necessary documentation on all aspects of case management, assessments, plans, referrals, progress notes, due process requirements, discharge planning and case closures as dictated by licensure requirements, State and Federal regulations, as well as Ozark Center Policy and Procedure.
• Perform all of duties as assigned.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Physical Requirements:

• Normal Office environment. 
• Typical physical demands include prolonged sitting, frequent standing, bending, stooping, and occasional lifting up to 25 pounds. 
• Requires normal range of hearing and manual dexterity sufficient to operate keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator, and other office equipment as needed. 
• Requires ability to work under stressful conditions and to work irregular hours and deal with irate individuals.
• TB test upon hire.