In-Home Staff

Winchester Community Mental Health Center - Winchester, VA

Full-time

Winchester, VA

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The In-Home Counselor position involves providing individual and group counseling services tailored to meet the developmental, preventive, and remedial needs of clients. This role requires a strong commitment to ethical standards in the counseling profession and adherence to the laws, policies, and procedures established by Winchester Community Mental Health Center, Inc. The counselor will work closely with clients, their families, and various stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and community personnel, to ensure that the needs of the client are met effectively. In this role, the counselor will encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss their life situations, helping them develop insights into themselves and their relationships. The counselor will guide clients in developing skills and strategies to address their problems, while also preparing and maintaining all required treatment records and reports. The position requires the counselor to act as an advocate for clients, coordinating necessary services and resolving emergency problems during crisis situations. Additionally, the In-Home Counselor will be responsible for collecting information about clients through interviews and observations, referring clients or family members to community resources or specialists as needed. Continuous professional development is essential, and the counselor is expected to stay informed about new developments in the field by engaging with professional literature, attending courses and seminars, and networking with other social service agencies. Evaluating the effectiveness of counseling programs and clients' progress is also a critical aspect of this role, along with planning, organizing, and leading structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation, and social activities for clients. The counselor must be adaptable, modifying treatment activities and approaches as necessary to align with changes in clients' statuses.

Responsibilities

• Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, and help them to develop insight into themselves and their relationships.
• Guide clients in the development of skills and strategies for dealing with their problems.
• Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.
• Counsel clients to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes.
• Collect information about clients through interviews and observation.
• Act as client advocates in order to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
• Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.
• Learn about new developments in their field by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, and establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.
• Plan, organize and lead structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation and social activities for clients.
• Modify treatment activities and approaches as needed in order to comply with changes in clients' status.

Requirements

• Must have a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or a human services field from an accredited college or university.
• A minimum of one year experience providing mental health treatment to troubled children and families.
• Ability to listen effectively.
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development.
• Knowledge of factors which may contribute to family dysfunction.
• Knowledge of principles and techniques of youth and family counseling.
• Knowledge of principles and techniques of basic interviewing and assessment skills.
• Knowledge of behavioral management techniques.
• General knowledge of community resources and services.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention strategies.
• Good problem solving skills.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other social services providers, service purchasers, and clients.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.