Employment Opportunities

Positions Available

• Consumer Affairs Coordinator - ValueOptions
• Job Openings at Mental Health Disability Rights Organization - VOCAL
• Peer Support Technician
• Director, D.C. Office of Consumer Affairs
• Project Coordinator, Yale University
• Executive Director ­Nonprofit Corporation
• Director, Office of Consumer and Family Affairs Washington, D.C.
• Public Health Advisor, Department of Health and Human Services

 

Consumer Affairs Coordinator - ValueOptions

The Consumer Affairs Coordinator position will serve Area 8 which includes work and travel in the following Florida counties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota.

The Consumer Affairs Coordinator serves as the voice of consumer interests within our organization and functions externally to support and organize consumer and advocacy, reduce stigma and encourage consumer empowerment efforts within Area 8, advocates for the recovery focus within the service center, providers, consumer population, and the community. Promotes consumer self help initiatives.

Click here for more information and to apply for this position.

Job Openings at Mental Health Disability Rights Organization - VOCAL

VOCAL is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health empowerment, recovery, and peer leadership in Virginia. VOCAL is designed, led and governed by people with psychiatric histories. We are pleased to announce two job openings:

Program Director and Organizational Consultant for Grassroots Groups

We are seeking a Program Director for the VOCAL CO-OP program. The CO-OP is a collective of grassroots, peer-run mental health programs that are designed and led by people with mental illness. Our member programs include drop-in centers, advocacy groups, employment training programs, support groups, recovery centers, and more. We are seeking candidates who care about mental health disability rights; enjoy helping strengthen grassroots, social justice groups; and have experience helping nonprofit programs grow and flourish. 20 hrs/week, includes benefits. Find out more at: http://vocalvirginia.org/Jobs.htm

Administrative Coordinator for Mental Health Empowerment Organization

We are seeking an Administrative Coordinator who cares about mental health recovery; has administrative experience and skills; and can collaborate to create a warm, welcoming and productive office environment. 20 hrs/week, includes benefits. This position is located in Charlottesville. Find out more at: http://vocalvirginia.org/Jobs.htm

More about VOCAL

VOCAL is a statewide nonprofit organization. We run three statewide programs:

• VOCAL Network - Education, advocacy, empowerment. VOCAL Network, founded and run by people with mental illness, connects people to people and works to improve Virginia’s Mental Health Services. www.vocalnetwork.org
• REACH - Recovery Education & Creative Healing. REACH promotes self-discovery and self-appreciation through improving life skills, and investing in personal recovery. www.reachvirginia.org
• VOCAL CO-OP - Consumer Owned & Operated Programs. The CO-OP is a collective of peer-run mental health programs in Virginia. Programs include drop-in centers, warm lines, advocacy groups, employment centers, and more. www.vocalsupportcenter.org

Peer Support Technician

The Health Technician (Peer Support Technician) is an active member of the Day Treatment Team and provides peer support services to veterans with serious mental illnesses. The technician will be an active member of the Day Treatment Team and will be collaborating with both the Mental Health Clinic and MHICM teams.

For more information, visit USAJOBS

Director, D.C. Office of Consumer Affairs

The DC Dept. of Mental Health is looking both nationally and locally for a person (consumer) with personal experience with mental health services who has strong consumer leadership and org. management experience to fill the above position. If you are interested in applying and have initial questions, please contact the Director of the DC Dept. of Mental Health, Steve Baron. His phone number is available on the DMH web site at: www.dc.dmh.gov.

The DC mental health system is entering an exciting period of growth in consumer activity in the community. Strong leadership from someone in the OCA within the Dept. could provide a unique opportunity to move the system forward in a number of ways, including:

1. fostering trust and collaboration among community advocates, consumers, services providers, and others;
2. educating stakeholders and role modeling key values/approaches to promote the rights of consumers to have meaningful lives in the community, such as: recovery, consumer self direction, shared decision making and person-centered planning, and empowerment;
3. promoting consumer direction in all aspects of system design/service delivery;
4. educating administrators, policy makers, and service providers on workforce development issues that affect integration of consumers in the design and delivery of services;
5. promoting consumer-operated and alternative/holistic services in the community;
6. advising on the development of a peer specialist program in DC; and
7. advising on bringing a trauma-informed perspective to all aspects of system design and service delivery approaches.

For more information, view the job description (PDF, 149k).

Project Coordinator, Yale University

WHO?

Yale University seeks to hire a full time Project Coordinator to staff a mental health workforce development initiative funded through Connecticut’s Transformation Grant. Individuals with personal knowledge of the “lived” experience of mental illness are strongly encouraged to apply.

• To obtain more information or to apply, please utilize the following link to the Yale employment website, http://www.yale.edu/hronline/stars/applicants/.
• Once the site has been accessed, please use the STARS Req. ID# 2660BR to locate this specific position through the website search engine.

WHAT?

This position includes project management and staffing of interventions designed to recruit, retain, educate and train the mental health workforce. While this job will involve implementation of a range of interventions for different sectors of the workforce, a special focus will be placed on strengthening the roles of persons in recovery and family members as part of the mental health workforce. This position also involves serving as a liaison to persons in recovery, family members, and advocacy groups representing these individuals in order to ensure their input into the workforce planning and intervention process.

WHY?

On June 15, 2006, the Connecticut Workforce Transformation Workgroup Report indicated the following:

“… dramatically increasing the roles, responsibilities, influence, and authority of {persons in recovery and family members} is the strategic direction most likely to produce substantive transformation within Connecticut’s system of services…”

This strong statement is an indication of the principles and values that drive Connecticut’s efforts to transform its workforce. This position is a unique opportunity for an individual to shape the future of the state’s workforce. Please consider joining us!

Sincerely,
Christie Hunnicutt, LCSW
Project Coordinator
Christie.Hunnicutt@Yale.edu
(203) 288-6253

Executive Director ­Nonprofit Corporation

VOCAL, Inc., a Virginia statewide consumer-run mental health organization , seeks executive director to work with staff and Board of Directors to implement goals and objectives and oversee development of program and organizational strategies. Bachelor's degree and three years management-level experience in a nonprofit organization preferred. The office location is to be determined -- it may be either in Richmond or Charlottesville, VA. Salary: $55,000 plus Benefits. The job description is at www.vocalvirginia.org.

Send cover letter with resume and 3 work-related references to:

REACH
Attn: VOCAL Executive Director Position
PO Box 630
Harrisonburg, VA 22803

Or online to: jobs@vocalvirginia.org.

Must be post-marked or emailed by COB December 7, 2007.

A more detailed job description is also available (PDF, 102k).

Director, Office of Consumer and Family Affairs
Washington, D.C.

Introduction

This position is located in the Office of Director of the Department of Mental Health (DMH).

The mission of the Department of Mental Health is to develop, support, and oversee a comprehensive, community-based, consumer-driven, culturally competent, quality mental health system in response to the needs of individuals and families in the District of Columbia. The DMH Director directs the operation of the Department; advises the Mayor and City Administrator on mental health services programs; determines the Department's policy and procedures; coordinates the Department's activities; promotes cooperation with private providers and public agencies; directs analysis and evaluation of services; and develops standards, rules, and regulations.

The incumbent of this position serves as Director, Office of Consumer and Family Affairs.  As Director, the incumbent provides leadership and direction in planning, developing, and coordinating ways to promote involvement of consumers and family members of the District of Columbia into the Mental Health System's planning and delivery efforts for adults and children.  

Position Controls

The incumbent reports to the Director, DMH, who provides general administrative direction.  The incumbent works with wide latitude for taking independent action and using sound judgment to achieve goals and objectives.   The incumbent is relied upon to exercise initiative, sound judgment, extensive analytical and evaluative skills and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the organizations, laws and governing regulations, to interpret, adapt, apply and propose guidelines to deal with specific situations and problems as they arise.   Work is appraised in terms of fulfillment of program objectives, effect of advice, and contributions to the District and the Department.

Major Duties

The incumbent serves as Director, Office of Consumer and Family Affairs and is responsible for the following:

• Exercising primary responsibility for leadership, direction, and management of a comprehensive consumer and family affairs program which provides support to consumers and family members of the District of Columbia.
• Providing expertise on the consumer/family perspective and advises the Director, DMH, on consumer and family concerns. Specifically the incumbent provides advice on system wide policies and strategies and on the development of the mental health strategic plan. 

The incumbent manages, plans, develops, organizes, monitors, and directs programs and services in the Office of Consumer and Family Affairs. Makes decisions affecting:

• The basic content and character of the program, including which major projects should be initiated or curtailed and on resources to be devoted to particular projects;
• Long-range planning, periodic evaluations of the program, and modifying broad program objectives; and the
• Oversight and preparation of a proposed budget and budget justification for the Office of Consumer and Family Affairs. In addition is responsible for the accuracy and appropriateness of budget proposals, fiscal accounting and utilization of funds to insure that the funds are being used properly and effectively and that the grantors are kept informed of the progress being made on the program.

The incumbent exercises leadership for the OCFA program. 

• Plans, develops, and coordinates overall aspects of the program to assure the development and delivery of effective services to consumers.
• Provides leadership in planning and directing program activities.
• Develops program objectives and priorities.
• Reviews the progress of the program, monitors and assesses program functions, operations, and activities; and revises strategic planning processes.
• Provides direction in developing and achieving program goals and objectives.
• Exercises responsibility for overall planning, development and direction of the Office as well as quality and effectiveness of activities.
• Evaluates the impact of changes and complex situations and develops plans that maximize results in the accomplishment of consumer/family involvement in the Department of Mental Health.

The incumbent develops and fosters citywide service relationships and interagency linkages.

• Serves as primary liaison representing the department on consumer and family affairs.
• Interfaces and collaborates with federal and local officials, community officials and representatives, mental health organizations and associations, consumer, family, and community organizations; and other agencies regarding consumer and family affairs.
• Provides oversight and monitoring of the DMH Grievance Management System which includes; grievance intake, resolution and appeals, grievance training and technical assistance, review of policies for MHRS certification, site visitation to monitor grievance activities and maintenance of a grievance database.
• Oversight of Committed Consumer periodic examinations(Streicher) which include   maintenance of a database of all civilly committed consumers with notification to MHRS Providers of impending examination dates and examination results.

Provides supervision and oversight of OCFA staff activities and issues policy guidance. 

• Plans and coordinates work to be accomplished, determines and establishes priorities, develops schedules for completion of work, and makes assignments according to staff capability and work requirements.  
• Provides advice and assistance to employees on work, as necessary.  
• Monitors work in progress and reviews completed work.  
• Establishes performance standards, evaluates work performance and provides advice and counsel to staff on work performance. Identifies developmental and training needs of employees and makes recommendations for approval of training. 
• Effects minor disciplinary measures and recommends action in more serious cases.
• Interviews candidates for vacant positions and makes recommendations for selection.
• Recommends promotions and reassignments and take steps to recognize outstanding work through awards. Coordinates with other training personnel, to provide consumer related training to both DMH and DMH contracted staff and consumers, family members and providers within the District. Promotes the consumer, family and professional triad approach in training and facilitates the inclusion of the recovery-based model of care through out the Department. 

Oversees, directs and coordinates an adjunct volunteer staff of consumers and family members.

• Provides leadership to build relationships with consumers, families and community organizations to facilitate consumer involvement in DMH.  
• Oversees grievances and the grievance system and ensures ADA compliance in the provision of services for consumers.

Other Significant Facts

This position requires expertise and comprehensive knowledge of consumer and family affairs including but not limited to:

• How a recovery oriented public mental health system should be organized;
• Peer activities and ensuring that peer activities are incorporated into the public mental health system;
• Providing program leadership and management;
• Consumer rights and education;
• Involvement of consumers and family members of the District of Columbia into the Mental Health System's planning and delivery efforts; and
• The interrelationship of family/consumer agencies, programs and other groups, which provide services to mentally ill persons and their families; and mental illness, recovery, and self-help

Public Health Advisor,
Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, has two Public Health Advisor positions available in Rockville, Maryland. Visit these USAJobs web pages for more information: Public Health Advisor position one and Public Health Advisor position two

Please note: Applications are pre-screened by personnel officers unfamiliar with variations in terminology used by the field. They must be able to tell from your application that you meet the minimal required qualifications in order to pass your name on to us for possible hiring. Therefore, in preparing your application, be careful to use the same words used in the vacancy announcement to describe your qualifications. For example, if the vacancy announcement asks about your experience in working with people with mental illnesses, be sure to use the phrase “people with mental illnesses” in your response, rather than just discussing, for example, your work with “children with serious emotional disturbances” — the personnel officer might not realize that the latter counts toward the qualification.

Among other candidates, we would very much like to consider mental health consumers for these positions. A special hiring authority, called Schedule A, allows the Federal government to hire people with psychiatric disabilities on a non-competitive basis. Although the position is open for competition among all qualified candidates, the Schedule A provisions make it easier for us to consider qualified consumers for the position. The information below may be helpful to consumers who wish to apply under the Schedule A authority.

To view the PDF files on the site, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Florida Peer Network, Inc., 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MHC 2505, Tampa, Florida 33612
Phone: 877-FLA PEER (877-352-7337) or 813-974-2851
Fax: 813-974-6411
Email: info@floridapeernetwork.org

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