Mental Health Specialist - Interim Housing (Sylmar)

About the role

The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) plays a crucial role in providing direct clinical intervention to participants in Interim Housing Sites or as part of a street-based Multidisciplinary Team (MDT).

Responsibilities

• Provides in-person, individual and group based clinical case management and behavioral health services to people experiencing homelessness in interim housing settings or within a homeless outreach team.
• Conducts mental health, substance use and safety/risk assessments on identified participants.
• Creates relationships with mental health service providers, Department of Mental Health, VA and hospital social work teams.
• Refer participants for services as well as maintain a resource listing of mental health services for participants engaged in LA Family Housing programs.
• Engages in discharge planning and leads care coordination activities.
• Works collaboratively with medical providers to ensure PEH are triaged to needed medical care.
• Completes risk assessment and safety plan and liaise with Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT) if danger to self/others resulting from a mental health disorder or grave disability is suspected.
• Follows mandated reporting guidelines with communication to protective and emergency services as needed; complete follow-up documentation as required, including incident reports.
• Advocates on participants’ behalf with other organizations and/or government agencies when appropriate.
• Collaborate with other non-clinical staff including: co-facilitating meetings, organizing participant mental health events, providing guidance, direction, and clinical support through case consultations, providing training for social services staff (in coordination with Supervisor), providing crisis intervention and conflict management techniques, providing support with medication monitoring services, to help participants take medications correctly and promote healthy and wellness, providing task supervision to MSW interns and utilizing the interns in providing support to participants serving as a Preceptor or Field Instructor to MSW or MFT interns as needed.
• Affords assistance in onboarding activities for MHS new-hires related to mental health assessment, documentation, linkage, and safety procedures.
• Maintains thorough and accurate records in both written form and through HMIS/CHAMP.
• Attends various regular staff, agency, and community meetings as designated by supervisor.
• Drives personal vehicle in and around Los Angeles County and drive agency vehicles periodically to transport clients.
• Additional tasks, projects, and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• Demonstrated knowledge of issues facing program participants (e.g. health, substance abuse, mental health, domestic abuse, child welfare, trauma, poverty, criminal justice, resources for undocumented persons).
• Knowledge of barriers people experiencing homelessness face (e.g. chronic health, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, being undocumented).
• Must be able to perform extensive charting, electronic data entry, and documentation.
• Knowledge of social service agencies and community resources, including best practices of case management and mental health interventions.
• Training/experience in crisis intervention.
• Certifications in current evidenced based practices preferred.
• Manage emotionally charged situations by providing crisis intervention in a field-based or interim housing type environments.
• Experience working in a team environment. (Experience on a multidisciplinary team preferred.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to advocate on behalf of LAFH participants.
• Bilingual: Spanish/English preferred.
• Good organizational skills, and ability to follow through from beginning to end on tasks and projects.
• Self-directed and internally motivated.
• Other Availability to work after hours or on weekends.
• Able to maintain and execute confidential information according to HIPAA standards.
• Obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid Certification.
• To pass post offer Tuberculosis (TB) clearances.
• Travel is a regular duty for this position and is required.
• Use of a personal vehicle to travel between worksites and other locations may be required.
• Must have and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and auto insurance in good standing.
• To work a 9/80 work schedule.
• Experience A master's degree in Social Work (MSW), Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or eligible Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) program from an accredited university is required.
• Must obtain an ACSW, MFT or LPCC practice number from the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) within six months of hire or already possess it.

Qualifications

• Physical Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of issues facing program participants (e.g. health, substance abuse, mental health, domestic abuse, child welfare, trauma, poverty, criminal justice, resources for undocumented persons).
• Knowledge of barriers people experiencing homelessness face (e.g. chronic health, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, being undocumented).
• Must be able to perform extensive charting, electronic data entry, and documentation.
• Knowledge of social service agencies and community resources, including best practices of case management and mental health interventions.
• Certifications in current evidenced based practices preferred.
• Manage emotionally charged situations by providing crisis intervention in a field-based or interim housing type environments.
• Experience working in a team environment. (Experience on a multidisciplinary team preferred.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to advocate on behalf of LAFH participants.
• Bilingual: Spanish/English preferred.
• Good organizational skills, and ability to follow through from beginning to end on tasks and projects.
• Self-directed and internally motivated.
• Other Availability to work after hours or on weekends.
• Able to maintain and execute confidential information according to HIPAA standards.
• Obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid Certification.
• To pass post offer Tuberculosis (TB) clearances.
• Travel is a regular duty for this position and is required.
• Use of a personal vehicle to travel between worksites and other locations may be required.
• Must have and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and auto insurance in good standing.
• To work a 9/80 work schedule.
• Experience A master's degree in Social Work (MSW), Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or eligible Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) program from an accredited university is required.
• Must obtain an ACSW, MFT or LPCC practice number from the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) within six months of hire or already possess it.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 403B Retirement Plan, 529 Education Savings Plan, Long Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Legal Access Plan, Employee Appreciation Program, Company Sponsored Employee Events, Staff Development, 9/80 Alternative Work Schedule, Paid Sick, Vacation and 13 Observed Holidays, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Pay

USD $32.90/Hr.

Schedule

9/80 work schedule