Community Support Worker

Company: Heartland Family Service
Location: Council Bluffs
Posted on: January 11, 2021

Job Description:

At Heartland Family Service, we are committed to building a culture that is trauma informed and values and celebrates diversity and inclusion. We believe this allows for better service delivery and innovation, as it encourages our employees to bring various experiences and uniqueness to the workplace. Trauma Informed Care is an approach to engaging people with histories of trauma that recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role that trauma has played in their lives. Trauma Informed Care also acknowledges the effects of working with trauma survivors on our workforce and seeks to build collaborative and supportive working environments and relationships. If you believe in our mission of creating healthy families and communities, and like a fast pace, collaborative and team-oriented environment, then Heartland Family Service is the agency for you. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF WORK This position will work in the Council Bluffs, Iowa, Community Support program, based out of the Peer Center. The Community Support program provides case management and supportive services to adults with a severe and persistent mental illness in the Council Bluffs community. Community Support services address mental health symptoms and functional disabilities that can create barriers for community integration and stability. The primary function of the Community Support Worker is to create relationships with the population that provide a balance between support of the mental illness and allow for maximum individual independence. Intensive case management responsibilities begin at this level. Educational requirements are very specific. Decision making, problem solving, and highly developed interpersonal skills are critical. This position requires a high level of social work skills, practice and knowledge. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (flexible schedule possible) Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Builds rapport with clients in order to provide a supportive, recovery focused relationship.
• Assists the clients in identification of strengths, needs and goals. Develops an individualized case plan in cooperation with the client. Monitor and evaluate program participant progress.
• Monitoring of mental health symptoms, functioning, and reality orientation.
• Makes referrals to internal and external programs/services to meet identified client needs.
• Ensures effective communication and coordination with service providers and assists client in advocating with service providers as needed.
• Assists client with scheduling and attending appointments with service providers, medical providers, and mental health providers. Ensures clients obtain prescribed medications.
• Provides Crisis Intervention and planning and problem-solving assistance to clients to assist in accessing services.
• Responsible for verifying and documenting the eligibility of applicants and maintaining comprehensive, accurate service records for all clients.
• Travel is required for both traveling to community-based locations and providing some transportation, included use of personal vehicle.
• Ensure required information is collected, entered into prescribed formats, and reported in a timely manner - as outlined by funding and internal reporting guidelines.
• Demonstrates knowledge of current community and HFS programs and resources to meet client needs.
• Work is completed in homes, homeless shelters, office space, community spaces, and other non-traditional settings. Ensure safety and security measures for community-based services are followed.
• Is able to work both independently, with little supervision, and as a part of a team.
• Utilizes Trauma Informed Care, Person Centered and culturally competent principles in providing services to all clients.
• Able to establish regularity and dependability in scheduling all appointments and accuracy in reports and statistics.
• Displays a courteous and caring attitude at all times to the clientele, volunteers, and visitors of the Agency.
• Abides by all specific program and Agency procedures, policies, and requirements.
• Cooperates and collaborates with program area staff, volunteers, and other Agency staff.
• Is dependable and punctual regarding scheduling and attendance
• Able to evaluate program services and make recommendations.
• Develops personal and program related skills through participation in internal and external training opportunities including printed material and audio and/or visual media.
• Is able to develop positive working relationships with clients, referral sources, service agencies, landlords, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Creates, maintains, and shares as appropriate a dynamic self-care plan.
• Strives to make connections between the agency and the larger community whenever possible in order to contribute to the agency's ongoing fundraising and friend-raising efforts.
• Essential functions of this job is to be performed on company physical work site.
• Performs other program related duties as assigned. *DENOTES ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's Degree
  • 2 years' experience
  • Valid Driver's License and acceptable driving record. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
    • Experience working with severe and persistent mental illness
    • Experience working with area homeless service providers
    • Proficiency with MS Word & Excel COMPETENCIES Communication - Clearly conveying and receiving messages to meet the needs of all, expressing oneself effectively, understanding underlying issues and adapting communication for the situation. Teamwork - Working cooperatively and productively with others to achieve results by actively participating in the team and involving other team members. Problem Solving & Judgment - Ability to assess options and implications in order to identify a solution by breaking down problems, recognizing basic and multiple relationships and can develop complex plans and/or analyses. Adaptability - Personal willingness and ability to work in and adapt to change, valuing the need for adaptability, demonstrating adaptability through adapting approach and strategy. Client Focus - Understanding and meeting or exceeding client needs through responsive client service and contributing to positive outcomes for the client, meeting long term client needs. Innovation - Using original and creative thinking to make improvements and/or develop and initiate new approaches for own job/area as well as the organization and does things new to the organization. Relationship Building - Developing and maintaining win/win relationships and partnerships through establishing formal working relationships. Service Facilitation - Creates networks to ensure required services are delivered effectively, providing information as required. Organizational Awareness & Commitment - Understands the structure and culture of the organization and supports the organization's values, principles and goals; demonstrating an understanding of the organization beyond own workgroup and can anticipate and meet organizational needs. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY SPECIFICATIONS PHYSICAL DEMANDS (The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions). While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENT (Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions). While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not exposed to weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Keywords: Heartland Family Service, Council Bluffs , Community Support Worker, Other , Council Bluffs, Iowa