Social & Community ServicesCase Management & Advocacy
About the job
Requirements
Lived experience with mental health or substance use recovery, or the criminal justice system.
Experience working with culturally diverse populations.
A valid California driver's license, proof of insurance, and a personal vehicle; ability to transport clients in the personal vehicle as needed.
Must not be on any type of legal supervision, including probation or parole.
Verification of employment eligibility and a background check are required.
Basic computer skills.
Spanish-speaking ability.
Empathy and strong communication and relationship-building skills.
Cultural competence and sensitivity to individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying needs.
Persistence and optimism when navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles.
Adaptability and responsiveness to changing circumstances, priorities, and client needs.
Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Organization, task prioritization, and attention to detail.
Ability to proactively provide team support and manage a daily schedule.
Maintain an active license and/or registrations as applicable, such as BBS or CCAPP.
Ability to perform complex and varied tasks, synthesize information, and make decisions without immediate supervision.
Ability to handle routine distractions, interruptions, noise, and uncontrollable changes in priorities or work schedules.
Ability to interact professionally and diplomatically in high-stress situations, create and follow plans, and meet deadlines.
Ability to walk, stand, climb stairs or use a mobility device as needed, drive, carry up to 20 pounds, listen, and speak.
Responsibilities
Assist clients in safely attending community and linkage appointments.
Accompany clients into the field and assist with linkage to needed community resources.
Pick clients up from LA County Jail and support the team in welcoming them as their first agency contact.
Assist clients using de-escalation and problem-solving skills, and escalate client issues to a supervisor or emergency personnel as appropriate.
Communicate with treatment team members about scheduled appointments and client observations, concerns, or requests.
Treat clients and community partners in a friendly and professional manner.
Complete scheduled administrative runs and pickups, including transporting medications and program supplies.
Train new case managers on the jail pickup process.
Follow traffic safety laws and use defensive driving techniques to minimize accidents and incidents.
Share lived experiences and successes related to homelessness, incarceration, substance use, and mental health recovery when appropriate.
Encourage clients to develop and participate in meaningful community roles, such as family reunification, employment or volunteerism, and community groups.
Teach clients community independence skills, including prosocial communication, navigating public transit, and organization, through modeling and prompts.
Use Motivational Interviewing techniques to engage clients in treatment, especially after release from custody.
Deliver services consistent with ethical standards and a harm-reduction, strengths-based, trauma-informed framework.
Build rapport and maintain active communication with case managers to proactively provide transportation and client-liaising support.
Conduct regular provider check-ins to build rapport, obtain updated information, and support client success.
Provide general assistance to clients with housing-navigation documentation.
Assist with creating documents, acquiring signatures and medication information, and storing them appropriately.
Coordinate jail pickups in collaboration with, or in the absence of, the Program Coordinator.
Manage client supply distribution, including hygiene kits, Narcan, and clothing, and manage the Project 180 donation stockroom.
Maintain an up-to-date Google calendar of tasks and assignments.
Maintain regular attendance; occasional holiday or weekend work may be required.
Uphold the agency mission, values, policies, procedures, and principles.
Perform other duties as needed.
Desired Qualifications
Experience working with people with mental health needs, in the criminal legal system, and/or with the homeless population.
SSG-Project 180 turns lives around through innovative, wraparound services that keep people out of institutions and in their communities. Project 180 is a leader in the forensic treatment space, offering high-quality, specialized treatment programs that serve thousands of justice-involved individuals. Our programs span criminal justice intercepts and include pre-arrest interventions, court-based diversions, jail in-reach, and intensive post-release services. Project 180 operates in partnership with County agencies including the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Department of Health Services (DHS), and the Justice, Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD).
The Program
The Rapid Diversion Program (RDP) is a County-operated program that diverts criminal defendants out of the criminal legal system at the early stages of the court process. The program provides in-court mental health evaluation, linkage to treatment services, and case management support to participants, whose criminal case is dismissed upon successful program completion.
The Position
The Peer Navigator provides peer to peer support and counseling drawing from lived experience to target recovery goals. The Peer Navigator supports clients in increasing community engagement and independence in their activities of daily living, primarily through transportation services. The Peer Navigator reports to the Program Supervisor. A successful Peer Navigator is able to develop unique connections to the clients we serve and stewards clients in making progress towards their personal recovery goals.
Essential Functions
Assist clients in safely attending community and linkage appointments
Accompany clients into the field and assist with linkage to needed community resources.
Pick clients up from LA County Jail and support the team with welcoming them, as the first agency contact they have.
Assist clients through use of deescalation and problem solving skills. Escalate client issues to supervisor or emergency personnel as appropriate.
Actively communicate with treatment team members regarding scheduled appointments and any client observations, concerns or requests.
Provide excellent customer service by treating clients and community partners in a friendly and professional manner.
Complete other administrative runs/pickups (i.e. transporting medications and program supplies) as scheduled.
Provide training to new case managers on the jail pick-up process
Follow traffic safety laws and engage in defensive driving techniques to minimize the risk of accidents and incidents.
Provide peer-to-peer support and counseling drawing from lived experience
Shares life experiences and successes with history of homelessness, incarceration and substance use and mental health recovery when appropriate
Encourage clients in the development of and active participation in meaningful roles in the community (i.e. family reunification, employment/volunteerism, participation in community groups).
Teach clients skills for community independence (i.e. prosocial communication, navigating public transit, organization, etc.) through modeling and prompts.
Use Motivational Interviewing techniques to engage clients in treatment engagement, especially upon release from custody
Service delivery is consistent with ethical standards and a harm reduction, strength based, trauma informed framework.
Provider & Team Rapport
Build strong rapport with case managers and active communication lines to proactively provide transportation and client liaising support
Conduct regular provider check-ins to build rapport, acquire updated information, and support client success
Demonstrate flexibility in taking on tasks as well as a collaborative team spirit
Provide general administrative support
Provide general assistance to clients with housing navigation documentation
Provide assistance with creating documents, acquiring signatures and medication information, and storing them appropriately
Provide jail pick-up coordination support in collaboration with and absence of the Program Coordinator
Manage client supply distribution (hygiene kits, Narcan, clothing etc.) and the P180 donation stockroom
Keep an up to date Google calendar with all tasks and assignments
Fulfill baseline Project 180 staff expectations
Regular attendance required. Though highly unlikely, holiday or weekend work may be required.
Maintain and uphold Agency mission statement, values, policies, procedures, and principles.
Perform other duties as needed.
Maintain active license and/or registrations as applicable (i.e. BBS, CCAPP).
Skills and Abilities
Empathetic with strong communication and relationship-building skills.
Culturally competent and sensitive to individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying needs.
Collaborative team player with a strong willingness to support team operations and shared goals.
Persistent and optimistic when navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles.
Adaptable and responsive to changing circumstances, priorities, and client needs in a dynamic environment.
Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Flexible and willing to adjust to evolving demands, assignments, and operational needs.
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities, prioritize tasks, and maintain attention to detail.
Proactive in providing support to the team and managing daily schedule
Minimum Qualifications
Required:
Lived experience with mental health/substance use recovery or the criminal justice system.
Experience working with culturally diverse populations.
Valid CA driver’s license, proof of insurance and own vehicle required. Ability to transport clients in personal vehicle as needed.
Must not be on any type of legal supervision (probation or parole).
Verification of Employment Eligibility and Background Check.
Basic computer skills
Spanish speaking
Preferred:
Experience working with mental health, criminal legal system and/or homeless population.
Supervisory Responsibilities
None
Environmental Conditions (Working Conditions)
Job duties are to be performed both in office and field settings.
Physical Requirements
The employee is expected to move about the worksite throughout the day, which may involve walking, standing, and climbing stairs, or using a mobility device, or similar. The employee is expected to drive, carry a maximum of 20 lbs, listen, and speak in order to complete job requirements.
Mental Requirements
The employee must be able to do any/all of the following: perform complex and varied tasks such as synthesizing information and making decisions without immediate supervision; handle routine distractions, interruptions, noise, and uncontrollable changes in priorities/work schedules; interact professionally and diplomatically in high-stress situations; create and follow plans; meet deadlines.