Caseworker

Founded in 2001, Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) supports, organizes and empowers the indigenous migrant communities of California’s Central Coast through improved access to health and community resources, community organizing, language interpretation, education, direct assistance, cultural promotion, and our indigenous-led Radio Indígena community radio station. MICOP offers a fast-paced, multilingual and multicultural work environment dedicated to carrying out our mission.

About the role

Curando la Comunidad serves to increase access to mental health services for high priority underserved groups by providing direct mental health support and outreach from MICOP’s Curando la Comunidad (Team Healing the Community, formerly known as Healing the Soul) in partnership with VCBH. The project is designed to increase the quality of multilingual, culturally appropriate, responsive, and sustaining preventative mental health care services to participants. In particular, the project supports the de-stigmatization of mental healthcare in the Mixteco/Indigenous, Black, LGBTQ+ communities in the MICOP footprint, as well as provides options for healthcare support through healing circles and education through workshop series.

The Caseworker will assist clients with accessing resources at the county and serve as a translator as needed, mentoring and coaching clients as they navigate VCBH services and other community organizations, and providing assistance in overcoming general logistical barriers to mental healthcare support and services. The goal is to provide at least 20 clients with a ‘soft’ hand-off to VCBH. The Caseworker will also support the Promotora/Project Service Navigators, Coordinator, and Director in the provision of direct client support and educational programming.

Responsibilities

• Conduct direct services and educational activities with Promotora/Project Service Navigators.
• Contact individuals and families within two days of receiving a referral.
• Conduct intake and needs assessment with Promotora/Project Service Navigators.
• When necessary, make phone calls, Zoom visits, or go to family homes to collect and input data into the database.
• Check in weekly or bi-weekly with referred individuals.
• Attend Curando Team meetings and trainings.
• Provide additional support (e.g., translation support, assistance filling out applications, coaching on setting appointments, linking to generic resources).
• Complete required training.
• Keep track of the person-centered plan developed for each client.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Ability to work independently as well as collaborate with a team.
• Trilingual required: English, Spanish, and an Indigenous language (e.g., Mixteco, Zapoteco, or Purepecha).
• Commitment to MICOP’s mission.
• Reliable transportation to conduct home visits.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Knowledge of mental health symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Knowledge or experience with traditional indigenous medicine, preferably Mixteco healing modalities to alleviate symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Experience doing outreach in the Mixteco/Indígena community.
• Previous data collection experience.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.
• Ability to manage time well and meet deadlines.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of case management experience or equivalent education.

Schedule

Full Time, 40 hours per week.