Professional Counselor (40 Hour) (Office/On-Site)

Are you a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) looking to make a difference in the public sector?Join our team today!

THE POSITION:

The

State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is now hiring for a Professional Counselor to join our team! This position will provide individual and group therapy to individuals diagnosed with chronic mental health and/or substance use disorders.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:

• SCHEDULE: Full-Time (40 Hours), First Shift (8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.), Monday - Friday
  
• FACILITY: Southeastern Mental Health Authority (SMHA)
  
• UNIT: Options, Outpatient Behavioral Health Unit
  
• ADDRESS: 401 West Thames Street, Unit 301, Norwich, CT
  
• POSITION NUMBER: 26012
  

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Visit our newState Employee Benefits Overview page;
  
• Professional growth and development opportunities;
  
• A healthy work/life balance!
  

DISCOVER THE OPPPORTUNITY TO:

• Be a part of a comprehensive team of caring professionals;
  
• Provide support that is passionate about improving the lives of those we serve;
  
• Assist our clients so they can achieve success;
  
• Make a difference in the public sector; and
  
• Work together in a collaborative team environment!
  

ABOUT US:

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

SMHA is a community mental health agency operated by DMHAS. Its primary goal is to provide high quality behavioral health services to those in our community with mental health and substance use disorders who are 18 years or older and reside in New London County and its surrounding towns. Services, which include case management, outpatient behavioral health, crisis intervention, respite care, and forensic services, are recovery oriented and offered in a trauma informed and culturally sensitive manner. We support individuals to identify and achieve their own goals in recovery, fostering independence, dignity, and ability.

ABOUT THE UNIT:

Options is an outpatient program for adults 18 years and older with behavioral health needs (mental health and co-occurring disorders). We typically serve the more symptomatic and acute clients that are referred to SMHA from Community Health Centers and other community providers. Our outpatient clinic is one of the highest levels of outpatient care in our region. A multidisciplinary team provides individual, couples, family and group therapy, as well as psychiatric evaluations and medication management. Trauma informed care is at the foundation of our services, and a talented clinical staff offers a wide range of treatment options for recovery such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical and Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

PLEASE NOTE:

• A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.
  
• All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.
  

Start with us. Stay with us. Grow with us.
Selection Plan

------------------

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below.
  
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
  
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
  
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
  
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply� or ‘Apply Online� buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
  

AFTER YOU APPLY:

• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire�s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
  
• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
  
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
  
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
  

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Nicole Frascatore via Nicole.Frascatore@ct.gov.

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

-----------------------------------------

In a state agency behavioral health program as part of a multi-disciplinary team at one or more locations this class is accountable for independently providing clinical counseling services.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

----------------------

• As a member of a multi-disciplinary clinical team or within a network of community based behavioral health services, provides case management, needs assessment and supportive counseling in addressing client strengths, weaknesses and needs;
  
• Develops, implements and maintains individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans for clients;
  
• Works with treatment teams to assist individual patients in achieving social and emotional stability;
  
• Develops psychosocial assessments through clinical interviews;
  
• Provides clinical treatment services such as: triage, crisis intervention, individual and/or group counseling, screening and planning;
  
• Makes use of available community services and facilities to assist clients in meeting identified needs;
  
• Interprets and synthesizes client information, professional observations and evaluation reports in order to form professional judgments about services;
  
• Monitors and evaluates effectiveness of treatment plans, documents treatment in clinical records;
  
• Completes reports in accordance with agency and accrediting bodies;
  
• Consults and collaborates with other behavioral health providers to improve delivery of services to clients;
  
• Maintains counseling treatment and standards as required;
  
• Performs related duties as required.
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

--------------------------------

• Knowledge of
  

+ principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment;

+ family and interpersonal relationship dynamics;

+ values, sanctions, purposes and ethics of professional counseling work;

+ community resources;

• Considerable
  

+ interpersonal skills;

+ oral and written communication skills;

• Ability to devise and implement a treatment plan with measurable goals that address client needs.
  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

------------------------------------------------

Licensure as a professional counselor in the State of Connecticut.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

----------------------------

• Experience providing clinical services for clients with mental health and substance use disorders.
  

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

------------------------

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice professional counselor work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (a-f) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
  
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in certain designated positions.
  
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.
  
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
  

WORKING CONDITIONS

----------------------

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive clients.