MENTAL HEALTH CASE MANAGER
Under supervision of the Case Management Supervisor, this position is responsible for
providing case management services to support at-risk youth under the Comprehensive
Services Act (CSA) in addition to adults and children with serious mental health illnesses.
These services utilize a team approach and are coordinated within the agency, community
partners, and the family to meet the needs of the consumers in supporting independent
living. Case management includes connecting the consumer with services, acting as an
advocate, and providing supportive counseling to aid with coping with mental health illness.
This position will also provide education on mental health disorders, diagnosis, and monitor
progress of treatment. In addition, the incumbent will provide case coordination to children
and adolescents who are serviced through the Family Assessment Planning and Treatment
team (FAPT). Services provided by this staff position may also include services to
adolescents, young adults and adults who are diagnosed with co-occurring conditions
(substance use/dependence as well as mental illness). The Case Manager is responsible
for preparing documentation with accuracy and completeness. The typical case load will be
35-50 cases.
JOB EXPECTATIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Mental Health Case Management
• Complete psychosocial needs assessments to determine service requirements of the
target population.
• Conduct initial assessments and develop Individual Service Plans (ISP).
• Make referrals and coordinate services within the agency, community partners, and
medical providers.
• Maintain monthly contact with each consumer unless otherwise specified in the
consumer’s ISP.
CSA Case Management
• Will be the central point-of-contact for CSA assigned cases.
• Monitor progress towards treatment goals as specified in the Individual Family
Service Plan (IFSP).
• Maintain contact with FAPT families as delineated by agency guidelines and the
• Goochland County CSA Utilization Management System by preferred quarterly faceto-face contact with home visits as needed.
• Monitor all services to families.
• Ensure notification of other professionals/significant people of the FAPT staffing.
• Ensure all progress reports are available and notify fiscal agent if progress reports
and outcome data is not received by vendors. (Progress reports include: academic
records and behavioral reports from school staff; service provider/facility updates;
family report if parents are unable to attend; court related reports; reports from
guardian-ad-litem;
• Provides updates and recommendations to FAPT).
• Complete and monitor purchase of services orders and vendor invoices.
• Completes pre-staffing meetings with families to discuss the purpose of CSA and
FAPT meetings.
• Follow-up with families before and after each FAPT meeting.
• Research and secure cost-effective services for families.
Overall Case Management
• Maintain collateral contacts with families of consumers or other community
caregivers, providing educational and supportive services as needed;
• Assist in medication management, education scheduling appointments, and
monitoring medication compliance.
• Attend scheduled administrative, clinical, and meeting involving the consumer’s
services treatment plan and progress as required.
• Complete documentation and enter into the GPCS Electronic Health Record
ensuring compliance with all applicable regulatory standards.
• Provide crisis intervention counselling and referral to emergency services when
appropriate.
• Attend in-service training sessions, conferences, workshops, seminars related to the
provision of developmental services for professional and program development.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, organizations
and agencies responsible for providing services to target population.
• To perform other assigned duties as necessary within established policy and
procedures.
REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION
Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services field of study (example include Social Work,
Counseling or Psychology). An individual with experience necessary for credentialing as
a Qualified Mental Health Case Manager.
EXPERIENCE
One to two years related experience in case management and working with at-risk youth
as identified by the Comprehensive Service Act and the severe mental health illness
population preferred.
LICENSE(S)
Qualified Mental Health Case Manager
Position will be required to possess a valid Virginia driver's license
PRE-EMPLOYMENT
Must submit to pre-hire criminal background check
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
• Knowledge of case management services and needs of adults with severe mental health
illnesses, substance use disorders, and CSA identified at-risk youth.
• Knowledge of consumers with severe mental health illnesses, substance use disorders,
at-risk youth and the impact on individuals, families, and the community and related
behavioral situations.
• Knowledge of the nature of serious mental illness and substance use disorders,
including clinical and developmental issues.
• Knowledge of human personality growth and development.
• Knowledge of psychosocial and substance use disorder rehabilitation.
• Knowledge of treatment modalities and intervention techniques, such as behavior
management, independent living skills training, supportive counseling, family education,
crisis intervention, and service coordination.
• Knowledge of different types of assessments, including functional assessments, and
their uses in service planning.
• Knowledge of case management and consumer assessment principles.
• Knowledge of development of ISP or IFSP, the service planning process, and major
components of a service plan.
• Knowledge of community services, programs and resources, to include availability of
primary health care, support systems, eligibility criteria and intake processes and generic
community resources.
• Knowledge of interagency coordination.
• Knowledge of the use of medications in the care and treatment of mentally ill persons
and persons with substance use disorders.
• Knowledge of emergency services and crisis intervention techniques.
• Knowledge of case management documentation of services standards.
• Knowledge of Goochland Powhatan Community Services policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of all applicable federal and state laws, state regulations and local
ordinances.
• Ability to provide effective case management services for the SMI consumer, as well as,
comprehensive record-keeping of activities and documentation.
• Ability to make DSM-IV diagnosis, assessment, and ongoing evaluation of SMI
consumer.
• Ability to use information from assessments, evaluations, observations, and interviews to
develop individualized service and treatment plans for SMI, substance use disorder and
at-risk youth consumers.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with all agency employees
and other community partners.
• Ability to identify and document persons’ needs for resources, services, and other
supports and how these can be utilized to promote achievement of an individual’s goals.
• Ability to coordinate the provision of services to the SMI consumer by GPCS programs
and other diverse public and private providers.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate resourcefulness in problem solving
and conflict resolution.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and make emergency judgments.
4 | P a g e
• Ability to handle emergency situations without direct supervision.
• Ability to effectively work and communicate with all types/levels of persons, maintaining
a good rapport with consumers and family.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing,
• Ability to complete required training including Crisis Intervention/Emergency Behavior
Support, and in-service First Aid and CPR training.
• Ability to manage and maintain an active caseload requiring flexibility and organization
and prioritization of tasks utilizing appropriate time management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure; meet inflexible deadlines; set priorities; and deal
diplomatically with difficult individuals.
• Ability to tolerate verbal and possible physical abuse while maintaining a professional
demeanor.
• Ability to have patience with consumers and consumer’s family members or guardians.
• Ability to communicate with consumers and consumer’s family members or guardians.
• Ability to access internet and use appropriate technology and applications including
Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of consumer’s information.
• Ability to safely operate a vehicle.
• Possess great attention to details, ensuring accuracy and completeness of all records
and documentation.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the
essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known
limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer
undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Work environment will typically be working in an office, a clinical setting, or in the
community. Work environment will involve traveling within the community and will include
exposure to road hazards usually experience in driving in rural, county surroundings,
interstate highway driving, including exposure to weather and temperature extremes that
may affect driving conditions. May involve exposure to aggressive verbal and physical
behavior, and exposure to infectious diseases from others.
Sitting: 80%; Standing/Walking 18%; Driving: 2%
Average Weight Required to lift or carry at any one time: 50 pounds for brief periods of time.