RESIDENT COUNSELOR

RESPONSIBILITIES

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

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.
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.
Assessment of Resident Needs
Participate in initial and ongoing assessment of residents' strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, functioning, and areas requiring support.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Case Record Maintenance
Ensure assigned resident records and documentation are current, complete, accurate, and maintained in accordance with agency policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
Rehabilitative Services
Provide and document rehabilitative and restorative services designed to assist residents in developing or maintaining skills necessary for successful community living.
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.
Community Integration
Assist residents in identifying and utilizing community resources and opportunities that promote independence, inclusion, socialization, recreation, education, vocational development, and community participation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Resident Rights and Advocacy
Protect and promote resident rights, dignity, privacy, choice, and self-determination and act as an advocate for residents when appropriate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Special Dietary Needs
Follow documented dietary instructions, restrictions, allergies, or other meal-related requirements communicated by appropriate program or health-care personnel.
Program Environment
Assist in maintaining a clean, safe, organized, and home-like residential environment. Report maintenance, safety, sanitation, or environmental concerns promptly.

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.
Shift Communication
Participate in shift change and communicate relevant resident, program, safety, and operational information to other staff while maintaining resident confidentiality.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Incident Reporting
Immediately report and properly document incidents, accidents, injuries, allegations, medication concerns, resident complaints, safety issues, and other reportable events according to H.O.G.A.R., OMH, Justice Center, and other applicable requirements.
Mandated Reporting
Fulfill all mandated-reporting obligations and comply with agency policies regarding abuse, neglect, mistreatment, exploitation, and significant incidents.
Resident Confidentiality
Maintain the confidentiality and security of resident information and records in accordance with agency policy and applicable federal and state requirements.
Professional Boundaries
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and conduct at all times when interacting with residents, families, staff, providers, and community members.
Orientation of New Staff
Participate in the orientation and training of newly hired staff when assigned.
Training and Professional Development
Attend required trainings, conferences, meetings, educational seminars, in-service trainings, and competency-based instruction as required by H.O.G.A.R., OMH, or program leadership.
CPR/First Aid and Emergency Preparedness
Maintain required CPR, First Aid, emergency-response, fire-safety, infection-control, and other required certifications or training as applicable to the position.
Regulatory Compliance
Perform duties in accordance with H.O.G.A.R. policies and procedures and applicable OMH, Medicaid, Justice Center, health and safety, and other regulatory requirements.
24-Hour Program Coverage
Work an assigned schedule that meets the operational needs of a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week residential program. Employees may be required to work evenings, overnight shifts, weekends, holidays, or provide coverage as necessary.

Other Duties
Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Supervisor, Program Director, or other authorized agency leadership.
SERVICE PLANNING AND QUALIFICATION LIMITATIONS

Residence Counselors may participate in admission, assessment, service planning, progress documentation, and discharge planning as authorized by the program.

Any function that OMH requires to be completed, reviewed, approved, or signed by a Qualified Mental Health Staff Person shall only be performed by a Residence Counselor who independently meets the applicable OMH qualification requirements or by another appropriately qualified staff member.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

High School Diploma or High School Equivalency Diploma required.
Minimum of two years of relevant experience working in mental health, human services, residential services, social services, rehabilitation, or a related setting preferred/required in accordance with agency staffing requirements.
Experience working with adults with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring substance-use needs strongly preferred.
Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
Ability to complete required documentation accurately and within established timeframes.
Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary residential team.
Ability to respond calmly and appropriately to emergencies and crisis situations.
Ability to work a flexible schedule within a 24-hour residential program, including evenings, overnight shifts, weekends, and holidays as assigned.
REQUIRED TRAINING/CERTIFICATIONS

Residence Counselors must complete and maintain all agency and program-required training, which may include:

CPR and First Aid
Mandated Reporter/Justice Center training
Incident reporting
Infection control
Fire safety and emergency preparedness
Medication-related training applicable to the employee's role
Resident rights
Mental health and recovery-oriented practices
Crisis prevention/intervention
Food safety and sanitation as applicable to assigned meal responsibilities
Other training required by H.O.G.A.R., OMH, or applicable regulatory authorities

PHYSICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The Residence Counselor must be able to perform the essential functions of the position within a community residential environment, including moving throughout the residence, accompanying residents into the community, responding to emergencies, assisting with household and meal-related responsibilities, and performing other duties associated with operating a 24-hour residential program, with reasonable accommodation where required by law.