MEDICAL CASE WORKER II / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS HOMELESSNESS

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to close 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 Medical Case Worker II 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 Medical Case Worker II.

About the Role

Under professional direction, functions as a member of a medical or psychiatric multidisciplinary team, providing services to patients and clients in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation, residential, or health care facilities.

Responsibilities

• Interviews patients, family members, and friends to obtain information about home environment, family relationships, and personality traits that may have a bearing on the patient's/client's medical and mental health, treatment, and recovery.
• Utilizes environmental data gathered in relation to the medical or mental health problems to make recommendations concerning the provision of services that will ensure maximum benefits for each patient/client.
• Performs a variety of direct services such as arranging for ongoing or post-operative care at home, assessing adequacy of home care services facilities, and assisting patients/clients and families in arranging for and accepting nursing home care and extended care facilities.
• Assists the patient/client and family members with environmental difficulties precipitated by the illness by arranging for child care services, foster homes, or by assisting to secure homemaker or attendant care services; develops resources for providing equipment, supplies, prosthetic devices, braces, and appliances.
• Keeps informed on community health and welfare resources and the variety of programs offered by each.
• Makes referrals to and works with various public and private health, mental health, or other agencies such as the Department of Public Social Services, Legal Aid, Department of Adoptions, Health Department, Free Clinics, Planned Parenthood organizations, Family Service Agencies, and Community Service Centers to resolve patients'/clients' personal and social problems.
• Participates in medical rounds and health care team conferences, shares social information, and evaluates the medical and/or mental health status of patients/clients with other health care disciplines to develop the most effective treatment plan for the patient/client.
• Places patients/clients suffering with mental or emotional disorders in board and care homes, intermediate care homes, residential facilities, private hospitals, VA hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities, depending upon psychiatric reports and personal interviews with patient/client.
• Conducts, on an independent basis, workshops with groups of 10-15 alcoholic in-patients or substance use disordered clients, sets tone of workshop to encourage maximum participation of patients/clients to assist in the identification of drinking or co-occurring substance use problems and to achieve a successful rehabilitation program.
• Counsels patients in health clinics regarding family planning and related problems, and makes referrals where necessary for therapeutic abortions, tubal ligations, and vasectomies.
• Provides individual and group informational counseling in mental health clinics or specialized mental health treatment programs for patients/clients regarding problems of independent living.

Requirements

Selection Requirements: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited* college or university and one (1) year of professional casework experience interviewing, counseling, and assisting patients/clients with social problems. You MUST meet the above requirement(s) at the time of filing in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

Qualifications

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Physical Requirements

Physical Class II- Light: This class 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.

Additional Information

In order to receive credit for any college or university course, degree, or certificate, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma or official transcripts from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization with your application at the time of filing or within 7 calendar days of filing. Foreign degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to United States accredited institutions standards by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Official Transcript is defined as a transcript that bears the college seal and states "official and/or copy" issued by the school's Registrar Office. A printout of the transcript from the school's website is NOT considered official and, therefore, will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being incomplete or rejected.

If you are unable to attach the required documents with your application online, you may email them to Exams@dmh.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. In the subject of the email, please type the Exam Number and Exam Title.