Mental Health Clinician

Mental Health Clinician/Service Coordinator II DMH

$5,000 Sign-on Bonus

Reports To: Program Manager.

Hours: 40 per week.

Classification: Exempt.

SUMMARY: The DMH programs provide intensive mental health services to TAY and Adults (18 and older) at permanent supportive housing (PSH) sites within Metro LA and Hollywood. The clinician is based out of a PSH site or sites and provides mental health and case management support to residents in collaboration with Department of Health Services (DHS) Intensive Case Managers. We serve individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, substance abuse and who are experiencing homelessness or are in danger of losing their home. The DMH programs aim to provide linkage to resources including mental health services, housing, benefits, and are geared toward promoting wellness, mental health management and community integration. The program provides 24/7 on call coverage to members to provide the highest quality of life in the least restrictive community setting possible. Our work at Step Up is guided by the principles of Housing First, Mental Health Recovery and Trauma Informed Care.

DUTIES: The following reflects essential functions for this job but does not restrict other tasks, which may or may not be assigned:

Leadership, Administration, Oversight

To Support the targeted outreach efforts of the Housign Supportive Services team to initiate contact, develop rapport, and in coordination with Multidisciplinary team members of Service Coordinators (SCs): SCI, SC II, LVN and PM, will assess homeless adults for mental illness, co-occurring substance use and other health care needs in the community until linkage and services are accepted.

o Attend all staff and community meetings as requested by Program Manager.

o Engage in all scheduled supervision with management to consult about caseload and discuss any pertinent issued related to consumer care and/or documentation

Direct Service and Support

o Engage potential  members in community and at their residence.

o Provides clinical therapeutic and case management services for adults with psychiatric disabilities to assist them in improving their current level of functioning in the community.

o Make home visits as needed to support independent living skills and subsidized housing certificates. Assist consumer with relevant skill building and self-care to support independence and housing retention.

o Monitor for compliance, stability, and report any warning signs of decompensation and crisis.

o Completes comprehensive initial and ongoing assessments for diagnosis and evaluation of level of functioning, support network, adequacy of living arrangements, financial status, physical health, level of self-care.

o Assist clients in identifying needs, setting goals, establishing concrete objectives and developing a Coordinated Care Plan with a set timeframe from enrollment and annually.

o Actively outreach clients on caseload who have not been in contact and ensure engagement in services in their home, transitional housing placement or on the streets.

o Provide needed therapeutic interventions: individual, group and crisis, to address symptoms as defined in the assessment and to improve level of functioning or develop insight to reduce defined distress or stressors.

Documentation and Data Collection

o Complete all program-required paperwork such as HMIS or DMH/Medi-Cal and maintain documentation according to those program standards of practice in Electronic Health Record – Welligent or HMIS within prescribed timeframes as outlined in SUOS documentation policy.

o Maintain consumer’s chart on EHR system by ensuring all relevant documents pertaining to client care have been scanned into attachments.

o Meet weekly, monthly and quarterly billing quota as outlined by Program Manager.

o Work cooperatively with other Service Coordinators including sharing responsibility for 24 hour on-call coverage.

o Perform all other duties as assigned.

SKILLS: Knowledge of or experience with mainstream benefits and services, mental health diagnoses and level of functioning, EBP’s such as Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care, Housing First, Harm Reduction, etc. Ability to work collaboratively with others and on a team. Initiative and solution focused practice. Uses good time management skills and resources to balance case load direct service and paperwork. Works within skills and scope of practice asking for support and training to improve abilities when needed. Ability to work as a team member on the streets, in homeless facilities or with other homeless community providers such as police, churches and hospital ER’s. Ability to engage individuals on the streets in a meaningful manner which imbues trust enough to accept services offered. Understands and promotes safety first to self and team members.

QUALIFICATIONS: Masters in Counseling Psychology or Social Work. MFT, MSW and must be license-eligible and registered with the CAL BBS. Experience working with mentally ill adults in a community setting. Case management experience is essential, also having the ability to chart patient progress to meet documentation requirements. Interview will involve a review of this ability. Candidate must have own transportation and current California driver’s license and insurance. Position requires frequent driving and transporting.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:  Work with people experiencing homelessness whether on the streets, in shelters or other places of habitation or services, may present inherent challenges and difficulties such as: exposure to bed bugs or other infestations, unpleasant smells or odors, individuals who may have poor hygiene or unclean homes due to homelessness, mental health symptoms, or poverty.   Additionally, in working with our members, employees may encounter instances of profanity, sexually explicit or derogatory language, or verbal or physical expressions of anger and trauma. Very rarely do these situations ever escalate to physical contact, and negative or derogatory communication patterns can often be negotiated successfully.   All direct care staff are provided adequate training to develop skills to deescalate crisis situations that may arise and Step Up has established procedural safeguards for all employees to mitigate (but not eliminate) these inherent risks of employment.

Please Note: This position is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU721) Bargaining Unit.

STEP UP CORE VALUES

HOPE – We believe all people have the capacity for positive growth and change. We use hope to inspire and motivate ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

WELLNESS – We believe in promoting a culture that supports healthy and fulfilling lives. We use a supportive environment to foster well-being for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

VOICE AND CHOICE – We believe in the right to choose and be heard. We use voice and choice to create meaningful outcomes and empowerment for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

RESPECT – We believe in promoting interactions that are non-judgmental, transparent. We use respect to guide all of our words and actions with ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – We believe in forming partnerships to share resources, knowledge, and experiences. We use collaborative relationships to strengthen accomplishments for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community. Step Up is committed to providing quality services that adhere to the highest ethical standards and principles. All Step Up employees agree to adhere to the ethical policies and codes of conduct, as outlined in the Employee Handbook and those specified for this grant. I can perform the functions of this job as described with or without reasonable accommodation.

Step Up provides equal employment opportunities without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, mental or physical disability, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

STEP UP IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER