RESIDENT COUNSELOR (Bronx)

Job Description: Residence Counselor

• Reports To: Supervisor
• In the Absence of the Supervisor: Program Director
• Program: H.O.G.A.R. Ariel – Congregate Treatment Community Residence

Position Summary

The Residence Counselor provides direct rehabilitative, supportive, and residential services to adults residing in H.O.G.A.R., Inc.’s Ariel Congregate Treatment Community Residence.

Ariel is a 24-hour residential program that provides housing, supervision, three meals per day, and rehabilitative services to individuals with mental health needs. The program is designed to assist residents in developing and strengthening the skills necessary to live as independently as possible within the community.

Residence Counselors work directly with residents to identify their individual needs, strengths, preferences, and goals and assist them in developing the skills and community supports necessary to achieve greater independence. Services are recovery-oriented, person-centered, and focused on community integration, daily living skills, symptom management, socialization, self-advocacy, and preparation for transition to a more independent or supportive housing setting when appropriate.

Residence Counselors maintain an assigned caseload and work as members of the interdisciplinary program team. Residence Counselors are expected to maintain working knowledge of mental health and co-occurring substance-use needs, person-centered and recovery-oriented practices, resident rights, OMH requirements, agency policies and procedures, emergency procedures, infection control, and other requirements applicable to the program.

The position is Monday - Friday, 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Resident Engagement and Support

Establish and maintain professional, respectful, and supportive relationships with residents and encourage their active participation in the residential program and their individual recovery goals.

2. Admissions and Intake

Participate in the intake and admission process for new residents as assigned and within the scope of the Residence Counselor's training, qualifications, and responsibilities.

3. Assessment of Resident Needs

Participate in initial and ongoing assessment of residents' strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, functioning, and areas requiring support.

4. Individualized Service Planning

Participate with residents and other appropriate program staff in the development of individualized service plans that reflect each resident's identified strengths, needs, preferences, goals, and desired outcomes.

5. Service Plan Review

Participate in required service-plan reviews and assist in evaluating resident progress toward identified goals and objectives. Recommend revisions or additional interventions when necessary.

6. Person-Centered Services

Ensure that services provided are consistent with the resident's individualized service plan and are delivered in a person-centered, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented manner.

7. Progress Documentation

Complete timely and accurate documentation of services provided, resident contacts, significant events, progress toward service-plan goals, and other required information in accordance with OMH, Medicaid, agency, and program requirements.

8. Case Record Maintenance

Ensure assigned resident records and documentation are current, complete, accurate, and maintained in accordance with agency policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

9. Rehabilitative Services

Provide and document rehabilitative and restorative services designed to assist residents in developing or maintaining skills necessary for successful community living.

10. Activities of Daily Living

Assist residents in developing and strengthening independent-living skills, including personal hygiene, housekeeping, laundry, organization, meal-related skills, budgeting, time management, and maintenance of their living environment.

11. Community Integration

Assist residents in identifying and utilizing community resources and opportunities that promote independence, inclusion, socialization, recreation, education, vocational development, and community participation.

12. Transportation and Appointments

Assist residents in learning to use public transportation and community resources independently. Accompany or escort residents to medical, psychiatric, benefits, housing, treatment, or other appointments when required.

13. Linkage and Coordination of Services

Make appropriate referrals and assist residents in connecting with mental health, medical, substance-use, benefits, vocational, educational, social-service, and other community-based providers.

14. Collaboration with Providers

Maintain appropriate communication and coordination with treatment providers, case managers, hospitals, clinics, ACT teams, health-care providers, and other community supports to promote continuity of care.

15. Medication Support

Support residents in developing medication-management skills in accordance with the resident's service plan, program procedures, staff scope of responsibility, and applicable OMH requirements.

16. Symptom Management and Recovery

Assist residents in identifying and developing strategies to manage mental health symptoms, stressors, triggers, and other barriers that may interfere with successful community living.

17. Crisis Intervention

Respond appropriately to resident crises, psychiatric emergencies, medical emergencies, behavioral concerns, and other situations requiring immediate staff intervention. Follow all emergency, supervisory, incident-reporting, and notification procedures.

18. Resident Safety and Supervision

Provide appropriate supervision and support to maintain a safe residential environment and immediately report safety concerns, unusual incidents, suspected abuse or neglect, missing residents, medical concerns, or other reportable events in accordance with agency and regulatory requirements.

19. Resident Rights and Advocacy

Protect and promote resident rights, dignity, privacy, choice, and self-determination and act as an advocate for residents when appropriate.

20. Discharge and Transition Planning

Participate in ongoing transition and discharge planning beginning during the resident's stay in the program. Assist residents in developing the skills, resources, community supports, and documentation necessary to transition to a more independent or appropriate housing setting.

21. Housing Readiness

Assist residents in developing housing-readiness skills and participate in efforts to identify appropriate future housing options, which may include supportive housing, supported housing, independent apartments, family settings, or other community-based living arrangements based on individual needs and eligibility.

22. Socialization and Recreation

Assist residents in identifying and participating in social, recreational, educational, and culturally appropriate activities both within the residence and in the community.

23. Meal Preparation and Meal Service

Assist with the planning, preparation, heating, portioning, and serving of resident meals as assigned. Residence Counselors may be responsible for preparing and serving meals as necessary to ensure that residents receive scheduled meals and that continuity of meal service is maintained.

24. Food Shopping and Supplies

Assist with food shopping, grocery ordering, kitchen supplies, and food inventory as assigned to ensure that sufficient food and supplies are available for resident meals.

25. Food Safety and Sanitation

Follow all agency food-safety, sanitation, food-storage, temperature-control, and kitchen-cleanliness procedures when handling, preparing, storing, or serving food.

26. Resident Participation in Meal-Related Skills

When consistent with a resident's individualized service plan, utilize appropriate meal planning, food shopping, budgeting, cooking, and kitchen activities as opportunities to teach and reinforce independent-living skills.

27. Special Dietary Needs

Follow documented dietary instructions, restrictions, allergies, or other meal-related requirements communicated by appropriate program or health-care personnel.

28. Program Environment

Assist in maintaining a clean, safe, organized, and home-like residential environment. Report maintenance, safety, sanitation, or environmental concerns promptly.

29. Shift Responsibilities

Complete all assigned shift duties, including required logs, resident checks, documentation, medication-related responsibilities within scope, meal-related duties, environmental checks, and communication with incoming and outgoing staff.

30. Shift Communication

Participate in shift change and communicate relevant resident, program, safety, and operational information to other staff while maintaining resident confidentiality.

31. Case Conferences and Team Meetings

Attend and actively participate in case conferences, staff meetings, service-plan meetings, clinical discussions, incident reviews, and other program meetings as required.

32. Family and Collateral Involvement

Involve family members, significant others, and other collateral supports in service planning and resident support when appropriate, authorized by the resident, and consistent with program requirements.

33. Co-Occurring Substance-Use Needs

Provide appropriate support, education, referrals, and linkage for residents with co-occurring substance-use needs consistent with the resident's service plan and the Residence Counselor's role.

34. Health and Wellness

Encourage residents to participate in preventive health care, medical and behavioral health treatment, wellness activities, healthy nutrition, physical activity, and other health-promoting activities.

35. Incident Reporting

Immediately report and properly document incidents, accidents, injuries, allegations, medication concerns, resident complaints, safety issues, and other reportable events a