Summary:

We currently have a full-time Clinical Counselor opening at our Casa Pacific site, located in Watsonville. Special focus will be on the client’s needs related to the housing, physical health, issues of chemical dependency and mental health, stabilization of income, and reentry back into the community. Services will be delivered with dignity and respect for each individual resident.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provides supportive individual and group counseling in accordance with licensing requirements, agency policies and evidence-based practices. Counseling services are based on best practices for mental health or substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Provides crisis counseling, group counseling, relapse prevention planning, case management, and discharge planning services as indicated.
• Responsible for providing residential treatment curriculum in conjunction with other counseling staff, program and clinical mangers. Provides support to Residential Counselors as needed in maintaining client participation in curriculum.
• Responsible for utilizing EBP’s: DBT, Seeking Safety, Motivational Interviewing, IDDT etc. from a Trauma Informed approach for clients with co-occurring disorders.
• Participates in the appropriate documentation of group, case management and/or individual client services as required by program licensure.
• Regularly engages in the “Team” approach for Clinicians, Counselors, and other treatment staff (e.g., LVN, NP), which includes a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment, communication, and coordination of client care.
• Reports to work on-time, arranges for appropriate coverage of clinical caseload during planned and unplanned absences. Assures schedule is clearly communicated with Program Operations, Clinical Manager, and Lead Clinician. Understands that excessive absences and an inconsistent presence at the assigned program site has an undue impact on successful program operations and client care.

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree or some college in psychology or a related field
• At least one year experience in mental health residential programs
• Possess written and verbal skills to interact and communicate effectively with employees, supervisors, physicians, healthcare professionals, clients and their families.
• Experience with collaborative and trauma informed communication styles when serving clients in a healthcare or treatment setting.
• Proficient computer skills and history of timely completion of work related tasks.
• Good oral and written communication skills with colleagues and clients.
• Effective organizational and time management skills.
• Effective prioritization of daily work tasks.
• Effective experience problem solving and using critical thinking.
• Must have a health examination including a screening for tuberculosis within 90 days prior to employment or within seven days after employment and at least annually thereafter.
• Ability to recognize the needs and concerns of diverse groups of people.
• Must be able to pass a criminal record clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology or related field
• One (1) year experience of providing clinical support in a residential setting.
• Familiarity with Avatar Software

Wages & Benefits:

We prioritize the well-being of our team as much as the community we serve. Our comprehensive health benefits reflect this commitment. We offer full-time employees medical and dental insurance plan that ensures peace of mind for themselves and their families. We go beyond traditional care by also offering our employees acupuncture and chiropractic, embracing a holistic approach to health that aligns with our values of care and compassion.

Our team’s future matters just as much as the present. That’s why we offer a 403(b) retirement plan, providing a foundation for a secure retirement. We also recognize the need for work-life balance, so Encompass offers a competitive package of 17 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 14 additional paid holidays. These benefits are thoughtfully pro-rated for part-time positions, affirming our commitment to fairness and flexibility.

About Us:

At Encompass Community Services we provide our community with a wide range of services related to family & social well-being, early childhood education, behavioral health, housing and more. Every day through these services we work to make health, education and housing more equitable for all people in Santa Cruz County. For more than 40 years our work has touched generations by helping people have access to education, rebuild relationships, restore their health and regain dignity.