Occupational Therapist Supervisor

Description

Days Off:  Saturday & Sunday

Shift: Office Day

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

About DESC:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading  provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 3,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally  and regionally as an innovator in   developing solutions to homelessness.

JOB DEFINITION:

The Occupational Therapist (OT) Supervisor functions as part of the larger team to provide integrated behavioral healthcare services with clients in need of psychiatric and other medical or rehabilitative attention, client education, health assessment and related services. The OT Supervisor will provide in-the-moment, low-threshold care to clients who may otherwise not present to more traditional clinics. This position is involved in all aspects of referral, outreach and engagement, intensive case management services, and coordination with other providers to assure successful transition of consumers to on-going care. The OT Supervisor will provide oversight and supervision to the agency's Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants (COTAs). Services will be provided in the Seattle and King County areas. Some evening and weekend hours as needed. 

Interested individuals should have high coordination and collaboration skills, interest in social justice, advocacy, and health integration. This position requires a high degree of coordination and collaboration with other DESC programs as well as outside agencies.  

Work is done under the supervision of the Medical Director.  

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide outreach and engagement services, as assigned, working with team leadership & other team members when meeting new referrals.
• Provide variety of case management activity focused on stabilization and transition to other ongoing providers as appropriate.
• In collaboration with clients, staff across disciplines and departments are responsible for evaluation, planning, directing and administering occupational therapy evaluation and intervention to clients.
• Partners with the client, considering the person’s environment, evaluates and provides services for functional living skills such as self-care, life skills, vocational and avocational skills and community integration.
• Provide and prioritize crisis intervention with clients as needed. This may include de-escalation, going to EDs, and/or making referrals to crisis system if necessary.
• Assume primary responsibility for coordinating all aspects of clients' support and treatment plans. This includes providing and/or coordinating the following: survival services, stabilization in housing, acute and ongoing medical care, psychiatric treatment, financial assistance, criminal justice system coordination, substance use treatment.
• Advocate for clients' access to community resources and services, ensuring that clients' needs are met and rights maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with DESC staff, and other service and resource organizations to ensure full continuity of care for clients.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Have strong communication and customer service skills. Demonstrate leadership ability as well as using interdisciplinary team concepts.
• Provide clinical and administrative supervision of a multi-disciplinary staff, including hiring, orientation, training, regular performance evaluation and disciplinary action as needed.
• Maintain knowledge of DESC personnel policies, procedures and collective bargaining agreement. Assure compliance with same.
• Facilitate team meetings to promote team cohesion and team members contributing their areas of strength and learning as needed.
• Establish and maintain practice standards and protocols.
• Comply with the agency’s clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews.
• Consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care and that patients’ needs are being met, and rights maintained.
• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for clients on caseload.
• Serve as an educational resource and provide consultation to DESC staff.
• Participate in verbal de-escalation, be willing and able to assist other staff as needed to maintain a safe and secure environment.
• Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain timely and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from an accredited Occupational Therapy Program and successful completion of American Occupational Therapy certification examination.
• Current Washington State license to practice as an Occupational Therapist or a valid probational certificate issued by the state of Washington to practice occupational therapy.
• At least one (1) year of clinical experience practicing as a Licensed Occupational Therapist.
• Interest or experience in working with clients who have difficulty engaging with traditional programs.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of behaviors.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual in Spanish and English.
• Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business, which requires a current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record.
• Experience working with adults who have experienced homelessness
• Experience working with adults who have experienced mental health and substance use issues

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit, drive, walk, stand, communicate with other employees and vendors, is required to lift and carry items weighing up to 10 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Considerable stress may occur. Employee will be working both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are   encouraged to apply.