Mental Health Counselors

<ul><li>Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.</li><li>Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.</li><li>Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, or tests.</li><li>Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.</li><li>Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.</li><li>Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.</li><li>Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.</li><li>Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.</li><li>Perform crisis interventions with clients.</li><li>Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.</li><li>Evaluate clients' physical or mental condition, based on review of client information.</li><li>Act as client advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.</li><li>Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status.</li><li>Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs on clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.</li><li>Meet with families, probation officers, police, or other interested parties to exchange necessary information during the treatment process.</li><li>Discuss with individual patients their plans for life after leaving therapy.</li><li>Collaborate with other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans.</li><li>Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients.</li><li>Monitor clients' use of medications.</li><li>Plan, organize, or lead structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation, or social activities for clients.</li><li>Learn about new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, or establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.</li><li>Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.</li><li>Gather information about community mental health needs or resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy.</li></ul>