Job Description

Compensation: $24.04/hourly

The Nursing Home Support Specialist is responsible for assisting clients of a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) or Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) who have serious medical/nursing needs, along with a severe, disabling mental illness, who would otherwise be at risk of frequent hospitalizations due to their psychiatric illness. Services include housing acquisition, intensive case management, psychiatric rehabilitation, supportive counseling, crisis intervention, resource acquisition, service coordination and development of a natural support system. This position may require transporting client in personal automobile.  

Responsibilities include:

•    Assesses and monitors a client’s adjustment to community living
•    Monitors client participation and progress in organized treatment programs to assure the planned provision of services according to the client’s individual treatment plan
•    Develops and revises the individualized treatment plan including completion of functional assessments
•    Provides individual assistance to clients in coordinating and accessing needed mental health services 
•    Coordinates monthly psychiatry appointments within SNF or ICF and more often, if necessary
•    Completes monthly reporting to Forensic team as applicable
•    Assesses clients’ level of risks, strengths, and weaknesses and interviews clients, reviews records, and confers with other professionals to evaluate clients’ adjustment to placement and any needed       changes
•    Encourages medication adherence and provides education regarding medications and monitoring of side effects 
•    Provides individual assistance to clients in accessing needed services and care
•    Assists the client to access and utilize available resources to provide ongoing social, educational, vocational and recreational supports and activities
•    Intercedes on behalf of individual clients to assist the client in achieving and maintaining their community adjustment
•    Maintains contact with clients who are hospitalized and participates in and facilitates discharge planning
•    Trains, coaches and supports in daily living skills, including housekeeping, personal grooming, maintaining living space and use of effective coping skills.
•    Assists with the training/consultation of SNF or ICF staff, particularly in the area of behavior management
•    Assists in creating personal support systems that include work with family members, legal guardians or significant others regarding the needs and abilities of a client
•    Encourages and promotes recovery efforts, client independence/self-care and responsibility
•    Provides support to families when needed, in areas such as treatment planning, dissemination of information, linking to services and parent guidance
•    Provides holistic, person-centered care
•    Develops and supports wellness and recovery goals in collaboration with the individual served
•    Provides services to clients which are determined to be appropriate based on client’s level of functioning and level of care
•    Performs job duties with an efficient use of time based on client’s needs
•    Coordinates with internal and external treatment team members regarding program admissions and programming needs   
•    Notifies supervisor of any changes in client’s conditions