Title: Complex Discharge Specialist

State Role Title: Prog Admin Specialist I

Hiring Range: Up to $65,618

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Eastern State Hospital

Agency Website: www.dbhds.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is seeking an experienced individual to work within the Facility Services team to augment, implement and support the mission and vision of DBHDS. This position will partner with state hospitals and community service boards (CSBs) to provide discharge planning, navigate access to the vast array of services and benefits across the spectrum of agencies, and support the discharge of individuals to appropriate community services, which allow the individual to live in the least restrictive and most integrated setting possible. The emphasis is to provide discharge planning services for individuals in state hospitals, specifically individuals with complex behavioral health disorders and individuals with comorbid co-occurring disorders. This discharge planning requires collaborating with patients, families, guardians, and hospital treatment teams; identifying potential appropriate discharge placements and community resources that are available for patients; facilitating the development of a discharge plan, to include follow up services and supports; implementing the discharge plan; and following up with patients and providers after discharge to monitor clinical stability, progress in the community and participation in services. This position will collaborate with CSBs to identify funding needs at discharge, ensure the effective utilization of DAP and other COV resources, and serve as a liaison to private providers and organizations working with the adult and geriatric populations. Frequent travel may sometimes be required. Valid driver’s license required.

Additional responsibilities include:
• Coordinating and collaborating with the Community Integration Team, CSBs, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, community partners, and colleagues on the transition of individuals from the state hospital to the community
• Provisioning of timely, safe, and effective discharge planning with adults and geriatric populations and nurturing strong relationships with state hospitals and other DBHDS staff, public agencies, private providers, professional associations, and CSBs.
• Maximizing the effectiveness of financial resources, specifically DAP funding.
• Development of safe, timely, and comprehensive discharge plans for individuals in state hospitals
• Implementing discharge plans and monitor services and supports immediately after discharge.
• Collaboration within DBHDS, other state agencies, legislators, community and facility providers, consumers, families, advocates, and other stakeholders.
• General support for DBHDS mission, values, and strategic planning as part of the Clinical Services team.
• May be required to assist the agency or state government generally in the event of an emergency declaration by the Governor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge and expertise in contemporary best practices in behavioral health services and supports for individuals with complex mental illness and co-occurring disorders consistent with integration within the least restrictive and most integrated community setting.
• Knowledge and expertise in coordinating the optimum utilization of resources available through community service providers.
• Thorough understanding of the nature and process of recovery for adults with mental illness, co-occurring disorders and related conditions.
• Ability to apply recovery concepts and other constructs to service development, service delivery, and quality improvement approaches for adults and geriatrics or individuals with complicated behavioral health, co-occurring and comorbid conditions.
• Knowledge and expertise to support timely, safe, and collaborative discharge planning and integration of individuals in community supports and services.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Additional Considerations

• Experience working with individuals who have mental health disorders that are accompanied by complicated behavioral, co-occurring and comorbid conditions and the problems associated with these conditions.
• Knowledge of best practices for maintaining quality of life in the most integrated setting.
• Experience working in state mental health hospitals and/or CSBs.
• Discharge planning experience.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

For consideration, interested applicants must apply by completing the online application and/or submit a resume. However, emailed, faxed, and hand-delivered applications and/or resumes will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11:55 p.m., on the listed closing date. Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DBHDS welcomes all applicants authorized to work in the U.S. For more information on how to seek this authorization, please refer to Working in the United States or contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office directly.

For any technical assistance with the jobs.virginia.gov website, please contact applicantinquiry@dhrm.virginia.gov.

Contact Information

Name: ShaKiera Miles

Phone: N/A

Email: shakiera.miles@dbhds.virginia.gov - Inquiries Only/No Submissions, to include resumes.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.