Job Description

Job Summary

The Mental Health Specialist ensures the delivery of quality care in accordance to the rules and regulations established by the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health for contracted agencies as well as adhering to the mission of St. Joseph Center. The position provides therapy and case management services to adults diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness and substance use disorders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Utilize a harm reduction and housing first model when working with clients to have a “No wrong door” approach to services.
• Develop and maintain strong ties to the community and other service providers.
• Provide mental health assessments, interventions, and services to individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Assist individuals, in their respective homes or at other local community-based sites assigned to caseload in the development of coordination and service plans.
• Provide therapeutic services around increasing independence and engagement in the community.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Identify clients at risk of losing housing and take appropriate measures to minimize risk by providing stabilizing services.
• Build trust and rapport with individuals.  Assess individuals and complete assessments, re-assessments, and client treatment plans that are required by agency and funders.
• Implement client treatment plans, emphasizing coordinated strategies for addressing mental health issues, medication management, and any other risk factors and provide ongoing assessment of client progress in attaining goals. 
• Provide complete documentation, meeting medical necessity, of all services and plans provided to clients.
• Document all activities for billing, adhering to a 70% productivity requirement.
• Keep highly organized files for each client and enter appropriate data within the agency and funder compliance.
• Coordinate services and collaborate with treatment team and other service providers involved in clients’ care.
• Perform general outreach services, education in the community and other duties within one’s scope of practice when assigned.
• Link clients to psychiatry services and other supportive services internally or externally.
• Provided skill building, rehabilitation, and therapy services to individuals. 
• Utilize a harm reduction model when working with clients with substance use issues.
• Utilize evidence-based practices and best practice models to meet each client’s individual needs. 
• Participate in treatment team meetings and other community meetings.
• Participate in individual clinical supervision, group supervision, and administrative supervision.

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Must be highly motivated and a self-starter.  Must have the ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse group of people including clients, community, and other staff.
• Must have excellent organizational skills and the capability to work in a fast-paced environment. 
• Willing to conduct home and field visits. 
• A bilingual background is a plus.

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience providing services to highly vulnerable populations preferred.
• Demonstrate experience with completing mental health assessments and client treatment plans using the diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5.

EDUCATION:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology, or a related field

DIRECT REPORTS:

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

COMPUTER SKILLS:

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and widely supported internet browsers.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS:

• REQUIRED: CURRENT CA BBS REGISTRATION AS AMFT, ACSW, OR APCC
• Valid California Class C Driver License
• Valid automobile liability insurance.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel to meet with clients at their homes/in the field
• Travel to meetings at multiple St. Joseph Center sites and at community partner locations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

Additional Information

Status: Full time/Exempt

Salary: DOE

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf