HybridOccasional travel within the County is required.
Social & Community ServicesCase Management & Advocacy
About the job
Requirements
A bachelor’s degree in Counseling or another advanced degree in one of the social sciences or an affiliated field; or an associate’s degree in a Human Service-related field and two years of behavioral health experience; or the experience and credentialing required for a Department of Health Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor, with at least five years of related experience.
Possess a Registered, Certified, or Licensed Agency Affiliated Counselor credential, or be able to obtain an Agency Affiliated Counselor license within 60 days of hire; Department of Health submission and processing time does not count toward this period.
Obtain a National Provider Identifier within 30 days of hire and maintain it throughout employment; must not be excluded by the state or federal Office of Inspector General or the System for Award Management from Medicare, Medicaid, or federal healthcare programs.
Maintain professional credentials required for services provided, including completing training or coursework for required continuing education credits.
Possess a valid driver’s license at hire and throughout employment.
Know housing and community resources, including federal and state benefits for which individuals may qualify.
Know challenges faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals and individuals with disabilities.
Know case management approaches, referral services, and community resources, organizations, and supports for people with mental illness.
Know the Spokane Regional Service Area System of Care, including mental health agencies and substance use disorder and recovery services.
Know common mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses.
Know applicable confidentiality requirements, policies, and procedures.
Communicate effectively orally and in writing to exchange information and give and receive work direction.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, coworkers, and community agencies and partners.
Work independently and as part of a team; exercise tact and discretion to obtain others’ cooperation; and maintain a professional demeanor in stressful or hostile situations.
Develop a therapeutic alliance with individuals receiving services, demonstrating empathy and unconditional positive regard.
Work long-term with individuals with serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders while understanding the complexity of their challenges and life stressors.
Accurately and professionally implement and document services provided to clients.
Manage a caseload of approximately 30–40 individuals.
Collaborate and coordinate with enrolled responsible providers and allied community systems.
Demonstrate effective time management in coordinating daily activities and appointments and completing paperwork.
Facilitate resolution of conflicts between clients and others.
Operate standard office equipment, including a personal computer.
Responsibilities
Coordinate services with Spokane Regional Service Area behavioral health agencies for individuals enrolled in providers’ primary behavioral health care services.
Provide direct behavioral health services to individuals enrolled in division programs.
Participate in intake interviews, assist with intake documentation, complete individual treatment plans and recovery goals according to Department of Health standards, and complete other necessary forms.
Assess program eligibility and help gather documentation for housing programs.
Design person-centered treatment plans based on individual strengths and promote a strength-based environment to help individuals meet their life goals.
Help individuals decrease isolation and depression and reduce worsening mental health symptoms.
Mail calendars and flyers to participants about upcoming events.
Conduct housing searches with individuals who face substantial barriers to independent living, advocate to prospective property managers, and advocate with the Northwest Fair Housing Alliance when individuals experience housing discrimination.
Navigate HUD paperwork to secure housing for chronically homeless, low-income, and disabled individuals and families.
Coordinate lease signings, condition reports, and moving services; schedule and facilitate moves through contracted services; and assist individuals in establishing utility services.
Maintain housing stabilization and community integration after housing goals are achieved.
Help individuals maintain housing and resolve crises, including mediating tenancy problems between individuals and property managers, such as lease violations and eviction notices.
Maintain knowledge of and collaborate with local government agencies, including the Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Motor Vehicles, Social Security Administration, immigration authorities, HUD housing programs, and Spokane Housing Authority.
Identify additional community resources that may help individuals achieve treatment-plan goals related to recovery and independent living.
Educate individuals about activities of daily living.
Connect individuals with community services, including basic health and dental care, vocational programs, legal representatives, money-management and payee resources, food banks, shelters, low-cost household items, clothing banks, fair housing resources, SNAP money management, and renter education classes.
Provide transportation for housing searches, events, and access to community resources.
Assess the severity of threats, felony charges, and weapon possession to support the safety of individuals and housing providers.
Assist with centralized community intake for placement in Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing, or Rapid Rehousing programs.
Coordinate Community Integration Program social events, including preparing monthly calendars and weekly flyers.
Meet contract requirements and minimum service productivity standards set by contracts and program management.
Complete charts, service records, Daily Service Activity Logs, monthly progress reports, Raintree data, and other documentation within service timelines and Washington State Health Care Authority, Department of Health, Managed Care Organization, and Spokane Regional Behavioral Health Consortium standards.
Ensure documentation meets medical necessity and golden-thread standards.
Use the electronic medical record to complete timely service documentation supporting medical necessity.
Audit files for accurate information.
Participate in system development and implementation meetings to ensure accurate system use.
Coordinate individual behavioral health issues with Managed Care Organizations and behavioral health partners to troubleshoot and arrange supportive services, maintain residence in the least restrictive environment, and support community safety.
Assess individuals for risk, including danger to themselves or others.
Provide appropriate care and referrals to individuals deemed at risk, including developing safety plans, contacting primary behavioral health providers or the regional crisis line, and calling 911 as needed.
Follow federal and state laws and requirements for compliance, confidentiality, and security.
Attend staff meetings and participate in agency meetings.
Communicate regularly with leadership about activities, plans, and concerns.
Complete training required by Washington Administrative Code and Revised Code of Washington timelines and attend training to improve clinical skills.
Follow Washington State and federal laws applicable to mental health practice.
Participate in community networking and support treatment-team meetings organized by other agencies.
Liaise between contracted outpatient providers and Managed Care Organizations to facilitate resources, identify challenges, and address barriers to service use.
Provide direction and guidance to individuals, contracted providers, and allied systems to align work with Community Services Division objectives and desired outcomes.
Identify solutions to non-standard requests.
Maintain collaborative working relationships with provider employees and system relationships with behavioral health and allied service systems.
Maintain records according to legal, contractual, and agency-policy requirements.
Follow Service Encounter Reporting Instructions and other contract reporting requirements.
Help set up and take down client events, shop and prepare for events, monitor clients, and document progress toward goals.
Coordinate community donations, including arranging furniture pickup.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
Experience working with individuals who have complex life issues and chronic or serious mental illness.
Note: Current Employees must use the Workday Dashboard career section to apply for this position.
WHO MAY APPLY: This recruitment is open to all applicants meeting the minimum requirements. Priority consideration will be given to Spokane County employees in a position covered by the 1553 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) submitting applications between 7/16/26 and 7/23/26.
The position allocated to this class provides medically necessary behavioral health case management and individualized support services for adults diagnosed with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders. Incumbents provide direct behavioral health services to assist program participants in obtaining housing, facilitating independent living, enhancing community integration, and improving participant quality of life through achievement of treatment goals. Work is performed independently, within well-defined guidelines, under the direction of the Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Manager. Duties are performed both in the office and in the field and require detailed documentation. Positions of this class differ from those of Housing and Community Support Specialist 2 classification by degree and experience requirements and assigned duties.
Job Description:
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Coordinates services with the Spokane Regional Service Area (RSA) behavioral health agencies for individuals enrolled in primary behavioral health care services with the providers.
Provides direct behavioral health services to individuals enrolled in division programs.
Participates in intake interviews; assists in completion of intake documentation; completes individual treatment plan-recovery goals, per Department of Health (DOH) standards; and completes all other necessary forms.
Assesses individuals for program eligibility and assists in gathering necessary documentation for housing programs.
Designs person-centered treatment plans based upon individual strengths; encourages and promotes a strength-based environment to assist individuals in meeting their individual life goals.
Assists individuals with decreasing isolation, depression and the exacerbation of other mental health symptoms.
Mails calendars and flyers to participants of upcoming events.
Conducts housing searches with individuals who may have substantial barriers to independent living, to secure placement in safe and satisfactory housing; advocates to prospective property management; advocates with Northwest Fair Housing Alliance for individual rights if a person is being discriminated against when attempting to obtain housing.
Navigates complex HUD paperwork for access to housing for chronically homeless, low income, disabled individuals/families.
Orchestrates lease signing, condition reports, and coordination of moving services; schedules and facilitates physical moves through contracted moving services; and assists individual in establishing utility services.
Maintains stabilization and integration into the community once housing goals have been achieved.
Assists individuals in maintaining their housing arrangement and in resolving crisis situations; mediates between individuals and property management with tenancy problems as they arise, (e.g. lease violations, eviction notices, etc.).
Maintains knowledge of and regularly collaborates with local governmental agencies (e.g. Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Motor Vehicles, Social Security Administration, Immigration Authorities, HUD housing programs and Spokane Housing Authority).
Determines additional community resources necessary and/or helpful in assisting an individual in reaching their treatment plan goals in recovery and independent living.
Educates individuals on activities of daily living.
Connects individuals to services in the community for basic health and dental services, vocational programs, legal representatives, money management including payee resources, food banks, shelters, low cost household items, clothing banks, Fair Housing, SNAP money management program, Responsible Renters class, etc.
Provides transportation for housing searches, attendance at various events and access to community resources.
Assesses severity of threats, felony charges and possession of weapons for safety of individual and housing providers.
Assists with the Community Centralize Individual/Family intake process for placement of Permanent Supportive Housing, Transitional Housing or Rapid Rehousing programs.
Coordinates all Community Integration Program (CIP) social events, including preparation and completion of monthly calendar and weekly fliers.
Complies will all contract requirements, meets minimum standards for service productivity as established by contracts and program management.
Completes all necessary documentation, including charts, records of service, Daily Service Activity Logs (SAL), monthly progress reports, Raintree data information, etc. within the timelines established for service delivery and to meet the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), DOH, Managed Care Organization (MCO), and SCRBH (ASO) standards.
Ensures all pertinent documentation meets medical necessity and golden thread standards.
Utilizes the Electronic Medical Record to complete service documentation in a timely manner while supporting medical necessity.
Audits files to ensure accuracy of information.
Participates in development and implementation meetings to ensure the accurate usage of the system.
Coordinates and collaborates all individual behavioral health issues to the MCOs and behavioral health partners in a timely manner to troubleshoot and coordinate appropriate supportive services for individuals, to maintain residence in a least restrictive environment, to ensure safety of the individual in the community.
Assesses individuals for risk, including danger to self or others.
Provides appropriate care and referral to individuals deemed at risk, including, but not limited to: developing a safety plan, contacting the individual’s primary behavioral health care provider, contacting the regional behavioral health crisis line, and contacting 911.
Follows federal and state laws on compliance, confidentiality, and security protocol.
Participates as a team member of the Agency by attending staff meetings and actively participating in agency meetings.
Communicates regularly with leadership to keep them abreast of activities, plans, and concerns.
Completes all training required by the WAC and RCW’s within the required time frames and attends training to improve clinical skills.
Follows the laws of the State of Washington and the federal government as they pertain to mental health practice.
Encourages and participates in community networking.
Supports treatment team meetings developed by other agencies.
Works closely with and acts as liaison between contracted outpatient providers and MCOs to facilitate resources and to assist in identifying challenges and addressing barriers to utilization.
Provides direction and guidance to individuals, contracted providers, and allied systems to ensure alignment with the CSD mission and desired outcomes.
Identifies solutions to non-standard requests.
Maintains collaborative and collegial working relations with all provider employees.
Builds and maintains strong system working relations with the behavioral health delivery system and with allied service systems.
Maintains records in accordance with requirements of law, contractual requirements and agency policy.
Adheres to Service Encounter Reporting Instructions and other contract reporting requirements.
Assists with setting up and tearing down client events; shopping, organizing and preparing for client events; and monitoring clients at events and documenting progress towards goals.
Coordinates community donations, including arranging furniture pick up, etc.
Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor’s degree in Counseling or other advanced degree in one of the social sciences or an affiliated field, or
Associate’s degree in a Human Service-related field and two (2) years of experience in the behavioral health field, or
Meeting the experience and credentialing requirements under Department of Health (DOH) Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) pursuant to RCW 18.19, with at least five (5) years of related experience, which may include experience gained as a student intern, juvenile rehabilitation counselor, or peer counselor- preferably in the field of Mental Health or providing Behavioral Health service and/or crisis intervention services.
Possession of Registered, Certified or Licensed Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) Credential pursuant to RCW 18.19 and RCW 71.05.020 and/or ability to gain an AAC License within sixty (60) days of hire. Submission and processing time by DOH do not count toward sixty-day requirement.
Prefer experience working with individuals with complex life issues who have chronic or serious mental illness.
Obtain National Provider Identifier (NPI) within 30 days of hire and maintain throughout employment. May not be a State or Federal (OIG) and System for Award Management (SAM) excluded provider, in any capacity for the Medicare, Medicaid, and all Federal healthcare programs.
Maintain professional credentials required for the service being provided, including the completion of training or coursework to receive any required Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits needed to maintain the credentials.
Possession of a valid driver's license at time of hire and for the duration of employment
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of housing and other community resources, including federal and state entitled benefits individuals may qualify for.
Knowledge of challenges faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged or individuals with disabilities.
Knowledge of case management approaches, service referral and available community resources, organizations and supports for the mentally ill.
Knowledge of the Spokane RSA System of Care including mental health agencies and substance use disorder and recovery services.
Knowledge of common mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses.
Knowledge of relevant confidentiality requirements, policies and procedures.
Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.
Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with clients, co-workers and community agencies/partners.
Ability to deal with the public in a pleasant, courteous and calm manner, often under stressful situations.
Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.
Ability to accept persons who may be different from yourself.
Ability to exercise tact and discretion in obtaining cooperation of others.
Ability to maintain a professional demeanor during stressful and/or hostile situations.
Ability to develop a therapeutic alliance with individuals in services, demonstrating empathy and unconditional positive regard.
Ability to work on a long-term basis with individuals with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders understanding the complexity of challenges and life stressors each individual experience(s).
Ability to understand modest achievements demonstrate progress for individuals with serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders.
Ability to accurately and professionally implement and document the services provided to clients.
Ability to manage a caseload of approximately 30-40 individuals.
Ability to collaborate and coordinate with Enrolled Responsible providers and allied systems in the community.
Ability to demonstrate effective time management skills in coordinating daily activities, appointments and completing necessary paperwork.
Ability to facilitate effective resolution of conflicts between clients and others.
Ability to operate standard office equipment, including a personal computer.
BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS
All County employees are responsible for contributing to a safe and positive work environment, actively demonstrating the County values in their daily work and interactions:
Respect: Appreciating and valuing customers, other County employees and County leadership by showing courtesy, friendliness and fairness. Communicating in a productive and professional manner.
Accountability: Honoring and delivering on commitments by taking responsibility for personal actions and results; being a responsible steward of public resources and the trust County residents have placed in each of us.
Integrity: Modelling transparent and ethical behavior and demonstrating it with honest and trustworthy behaviors and actions; leading by example and performing work to the highest standards.
Innovation: Striving for excellence by actively pursuing opportunities for new and improved methods, procedures or technologies; fostering an environment of engagement and empowerment and embracing continuous improvement.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The work environment is primarily inside, where the noise and temperature levels are moderate.
Work is also performed outdoors and requires occasional travel within the County, exposing the employee to weather extremes, various forms of precipitation and the hazards associated with travel on public roads.
Total Compensation:
$81,762 - $113,871 Annually
Total compensation is an estimate based upon base compensation, median retirement fund contributions, and current employer-paid health and related benefit contribution rates (including medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, and leave). The actual total will vary depending upon each employee's enrollment choices.
Please select the link below to view Spokane County Benefits: