Mental Health Case Worker
Across Dublin Services as required
Full time 35 hours per week
Permanent position
Salary: €37,109.46 per annum
1. Role:
The Mental Health Case Worker will be responsible for providing specialist person centred mental health support to service users across a number of Depaul services in Dublin, in collaboration with Inclusion Mental Health Services.
2. Key Areas of Responsibility:
- To offer specialist support to service users around their mental health needs through structured assessment and support planning
- To work with all service users to build professional relationships based on empathy and positive regard and to deal with difficult or problematic situations in a sensitive, supportive manner in line with a trauma informed approach and Depaul’s vision, mission and values.
- To assess the safety & wellbeing and support needs of service users and support residential services and key workers to develop and deliver support plans to a high standard
- To establish effective partnerships with mental health support services, plan and facilitate appropriate supports and interventions to respond and meet support needs in a structured way
- To work on a one to one basis with service users to support them to have increased agency and choice in the management of their mental health needs.
- To refer to/ support service users to access relevant external services and to promote maximum service user agency and involvement in developing support planning and interventions with external agencies
- To accompany service users to appointments when necessary; this may include day services, hospitals, prison, courts etc.
- To develop and maintain ongoing professional relationships with a variety of mental health services as well as wider support services such as specialist medical, addiction and city or county councils.
- To advocate for psychological / psychiatric assessments where appropriate and in the interest of the service user.
- Provide practical and emotional support for people as they move through and between services e.g. when first referred, when moving from assertive outreach to scheduled care and when admitted to or leaving hospital/prison.
- Provide graded support to people graduating to mainstream care from specialist homeless services, being available during the transition period to advise and orient both the individual themselves and the staff of the destination service.
- To promote good mental health and wellness for service users and staff.
- To work with volunteers to facilitate therapeutic time and activities for service users in the hostels and to promote wellness activities and trauma informed environments.
- To engage and work proactively with service users who have dual diagnosis issues and to promote an “open door” policy with external agencies in relation to dual diagnosis.
- To ensure accurate and clear records are maintained in line with Depaul’s policies and procedures, GDPR guidance and with a view to facilitating programme evaluation
- To ensure all quality assurance policies and procedures are adhered to.
The above list is not exhaustive; additional areas of responsibility may be added over time and flexibility to cover for other staff roles is required from time to time.
3.Person Requirements:
EDUCATION
- A qualification in nursing, social work or other related areas would be desirable.
EXPERIENCE
- A minimum of 2 years’ experience working in the homeless sector or another related field, with people requiring mental health support.
- Experience responding to crisis, knowledge of appropriate actions, and the use of initiative to support others through trauma-informed principles and a person-centred approach.
- Experience working with relevant models of intervention applied in working with people experiencing homelessness.
- Experience working with an organisation's policies and procedures and familiarity with using these guidelines.
SKILLS
- The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- An ability to liaise effectively with other service providers and represent the organisation externally.
- Good computer skills, including experience using client management software and cloud applications.
- Ability to work flexible hours when required.
KNOWLEDGE
- An understanding of why people become homeless and the issues they experience, particularly in relation to people requiring mental health support.
- An understanding of relevant models of interventions that can be applied when working with people experiencing homelessness.
- An understanding of the statutory and voluntary sector resources available to homeless people.
- An understanding of the importance of an organisation’s policies and procedures.
- A commitment to and an understanding of equal opportunities and diversity.
- Respect for the Vision, Mission, and Values of the organisation (e.g., Depaul).
