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Direct Care Counselor Resume Examples

Direct Care Counselors are employed by the mental health field. Their role is treating children and adults with special needs. A typical resume example for the job mentions duties like helping patients deal with their issues, providing support during daily activities, and monitoring their progress. The most successful example resumes for Direct Care Counselors make display of qualifications such as a positive and caring attitude, empathy, patience, teamwork, physical energy, and emotional stability. Employers select candidates holding a high school diploma or an Associate's Degree and provide periodic training

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Direct Care Counselor Duties and Responsibilities

Direct care counselors perform a wide array of duties and have specific responsibilities based on their employer and specialization. However, the core tasks of the job remain the same across all organizations and include the following:

Teach Independent Living Skills An important duty of direct care counselors is helping clients with their day-to-day living. To encourage independence, they implement behavioral interventions and teach practical skills such as personal care, money budgeting, and goal setting.

Assist with Routine Care Direct care counselors may assist nurses and caregivers with the routine care of clients. This can include more hands-on aspects such as hygiene or medication administration. More commonly, they handle logistical tasks like supervising family visits and escorting clients to medical appointments and other outside activities.

Monitor Behavior Being a direct care counselor involves regularly monitoring client behavior and medications while checking the progress of intervention plans through daily logs. For thorough documentation, direct care counselors also engage in direct observation and maintain a comfortable environment where clients can talk openly.

Provide Coaching Direct care counselors spend ample one-on-one time with clients in order to get to know them better. Through counseling sessions, they help clients deal with their emotions, cultivate healthy relationships, and understand themselves better, in addition to addressing other concerns that clients may have.

Coordinate Recreational Activities Since having a sense of community is a major part of mental health, direct care counselors create and organize recreational activities for clients. These may be held outside so clients can meet new people, or in-house if counselors work within a center.

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Direct Care Counselor Education and Training

While some people can qualify for a direct care counselor role with a high school diploma at minimum, most employers look for candidates with an associate's or bachelor's degree, preferably related to psychology or mental health. Those with a corresponding master's degree have a definite advantage. Certifications in counseling are also helpful, as is at least one year of experience working in a similar setting. Trainings and workshops are often provided on the job itself, and depending on the employer, candidates may have to obtain additional certifications in first aid or medication administration.
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Direct Care Counselor Salary and Outlook

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) reports that direct care counselors, who are categorized under rehabilitation counselors, have a median annual salary of around $35,000. Those in the 10th percentile earn less than $22,000, while the highest paid earn more than $62,000. This role is projected to grow 13 percent by 2026. This is faster than the average for all occupations. A major cause is the increasing elderly population as healthcare improves, resulting in more demand for direct care counselors who specialize in geriatrics.
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Helpful Resources

If you're excited to learn more about this challenging but rewarding career, you can get started by exploring the following resources:

American Counseling Association - direct care counselors can join ACA, the world's largest community of counselors, to widen their peer network and access publications, job opportunities, and online courses. Members can also read through ACA's Code of Ethics, which specifies how counselors can comply with ethical standards

Counselling Skills and Theory - this reference textbook for counseling gives a wide overview of the field, explaining different theories and approaches and breaking down the skills needed to be a successful counselor

National CPR Foundation - NCPRF offers life-training certifications that are valid for two years. Direct care counselors who help patients in regular activities will benefit from specifically taking courses on CPR and first aid

Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions - those working in either mental health or direct care must have a strong grasp of ethics and personal boundaries in their career. This book presents diverse, thoughtful viewpoints on common issues encountered, helping readers create their own guidelines and think critically

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