Mental Health Specialist Ii

The Position

Closing Date: August 22, 2023

The Behavioral Health Division is offering an excellent employment opportunity with several Mental Health Specialist II in the following areas:

• Behavioral Health Court in Martinez, CA
• Behavioral Health Housing Services Unit in Richmond, CA

Behavioral Health Court
The Mental Health Specialist II assigned to the Behavioral Health Court will be responsible for, but not limited to working with clients who have chronic mental illnesses with co-occurring disorders, monitoring, supporting, and assisting clients in developing and maintaining essential skills, counsels and consults with clients, identifying clients in need of service and providing outreach services, and conducting client evaluations.

Behavioral Health Housing Services Unit
The Mental Health Specialist II assigned to the Behavioral Health Housing Services Unit will work with consumers living independently, in shared housing units, and Board and Care Homes throughout Contra Costa County. The staff will provide advocacy and support to consumers, develop, and implement care plans, support consumers to maintain housing, and provide crisis intervention. Travel throughout Contra Costa County will be required.

We are looking for someone who:

• Is a team player. You will be responsible for working within a team to effectively strategize and implement best practices.
• Can hold the voice of the client through advocacy and coaching mentees to speak for themselves.
• Has the ability to build positive relationships/good rapport with clients and their families.
• Has effective time management and organizational skills to manage their workload.
• Has excellent oral and written communication skills
• Is a problem solver. You will be expected to have excellent interpersonal skills with a strong ability to handle competing priorities

What you will typically be responsible for:
Behavioral Health Court

• Working effectively with a multi-cultural client population with diverse backgrounds and needs
• Conducting client mental health evaluations including treatment recommendations
• Performing mental health interventions in groups, individual, and family situations

Behavioral Health Housing Unit

• Facilitate and attend case conference meetings, wraparound meetings and/or provider meetings
• Work with other county programs and community-based organizations to advocate for consumer
• Monitors, supports, and assists consumers in developing and improving skills to maintain their housing

A few reasons why you might love this job:

• You will be a part of providing solution-based creativity and strategic problem-solving to best meet client needs.
• You will be a part of a collaborative process with a team-based approach to the work.
• You will have the opportunity to effect positive change amongst one of the most vulnerable populations.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will support individuals who have experienced a mental heath crisis or trauma and may express agitation in aggressive ways .
• Resources are limited and the need in the Behavioral Health community is great.
• You will manage pressing client needs with administrative requirements.

Competencies Required:

• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Group Facilitation: Enabling constructive and productive group interaction
• Involving Others (Engaging Teams): Engaging others for input, contribution, and shared responsibility for outcomes
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Valuing Diversity: Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace
• Delivering Results: Meeting organizational goals and customer expectations and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
• Driving Results: Demonstrating concern for achieving or surpassing results against an internal standard of excellence
• Handling & Resolving Conflict: Managing interpersonally strained situations

Read the complete job description by clicking this link.
The eligible list established from this recruitment may remain in effect for six months.

Minimum Qualifications

License Required: Candidates must possess and maintain throughout the duration of employment a Valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License. Out of state valid motor vehicle operator's license will be accepted during the application process.

Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in psychology, social welfare, counseling or a closely related field.

Experience: Four (4) years of Full-Time, or its equivalent, experience providing counseling and/or supportive services to mental health clients.

Substitution: Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of two (2) years. Possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in psychology, sociology, social work, counseling or a closely related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Selection Process

• Application Filing and Evaluation: All applicants must apply on-line at www.cccounty.us/hr and submit the information as indicated on the job announcement by the final filing date. Applicants will be required to complete a supplemental questionnaire at the time of application. Applications will be evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the next phase of the recruitment process.
• Behavioral Consistency Questionnaire: At the time of filing candidates are required to respond to a series of writing prompts. Candidates will be expected to write responses to each of the questions in the supplemental questionnaire. The Behavioral Questionnaire will measure candidates' competencies as they relate to the job. In the assessment, candidates must achieve an average passing score of 70% or higher on each of the competencies which may include, but are not limited to: Writing, Delivering Results, Handling Stress, Oral Communication, Valuing Diversity, and Professional Integrity & Ethics. (Weight 100%).