DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN TRAINEE / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS HOMELESSNESS

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice. The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use.

The Department of Mental Health is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Deputy Public Guardian Trainee vacancies related to the homelessness crisis. Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment. Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to emergency Deputy Public Guardian Trainee.

About the Role

Under close supervision, learns to perform and performs routine administration of conservatorships, guardianships, and trusts that are referred to and fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Public Guardian. This is the entry-level/trainee classification in the Deputy Public Guardian Series, allocated to the Department of Mental Health's Office of the Public Guardian. Positions receive structured training and technical guidance in the performance of routine case administration of conservatorships, guardianships, and trusts.

Responsibilities

• Learns common mental health, physical health, and substance use terminology, diagnoses, and medications, including the ability to read and understand electronic health records.
• Receives training on relevant legal codes, legal authority granted, and legal requirements of conservatorships, guardianships, and trusts, including the appropriate use of surrogate decision-making for conserved clients.
• Identifies, coordinates, and authorizes supportive services to meet the needs of conserved clients, including housing, medical and mental health, substance use, education, and social and vocational needs.
• Prepares court reports for annual reevaluation of Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) conservatorships.
• Learns to manage and manages basic conservatorship cases such as Person Only or Person and Estate with public assistance as the only source of income and stabilized placement such as skilled nursing facilities.
• Learns how to investigate the social, medical, and financial background of persons referred for conservatorship or guardianship, including interviewing prospective conservatees and wards, their relatives, neighbors, landlords, treatment providers, police, and others to determine and evaluate the need for services and eligibility for public conservatorship or guardianship.
• Learns to investigate and manage trusts, including the review of trust documentation to determine if appointment as trustee is appropriate and within the jurisdiction of the Public Guardian.
• Learns to and assists in establishing and monitoring conservatees' and wards' budgets for care and treatment; pays bills and other personal expenses.
• Learns to prepare or assists County Counsel or outside attorneys in the preparation of petitions for conservatorship and guardianship or petitions for probate and administration, and other court documents.
• Assists in making funeral arrangements according to burial instructions, provisions of the will, or departmental and court policy; notifies relatives and other interested parties.
• Enters and retrieves information relating to the administration of conservatorships, guardianships, or trusts.
• Assists in the development of care plans, makes periodic visits to evaluate and monitor the delivery and quality of care given by treatment providers, determines special needs, and performs personal services such as obtaining clothing or other personal items.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in a discipline related to the core business function of the department: social sciences, behavioral sciences, or business administration. Applicants must meet this requirement at the time of filing to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

• A valid California Class C Driver License.
• Ability to travel out of county in a personal vehicle to conduct periodic visits and annual reviews.
• Physical Class II – Light: Includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

To receive credit for your education, include a copy of your official diploma, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution within seven (7) business days from the date of filing your application. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English; if it is in a foreign language, it must be translated and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards.