********************Amendment Issued 2-12-2020********************

See below under Scopes / Subjects of examination

Residence Requirements:

CANDIDATES MUST HAVE BEEN LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE WRITTEN TEST AND MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT. There is one present vacancy at the Erie County Department of Mental Health. 

Examples of Duties:

An Assistant Coordinator -Adult Single Point of Access and Accountability II provides clinical supports to the County Mental Health Department’s Adult Single Point of Access and Accountability (SPOA); 

Provides direct supervision to the Assistant Coordinator Adult Single Point of Access & Accountability I;

Reviews referral assessment to the SPOA making mental health clinical determinations regarding admission to the SPOA or recommendations for an alternative level of care;

Serves as department representative with hospital and forensic mental health discharge planning staff regarding the status of pending discharges and ensuring linkage to the care coordination services;

Determines care coordination placement against clinical eligibility criteria and makes recommendations regarding placement at the appropriate level of care oversight and care coordination service model with the SPOA; links individuals determined to ineligible for SPOA services to step down case management services;

Acts as Department liaison with treatment providers, hospital staff, family members, care managers, and attorneys in support of the delivery of services consistent with an Individualized Service Plans;

Monitors resolution of critical incidents for individuals enrolled in the SPOA;

Prepares case assessment and service planning paperwork and compiles necessary documentation for cases being petitioned to the courts for enrollment to Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT);

Along with the Assistant SPOA Coordinator I is directly involved in data collection and preparation of AOT evaluation reports;

Utilizes data to develop Quality Improvement Projects which improve the timeliness, accuracy and efficacy of AOT operations for ECMDH, community stakeholders and recipients of AOT services;

Utilizes data and other related information to evaluate trends in AOT appropriateness, access, and related systems level issues;

Responsible for submitting AOT quarterly and monthly reporting to OMH;

Develops policies and procedures in support of SPOA mental health clinical determinations and operations;

Performs orientations and training sessions to provider agency staff regarding SPOA operations;

Serves as back up to the Department liaison to the County Department of Social Services, the Forensic Mental Health Clinic and community providers regarding all operations of the Medication Grant Program;

Works directly with the SPOA coordinator and other Department leadership to facilitate change where appropriate;

Serves as back up to the Assistant Coordinator Adult SPOA I in his/her absence and performs job duties accordingly;

Serves as back up to the Adult SPOA Coordinator in his/her absence, including but not limited to, chairing SPOA Clinical Review meetings, representing the Department in the development of service plans for individuals eligible for court ordered services, and negotiating with providers regarding the engagement of hart-to-serve individuals in care coordination, treatment and rehabilitation services.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

A.) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or Nursing and four (4) years of experience in mental health assessment, treatment and/or rehabilitation with at least two (2) years of clinical or clinical administrative 9.60 of New York State Mental Hygiene Law, and with at least one (1) year of supervisory experience in a mental health setting; or

B.) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or Nursing and six (6) years of experience in mental health assessment, treatment and/or rehabilitation with at least two (2) years of clinical or clinical administrative 9.60 of New York State Mental Hygiene Law, and with at least one (1) year of supervisory experience in a mental health setting; or

C.) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).

Notes:

1. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting the experience requirements.

2. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.
All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at:https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Subjects of Examination:

Scopes / Subjects of examination: A test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas.

********************Amendment Issued 2-12-2020********************

*** DELETE Ensuring effective inter/intra agency communications
These questions test for understanding of techniques for interacting effectively with individuals and agencies, to educate and inform them about topics of concern, to clarify agency programs or policies, to negotiate conflicts or resolve complaints, and to represent one's agency or program in a manner in keeping with good public relations practices. Questions may also cover interacting with the staff of one's own agency and/or that of other agencies in cooperative efforts of public outreach or service.

Preparing written material
These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

*** DELETE Understanding and interpreting written material
These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

***ADD NEW: Principles and practices of social casework

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices used to provide casework services to individuals and/or families of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances. Questions will test for application of this knowledge in various settings and will include such topics as assessment, monitoring and evaluating services, counseling, referrals, and advocacy. 

***ADD NEW:Working with individuals to promote mental health

These questions test for knowledge of characteristics, causes and treatment methods associated with working with individuals who may have mental, developmental, physical, social and substance abuse disorders and/or disabilities. Questions cover such topics as establishing, maintaining and terminating client relationships; recognizing, interpreting, and responding to individual and group behaviors, as well as crisis situations; and facilitating access to essential services such as financial, housing, medical, educational, legal, vocational, and recreational.

***ADD NEW:Interviewing

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.

Supervision
These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES: Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.