Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Client/Patient)(Part-time | Office/On-site)

Introduction

Are you a compassionate professional with a passion for helping others achieve their vocational and personal goals?

Join our team and use your expertise to guide individuals toward a path of independence and fulfillment. Apply today!

Join the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Client/Patient). As a vital member of the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS) and its Young Adult Services team, you'll work with young adults with complex needs, including psychiatric, developmental, and substance use disorders. This is a meaningful, part-time opportunity to use your skills to assess clients, facilitate training, and establish community connections to help them achieve social, emotional, and vocational stability.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:

• DIVISION: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
• UNIT: Young Adult Services (YAS)
• LOCATION: 1351 Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT
• SCHEDULE: Part-time (32 hours per week), Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (first shift)
• POSITION NUMBER: 151719

WHY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT:

• Explore our comprehensive State Employee Benefits Overview to see what we offer
• Enjoy endless opportunities forprofessional growth and development
• Embrace a healthywork/life balance tailored to all employees

DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO:

• Evaluate and guide clients: Assess young adults for vocational services, administer and interpret psychological tests, and develop personalized plans to help them achieve social and vocational stability.
• Provide recovery-oriented support: Work with interdisciplinary teams to provide age and developmentally appropriate vocational and educational services.
• Facilitate training and job placement: Establish and leverage community contacts to facilitate vocational training and job placements, then follow up to ensure success.
• Manage caseloads and records: Maintain detailed case records and prepare state and federal reports on the rehabilitation services you provide.
• Utilize your knowledge and skills: Apply your knowledge of rehabilitation counseling principles, community resources, and the labor market to help clients succeed.

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.

SWCMHS is responsible for the oversight and management of contracts with private not-for-profit agencies and residential providers. With locations in Bridgeport and Stamford, SWCMHS provides a wide range of services, including inpatient, outpatient, and assertive community treatment (ACT) for adults with severe behavioral health disabilities.

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 Alyssa Hovanec at Alyssa.Hovanec@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 facility or institution this class is accountable for providing vocational rehabilitation counseling services to a caseload of clients and/or patients.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Provides recovery oriented, age and developmentally appropriate vocational and educational services to young adults with multiple psychiatric disorders including developmental, psychosocial, substance use and trauma histories.
• Attends planning meetings with school personnel
• Gathers, analyze, and evaluate significant case information pertinent to rehabilitation of an individual
• Writes complete and concise case reports.
• Evaluates patients for vocational rehabilitation services
• Establishes community contacts
• Facilitates vocational training and retraining
• Works with treatment teams to assist individual patients in achieving social, emotional, and vocational stability
• Maintains case records and other pertinent material
• Administers and interprets psychological tests pertaining to vocational abilities
• Follows up on placements made
• Carries an on-going case load
• Evaluates and acts in crisis situations
• Performs risk assessments
• Participates in meetings
• Maintains accurate, up to date medical records
• Provides continued client support and advocacy for individual clients and families
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • principles and practices of rehabilitation counseling, interviewing, psychological and occupational testing;
  • symptoms of alcoholism and rehabilitative remedies or treatments;
  • community resources;
  • occupations and labor market in assigned area;
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to gather, analyze, and evaluate significant case information pertinent to rehabilitation of an individual;
• Ability to write complete and concise case reports;
• Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years of technical or professional experience in rehabilitation counseling or related counseling fields which involve dealing with emotional problems of individuals or vocational adjustment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, vocational or educational guidance or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with the principles and techniques of vocational rehabilitation counseling and interviewing
• Experience finding and utilizing community resources
• Experience with disability, resulting functional limitation, and medical terminology
• Experience gathering, analyzing and evaluating significant information pertinent to the rehabilitation of an individual
• Experience in an outpatient care setting
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel
• Experience using an Electronic Medical Records system and writing reports
• Ability to transport clients

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.