TENTATIVE

Occ. Code 5254000

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

Treatment Team Leaders are responsible for the administration, direction, and coordination of the treatment activities of an interdisciplinary treatment team and programs tailored to meet the needs of individuals with mental illness, developmental, physical, and/or intellectual disabilities.  The Treatment Team Leader is responsible for marshalling and assigning team resources to accomplish team goals, and evaluating team programs.  Incumbents in these positions assist in the total care of patients/consumers.  As such, they perform various duties and functions in conjunction with the overall operation of a facility and/or location to which they are assigned.

Treatment Team Leader (Children and Youth Services) and Treatment Team Leader (Mental Health) are classified in the Psychiatric Centers of the Office of Mental Health.  Treatment Team Leader (Developmental Disabilities) is classified in the Developmental Centers of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.  Treatment Team Leader (Rehabilitation) is classified at the Department of Health in Helen Hayes Hospital.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Treatment Team Leaders are distinguished from journey level positions in Psychology, Social Work, or in other recognized mental health/developmental disabilities treatment disciplines by their responsibility for supervising and directing an interdisciplinary treatment team containing such positions and second level supervision of direct care staff.

The size and composition of treatment teams vary according to facility program and clients served, following one of these organizational models: residential teams serving a minimum of 48 inpatients; community service teams consisting of a minimum of 20 clinical staff; combined residential and community service teams consisting of a minimum of 35 clinical staff; geriatric teams responsible for 100 inpatients; or, at Helen Hayes Hospital, the service team of a major program/area such as the Traumatic Brain Injury Program, providing transitional and traumatic injury rehabilitation.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, TASKS, AND ASSIGNMENTS

Develops administrative and treatment goals for the Treatment Team.

• Meets and confers with facility management to determine policies and set goals for the treatment team and to discuss progress and impediments to progress.

• Plans, develops, and supervises the implementation of programs on an inpatient or an outpatient basis.

• Determines the number of primary treatment groups that will comprise the Treatment Team.

• Oversees the assignment of direct care staff in a manner that provides sufficient coverage and equitable distribution among the groups.

• Assigns other treatment staff in a manner consistent with the privileges for which they are credentialed and the service needs of the client groups.

• Holds periodic staff meetings and conferences to discuss treatment programs, policies and procedures, to obtain input from team members for the goal-setting process, and to periodically evaluate goal achievement.

• Assists in hiring new staff, participates in their orientation, and ensures that they receive adequate initial and continuing training.

• Prepares periodic performance evaluations of subordinates, discusses the evaluation with the employee, and makes appropriate recommendations and suggestions for improving performance.

• Prepares or assists in the preparation of the team budget and monitors and controls the use of budgeted funds.

Supervises and evaluates the treatment planning process for each client assigned to the Treatment Team and ensures the accomplishment of Team goals.

• Participates in screening referred clients for possible admission to the facility and in periodic screening conferences to discuss admissions and possible treatment modalities.

• Assigns responsibility for treating specific clients to the appropriate team component by established criteria (e.g., ward, functional classification, etc.)

• Meets with medical and other treatment staff to discuss and coordinate individual treatment plans and programs.  Follows up to ensure that treatment planning and service delivery is accomplished and documented.

• Participates in and supervises the development of individual client care plans, ensuring proper assessment of problems encountered and the development of appropriate and effective solutions.

• Supervises the maintenance of medical and other records and files pertinent to the treatment and care of patients, and supervises the development of data from records and files for various evaluations or studies.

• Participates with planning and program development committees to determine and influence policy, treatment, and therapeutic programs, and serves on committees such as placement, utilization review, medical records review, and related committees, as required.

May prepare and deliver presentations to professional and lay person groups in the community describing and explaining various treatment programs.

May meet with county, municipal, or private health care agencies to plan, coordinate, and develop programs to address the needs of the specific jurisdiction.

          Treatment Team Leader (Developmental Disabilities)

          Treatment Team Leaders in this parenthetic are responsible for programs and treatment teams tailored to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.  Incumbents participate in incident investigations, incident management and reporting, and interaction with the Justice Center and other investigative and quality assurance entities. 

          Treatment Team Leader (Children and Youth Services)

          Treatment Team Leader (Mental Health)

          Treatment Team Leaders in these parenthetics plan, organize, and supervise the implementation of residential, habilitation, clinical, day center, or community programs for individuals with mental illnesses and intellectual and/or physical disabilities.

          Treatment Team Leader (Rehabilitation)

          Treatment Team Leaders in this parenthetic plan, organize, and supervise the implementation of physical rehabilitation programs, including monitoring patients length of stay, and reviewing functional gains of patients.  Incumbents ensure quality management by preparing Joint Commission Accreditation, Health Care Certification (JCAHO), and Commission on Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) surveys, as well as surveys by other accreditation organizations; and developing, implementing, and managing quality assessment, and improvement.  Incumbents coordinate, direct, and supervise medical professionals and para-professionals in the treatment and coordination of services for a major program/area, such as the Traumatic Brain Injury Unit in Helen Hayes Hospital.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

          Treatment Team Leader (Children and Youth Services, Mental Health, and Developmental Disabilities)

A Bachelors Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Audiology, Special Education, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Recreational Therapy, Rehabilitation Therapy Or Counseling, Speech Pathology, or Community Mental Health and a license, certificate, or registration by the New York State Education Department, or one established by the appropriate professional organization, for professional practice of that discipline; and four years of professional mental health/developmental disabilities treatment experience, including two years in an administrative or supervisory capacity, and one year as a member of a fully-functioning, multi-disciplinary treatment team,

A Masters Degree in Psychology or Social Work may be substituted for one year of the general experience.

          TREATMENT TEAM LEADER (REHABILITATION)

A Bachelors Degree in Nursing, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Recreational Therapy, Rehabilitation Therapy or Counseling, Speech Pathology or a closely related field and four years of professional clinical supervisory or administrative experience in an allied health fields clinical intervention rehabilitation program; or professional nursing field.  Two years of this experience must be working directly with neuro-rehab individuals.

Revised:  8/15

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent, and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.