Employment Specialist

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD ("The HARRIS CENTER") is looking for a Employment Specialist to join our team. This person is responsible for providing intense competitive employment services to motivated individuals seeking to become employed. Prepare the individual's to become job ready by offering workshops and orientations geared towards education, awareness and self-empowerment. Utilize the 7 principles of the supported employment model. Engage the individual in job search, resume' writing, interviewing skills 101 and completing the job applications process 101. Link consumers to outside resources to assist them with soft skills trainings as well as addressing those barriers preventing them from having a successful employment outcome. May be necessary to travel to or transport consumers to homes or other community locations when providing services.

Your role in action:

• Engage consumers and establish a collaborative relationship toward the goal of competitive employment by using Supported Employment principles.
• Assist consumers in obtaining information about their benefits (SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment in order for consumers to make the decision about employment opportunities. Help consumers to access benefit counseling when making changes in work hours and pay.
• Assess consumers' vocational functioning on an ongoing basis, utilizing profiles and background information with work experiences as a guide. (Skills, interests, strengths of the consumer and ideas of support).
• Conducts employer contacts weekly to learn about businesses and employer needs and recruit new employers.
• Provide education and support to consumers (Collaboration for Action) to engage consumers who appear disengaged in the focus of their job search.
• Conduct job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interest and uniqueness of each consumers.
• Provide outreach services when necessary to consumers to meet the goal of competitive employment or possible educational accommodations to become competitively employed.
• Act as a liaison to the program managers and communicate regularly with the supervisors to ensure that services are integrated, and to problem-solve programmatic issues as it relates to employment and consumers.
• Track employment outcomes.
• Successfully complete the required supplemental employment trainings within 90 days of being hired; as well as other Agency required trainings as appropriate.
• Provides interventions in response to crisis
• Performs activities to assist consumers in gaining and coordinating access to necessary care and services based on individual needs.
• Monitors consumer progress with treatment goals.
• Recruit businesses for consumers and attend job fairs as needed.
• Supported Employment Provider (Assessment referrals, Job Coaching, Job placement and Job Development).
• Provide Job Leads to Employment Specialist and other clinical workers providing direct care services for consumers.
• Provide a Workplace Literacy Training to consumers who are ready to return to the workplace.
• Provide Job-readiness workshops to consumers.
• Participate in clinical staffing to provide ongoing updates and relay employment-related concerns to the treatment team(s).

What qualifications you will need:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Experience:

• Minimum of six (6) years of experience working in the field of mental health and diverse, disabilities/and or supported employment related work, preferred.

Other key qualifications:

• Must maintain a valid Texas Driver's License and be insurable under Agency policy.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the community and the business resources in Harris County and surrounding areas preferred.

• Must have basic computer skills.
• Must possess well-developed interpersonal, organizational, and problem solving skills.
• Must be a team player with a desire to provide a high level of customer service.
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills, and interact effectively with all levels of the
• organization.
• Basic understanding of mental illness, common signs and symptoms and able to identify difficulties with coping in community settings.

What we have to offer:

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching - a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.

Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.

Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.

What else you should know:

• This posting is associated with position #2677-99101.
• Work location: Based at 9401 Southwest Fwy. Houston, TX 77087
• Position requires extensive travel to consumer homes, flexible scheduling and on call status.
• May be necessary to travel to or transport consumers to homes or other field locations when providing services.
• May be exposed to unfavorable conditions.
• Interacts with individuals who may be emotional or physically hostile, agitated or uncooperative.

About us:

The HARRIS CENTER is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provided care to over 96,000 people in fiscal year 2023!

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The HARRIS CENTER provides a full continuum of services at 86 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language to better serve what is one of the most diverse and multi-cultural communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.