| CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH
CARE-CAREER: www.carecareer.org
contact@carecareer.org
Call 800.883.2500 for an orientation appointment at a CAREERLINK
center near you www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us
SAMPLE JOBS:
Residential Counselor
There are a variety of positions in Residential Programs. These
are programs where people with mental illness live. They may be
single apartments, or several apartments together, or larger “family
living” style arrangements. People may live alone in
an apartment or may share the apartment with one or two other people
The Resident Counselor meets with people in their living situation
and helps them learn and use practical skills such as meal planning,
shopping, cooking, house keeping, budgeting and developing friendships.
Sometimes the Residential Counselor works "on-site" meaning
in an office in a home or apartment complex. Sometimes they are
"mobile", meaning that they travel around visiting clients
in the client/s homes. The duties often involve planning and participating
in leisure time activities with clients in evenings and weekends.
Many residential programs are staffed 24/7, meaning that staff
are needed for different shifts during each day and weekends. This
affords the opportunity for flexible schedules. Good people skills,
good "homemaker" skills are important. A High School diploma
is needed as a minimum, many MH residential programs require some
college or Bachelor's degree.
Case Manager
Case Managers work with people with Mental Illness, adults or children.
The Case Manager helps the individual connect with a variety of
needed services, including benefits (Social Security, Welfare);
may help them find housing; employment; health services; and treatment.
The Case Manager provides counseling and advice regarding different
life skills and problem solving. You may work in an office or visit
clients in
their homes. These positions almost always require a college degree.
Rehabilitation Specialist
Rehabilitation Specialists work with adults who have mental illness.
They assist them to accomplish personal goals related to education,
employment, housing, and social life. Rehabilitation Specialists
do not provide treatment but help clients accomplish many of the
"quality of life" things that are important to all people,
but are often more difficult to attain by persons with mental illness.
Rehabilitation Specialists may work in special day programs, called
Clubhouses where they work side by side with their clients. They
usually work with other staff as a "team". Some Rehabilitation
Specialists are mobile and work with clients in the client's home
or other community settings. Good "people skills", problem
solving skills, an interest in working with people in groups and
being able to train or teach people are important. These positions
sometimes require a college degree.
Employment Specialist or Job Coach
People working in these positions help adults with mental illness
find jobs, learn how to do the job and how to maintain employment.
An Employment Specialist is a special type of Rehabilitation Specialist,
who focuses on helping people get jobs. This position often requires
a college degree.
Job Coaches need a high school education or equivalent and good
work habits. When a client gets a job, the Job Coach works with
him/her on their job. The coach helps the client learn the job and
counsels the client to help the client hold the job. Because clients
get many different types of jobs and in different settings, these
positions offer a variety of experiences in different locations
and with a variety of work schedules. The job almost always involves
transporting clients, so a driver's license and safe driving record
is important.
Clinical Services/Therapist
These positions, usually in mental health centers, require college
degrees or higher. They involve working with individuals in acute
phases of their illness. Therefore, these jobs require special training
and skills. You are usually working in a hospital, office or special
day programs called Partial Hospital. Hours are day and evening.
Some specialized clinical workers are called Therapeutic Support
Staff (TSS). They work with children, usually in the child's home.
|
