Recovery Support Specialist (40 Hour)

Recovery Support Specialist (40 Hour)

Join our team and use your expertise to provide guidance, support, and education that transforms lives. In the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, you will use your lived experience to provide intensive community support to adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders, assisting them in identifying their recovery goals and connecting them to vital resources.

Position highlights:

• Facility: Capitol Region Mental Health Center (CRMHC)
• Unit: Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team
• Location: Hartford, CT
• Schedule: Full-time (40 hours weekly), Monday - Friday, First Shift, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Why the State of Connecticut:

• Explore our comprehensive State Employee Benefits Overview
• Enjoy endless opportunities for professional growth and development
• Embrace a healthy work/life balance tailored to all employees

In this role you will:

• Function as a member of the mobile, multidisciplinary ACT team to provide intensive community supports to individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders
• Utilize your own lived experience and evidence-based Illness Management techniques to provide coaching and guidance, assisting individuals in identifying recovery goals and developing support networks
• Provide education around client rights, tools for recovery, and the management of mental health, substance use, and medical issues
• Assist individuals with medical, dental, or vision needs and appointments, providing transportation as needed
• Maintain accurate and timely electronic documentation in medical records

About us:

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

CRMHC is a community based mental health center serving Hartford, West Hartford, Farmington, Avon, Canton and Simsbury providing individuals with behavioral health services. CRMHC collaborates with the greater Hartford DMHAS-Funded mental health programs comprising 15 non-profit agencies located in Hartford and West Hartford. These agencies work together to provide a comprehensive array of behavioral health services to adults with serious psychiatric disabilities as well as co-occurring psychiatric illness and substance use.

The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program is a mobile, multi-disciplinary team which provides a higher level of intensity of care to adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders and/or co-occurring medical disorders, who are in need of intensive community supports. The ACT program follows and complies with the ACT fidelity requirements to ensure positive outcomes for the individuals served and gives priority to the following: (1) individuals leaving state psychiatric inpatient programs, nursing homes and prisons; (2) individuals at risk to be admitted to state facilities or (3) individuals presenting a potential risk to the community.

The ACT Program serves approximately 55 individuals utilizing a person centered, integrated, rehabilitative and recovery based team approach. Services include: assertive community outreach, integrated mental health and substance use services, peer support services, vocational assistance, family education, and wellness skills training.

Please note:

• A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.
• All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

Selection Plan

For assistance in applying, check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

Before you apply:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

After you apply:

• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
• Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

Questions? We're here to help:

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Alyssa Hovanec at Alyssa.Hovanec@ct.gov.

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work): In the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services this class is accountable for using shared life experiences and recovery management techniques to engage, motivate, educate and mentor clients in achieving individualized goals for successful community living.

Examples of Duties:

• Guides clients through the process of defining personal goals for their recovery plan using existing evidence-based workbooks or person-centered planning tools;
• Supports and guides clients in following tasks outlined in their recovery plan (i.e., pursuing goals related to employment, education, community involvement and the use of natural supports);
• Guides clients in identifying and exercising their rights;
• Participates in rehabilitative and recovery-oriented interventions to meet client needs and goals;
• Provides information and support to clients and encourages their development of community networks and activities relating to community integration;
• Provides instruction and skill training in recovery management to clients and families;
• Acts as a peer health navigator to engage clients who have, or are at risk for, co-morbid medical conditions in wellness activities;
• Supports clients to secure information about resources relevant to their wellness;
• Supports clients in obtaining services that meet their recovery needs;
• Supports clients in dealing with internal and external stress;
• Attends medical/clinical