Behavioral Health Specialist - HCBS - Orange/Dutchess County

JOB SUMMARY

Based on training, experience and qualifications, the Behavioral Health Specialist may be called upon to provide one or more of the following services to children and families enrolled in the specific services.  In no situation shall a Behavioral Health Specialist provide services where he/she does not meet the minimum educational requirements and qualifications necessary to provide such services as documented. 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Prevocational Services 

• Prevocational Services are individually designed to prepare a youth (age 14 or older) to engage in paid work, volunteer work or career exploration.  Prevocational Services are not job-specific, but rather are geared toward facilitating success in any work environment for youth whose disabilities do not permit them access to other prevocational services.  The service will be reflected in youth’s plan of care and must be directed to teaching skills rather than explicit employment objectives.  In addition, Prevocational Services assist with facilitating appropriate work habits, acceptable job behaviors, and learning job production requirements. 

Respite 

• This service focuses on short-term assistance and/or relief for children/youth with disabilities (developmental, physical and/or behavioral), and family/caregivers which can be provided in a planned mode or delivered in a crisis environment.  Respite workers supervise the child/youth and engage the child in activities that support his/her and or caregiver/family’s constructive interests and abilities. 
  • Planned respite services provide planned short-term relief for family/caregivers that are needed to enhance the family/caregiver’s ability to support the child/youth’s functional, mental health/substance use disorder and/or health care issues.  The service is direct care for the child/youth by staff trained to support the child/youth’s needs while providing relief from caregiver activities for the family/caregiver.  This may occur in short-term increments of time (usually during the day) or on an overnight or longer-term increment.  Planned Respite Services support the plan of care goals.  Planned Respite activities include providing supervision and recreational activities that match the child/youth’s developmental stage and continue to maintain the participant’s health and safety. 
  • Crisis Respite is a short-term care and intervention strategy for children/youth and their families as a result of a child’s mental health/substance use crisis event, medical crisis or trauma that creates a risk for an escalation of symptoms without supports and/or loss of functioning.  It may be used when acutely challenging emotional or medical crisis occur which the child/youth is unable to manage without intensive assistance and support.  The need for Crisis Respite may be identified as a result of crisis intervention or may come from referrals from the emergency room, the community, LDSS/LGU/SPOA, school, self-referrals, Care Manager referrals, or as part of a step-down plan from an inpatient setting. 

Supported Employment 

• Supported Employment provides ongoing supports to participants who, because of their disabilities, need intensive on-going support to obtain and maintain and individual job in competitive or customized employment, or self-employment, in an integrated work setting in the general workforce for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals without disabilities.  The outcome of this service is sustained paid employment at or above the minimum wage in an integrated set