Job Description:

Job Summary:

The Outreach Specialist functions with the PATH Grant assisting those that are homeless find ongoing supports and linkage to stable housing, ongoing treatment services and also meet immediate needs.

For Adult ERE Outreach:
This position focuses on engaging and serving individuals who utilize emergency rooms and hospitals frequently because of their unmet behavioral health needs. By providing short-term case management, the Outreach Specialists assist with connecting people to resources.

For Youth ERE Outreach:
Youth ERE Outreach provides intensive outreach and engagement to youth and their caregivers, usually in crisis response to a youth who is experiencing mental health or substance abuse symptoms. The Youth ERE Outreach provides Interventions mostly in home and the community, but can include an office setting. Interventions will include individual therapy to youth who have a Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) or other qualifying diagnosis as defined by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and their families. The Youth ERE Outreach acts as the team member for the Youth ERE Outreach Team, providing clinical input for all persons assigned to the Youth ERE project caseload. The Youth ERE Outreach builds and maintains positive partnerships with hospitals, community mental health providers, and substance use treatment providers in order to effectively coordinate care to improve the overall well-being of persons served.

Essential Job Functions:

The Outreach Specialist functions with the PATH Grant assisting those that are homeless find ongoing supports and linkage to stable housing, ongoing treatment services and also meet immediate needs.

For Adult ERE Outreach:
This position focuses on engaging and serving individuals who utilize emergency rooms and hospitals frequently because of their unmet behavioral health needs. By providing short-term case management, the Outreach Specialists assist with connecting people to resources.

For Youth ERE Outreach: 
Youth ERE Outreach provides intensive outreach and engagement to youth and their caregivers, usually in crisis response to a youth who is experiencing mental health or substance abuse symptoms.  The Youth ERE Outreach provides Interventions mostly in home and the community, but can include an office setting.  Interventions will include individual therapy to youth who have a Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) or other qualifying diagnosis as defined by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and their families. The Youth ERE Outreach acts as the team member for the Youth ERE Outreach Team, providing clinical input for all persons assigned to the Youth ERE project caseload. The Youth ERE Outreach builds and maintains positive partnerships with hospitals, community mental health providers, and substance use treatment providers in order to effectively coordinate care to improve the overall well-being of persons served. 

Essential Job Functions:

Functions in accordance with Brightli Operational Guidelines and within his/her professional code of ethics.Utilizes his/her experience and ability to meet the needs of the clients and the goals of his/her treatment, and engages in any other activities that meet the client’s needs and treatment goals.Participates in all required meetings and contributes to the various staff development of activities of Brightli.Maintain a caseload of assigned PATH participants and address immediate needs and prepare for CPRC enrollment.Conduct intakes to assess services clients are eligible for and refer those clients who qualify for CPRC Community Support Services.Be available to assist individuals who are homeless with mental illness and those clients at risk for homelessness with consultations, resource information, referrals to appropriate services, and temporary emotional support.Network with community groups and organizations to meet the individual client’s needs.Keep abreast of current community policies regarding the homeless and pre-homeless and when appropriate attend city meetings and forums.Provide adequate documentation of activities as required by the funding agency and Brightli.Provide case management to those clients housed through the Department of Mental Health Programs (Shelter-Plus Care, Rental Assistance Program, etc.) that are not qualified for CPRC Community Support.Enroll PATH participants into HMIS, provide necessary follow-up and update referrals in HMIS.Conduct outreach services via community locations, homeless camps, and street outreach.  Must have reliable transportation and ability to transport consumers.

For Adult ERE Outreach:

Use assessment and engagement skills to identify individuals’ needs in the areas of health, mental health, substance abuse, and other psychosocial areas as neededAssertively outreach and engage all referred, active, and disengaged persons served. Utilize Motivational Interviewing skills to engage individuals in treatment.Monitor clients’ medical and psychiatric treatment to assure effective coordination and continuity of careAssist persons served with linkage to Community Mental Health Center and/or Substance Use Treatment.Assist persons served with obtaining community resources such as: food stamps, Medicaid, emergency shelter, medications, AA/NA meetings, or other local support networksWrite psychosocial assessments for persons served that are enrolling in longer-term case management programs within the agencyWrite, implement, and monitor Individualized Treatment Plans and other necessary paperwork with clients Provide regular visits with clients in the community Collaborate with hospital staff and other community partners to reduce hospitalizations and ER visits for persons servedProvide person centered services to help client identify and achieve expressed goalsProvide crisis intervention and resolution for persons served as necessaryIdentify and analyze diverse issues impacting clients’ abilities to function optimally; implement solutions or coordinate with other resources to resolve problemsComplete assigned case records and report service activities accurately, comprehensively, and within required standards outlined within agency standards of 5 business daysAttend supervision and team meetings as scheduledWhen assigned provide on-call coverage as assigned during the hours when the agency office is closed; provide support beyond the normal 40 hour depending on the needs of the team and caseload

For Youth ERE Outreach:

Identify persons served and facilitate referral for treatment services; complete an Assessment of Strengths and Needs on each new referral.Contribute to the assessment across the generational spectrum within the youth’s household and participate in the outreach team meetings to develop the most appropriate service options for the family.As needed, provides back-up support to respond to the Youth ERE initial referrals.Develop recovery oriented care plans that address behavioral health, medical, and social barriers for persons served.  The plans will focus on linkage to / engagement with ongoing treatment for youth clients and caregivers served, addressing issues identified in plan.  There will be an emphasis on crisis response and stabilization to engage with ongoing services.Provide individual therapy to youth with identified behavioral problems and functional deficits.Provide family therapy sessions.Assist persons served in identifying appropriate resources, matching the resources with identified needs, and in prioritizing attempts to access these resources.Assist persons served in developing ongoing community support system.Coordinate correspondence with other agencies to obtain and provide clinical records of person served as needed.Collaborate with other ERE team members and staff at the agency to which the child will be linked for services to support family wellbeing.Educate persons served on mental health and substance use issues as appropriate.Complete all documentation required in an accurate and timely manner.Participate in Quality Assurance chart reviews and make corrections as needed.Complete training requirements as outlined by agency policy and directed by the Youth ERE Coordinator.All other duties assigned by supervisorProvide back-up for the Youth ERE Coordinator regarding outreach and assessment for project eligibility for individuals referred to the project. Collaborate closely with the Adult ERE staff.Participate in weekly Youth ERE Outreach Team meetings to strategize about cases, as well as ongoing training opportunities in project procedures, outreach/engagement techniques, and clinical interventions.Engage persons served across care settings. Conduct outreach efforts and provide case management back up for other Youth ERE Outreach team members as needed.Maintain electronic medical records, compile reports, and complete other program documentation in a timely manner.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must have the ability to read and interpret documents such as operating and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, and safety rules; to write routine reports and correspondence; to communicate effectively before groups of residents, employees or the organization, family members and other contacts in the community.  Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form and Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.Shall be able to establish effective relationships via telephone and personal contacts. Shall be able to follow direction and accept supervision. Shall be able to multi task and react to meet multiple demands. Shall be able to respond effectively and maintain composure in crisis situations.

Experience and Education Qualifications:

Advanced knowledge in mental health issues as evidenced by a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social work, or other related human service specialized fields of study, including a BHS degree from an accredited institution.Must have valid Driver’s License. Must use personal vehicle for transportation of consumers/clients. Must have auto liability insurance including uninsured motorist coverage.

Supervisory Requirements: 

None

Employment Requirements:

Successful completion of background check including criminal record, driving record, abuse/neglect and fingerprint check.Completion of New Hire Orientation at the beginning of employment.All training requirements including Relias at the beginning of employment and annually thereafter.Current driver’s license, acceptable driving record and current auto insurance.

Physical Requirements:

ADA Consideration - Sedentary work:  Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (exists up the 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (exists 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, or pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.  Repetitive movements of hands, fingers, and arms for typing and/or writing during work shift. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time.  Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Position Perks & Benefits:

Paid time off: full-time employees receive an attractive time off package to balance your work and personal life

Employee benefits package: full-time employees receive health, dental, vision, retirement, life, & more

Top-notch training: initial, ongoing, comprehensive, and supportive

Career mobility: advancement opportunities/promoting from within

Welcoming, warm, supportive: a work culture & environment that promotes your well-being, values you as human being, and encourages your health and happiness

Brightli is on a Mission:

A mission to improve client care, reduce the financial burden of community mental health centers by sharing resources, a mission to have a larger voice in advocacy to increase access to mental health and substance user care in our communities, and a mission to evolve the behavioral health industry to better meet the needs of our clients.

As a behavioral and community mental health provider, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workforce and encourage applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If you are passionate about empowering your local communities and promoting health equity, we invite you to join our mission-driven organization that is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and authentic workplace.

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expressions, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability or veteran status, or to other non-work related factors.

Places for People is a Smoke and Tobacco Free Workplace.