Employment Specialist - Part Time

Mission Statement:  

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions is committed to providing peer recovery, person-centered, trauma-informed, and compassionate services to those with mental health lived experiences.    

Vision:  

Our vision is to drive a cultural transformation within the mental health community by advocating for the underserved, educating for change, and inspiring wellness. We approach our role with cultural humility and mindfulness of oppressive systems.   

Our Core Values:  

• We value a mentoring philosophy delivered by staff with peer-lived experiences.  
• We value the recovery journey of every individual with a mental health diagnosis.  
• We value the personal and professional experiences of our staff and board members.  
• We value community action to change societal views to break the stigma of mental health through advocacy within all systems.  
• We value everyone's desire to have opportunities to obtain their visions of wellness.  
• We value education and training to enhance an individual's opportunities for growth in one's journey to self-discovery.   

Reporting to the Director of Employment Services, the Part Time Employment Specialist is responsible for providing a full range of vocational/employment services to adult mental health clients to assist them in meeting their employment needs. 

Essential Functions:

Intake/Assessment

• Conduct individual intake interviews of program candidates as assigned.
• Present on clients interviewed at intake disposition meetings; provide alternative referrals for persons unable to use the program’s services. 

Vocational/Employment Services

• Support 8-10 cases providing the services below:
• Develop an Individual Work Plan (IWP) and a contract for services to be provided with each client served.

• Co-facilitate job search preparation workshops for clients seeking employment
• Work individually with clients in helping them prepare for and in assisting them in implementing their job search strategy.
• Provide ongoing support and assistance to clients in the process of obtaining employment (including via outside referral, job development, entitlements counseling and advocacy).

Post-Employment Services

• Develop an employment support plan with clients who obtain employment to assist them in successfully maintaining and progressing in that employment.  
• Provide follow-along services as contracted via job coaching, employment counseling, employment support groups, career counseling or advocacy with employers.
• Act as a Work Benefits Work Incentive Advisor (BWIA) to assist participant in learning how work affects benefits. 

Documentation/Administrative

• Create and maintain case records for all clients on caseload – updating referral material as required, collecting relevant reports and evaluations.
• Attend bi-weekly staff meetings, case review meetings, and weekly intake disposition meetings facilitating communication with all other members of the service team.
• Attend all scheduled staff development activities (in-service and outside staff education and training) as required for the job.

Other Duties

• Provide flexible and on-call services as needed.
• Teach and model the principles and practices of recovery and self-help.
• Ensure and protect all consumer civil liberties and rights.
• Maintain and protect the confidential nature of all matters related to this position.

• Perform other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• A minimum of 1 year of experience
• Specific experience in Employment Counseling or Vocational Rehabilitation with adults with mental illness.
• Familiarity and experience with self-help recovery model and its relevance to providing vocational rehabilitation services.
• Ability to independently make informed decisions that directly impact on employment outcomes for participants
• Highly Proficient computer skills including internet research as well as MS Office and MS Word, Excel, and Outlook computer skills.
• Experience as a Peer Advocate, or other related experience 

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions will require selected candidates to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 and having received a booster shot. If a candidate has a qualifying medical condition or religious exemption that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, an exemption form should be requested from Human Resources.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen. The employee frequently is required to use hands or finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit; reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.