Mental Health Specialist

Pay Rate

USD $32.90/Hr.

Why Join Us

You believe that every person deserves a place to call home. You see that homelessness is a systemic issue and want to be a part of the solution. You are ready to utilize your talent, experience, and creativity towards purpose-driven work. You want to work alongside industry leaders to learn, implement, and pioneer best practices.

LA Family Housing is a leading non-profit agency in Homeless Services and Real Estate Development. With 40 years of experience and 15,000+ lives changed each year, we know what it takes to end homelessness. We take tremendous pride in the emergence of our staff as national leaders in innovation, best practices, and policy within housing production and homeless services. Join the fight to end homelessness and make a difference in people’s lives at LA Family Housing!

The Position

The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) is responsible for providing direct clinical intervention to participants (families and individual adults) in Interim Housing Site(s) or as part of a street-based Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The MHS will identify participants needing mental health services through assessments, referrals, and coordination of care with partner agencies. The MHS will connect participants to community based and mental health care, provide crisis prevention and intervention, recommend level of care options, and support participants by utilizing evidenced based clinical modalities The MHS will provide in-person individual one-on-one care and lead groups. The MHS will also support their team by consulting on cases, providing recommendations for services and modeling appropriate interventions with members of their multidisciplinary team. The MHS must be able to complete thorough clinical assessment, maintain accurate clinical documentation, and collaborate closely with various community-based programs connected to the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Department of Health Services (DHS). 

What You'll Do

• 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
• Utilizes Harm Reduction, Housing First, Low Barrier and Trauma Informed Care philosophies when working with individuals experiencing homelessness
• 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
• Coordinate services with other non-clinical staff including:
  • Co-facilitating meetings
  • Organize participant mental health events
  • Provide guidance, direction, and clinical support through case consultations
  • Provide training for social services staff (in coordination with Supervisor)
• Provides crisis intervention and conflict management techniques
• Provides support with medication monitoring services, to help participants take medications correctly and promote healthy and wellness
• Provides task supervision to MSW interns and utilize the interns in providing support to participants serving as a Preceptor or Field Instructor to MSW or MFT interns as needed
• Assists in onboarding activities for MHS new-hires related to mental health assessment, documentation, linkage, and safety procedures
• Ensures that referrals are completed; provide advocacy as needed
• Maintains thorough and accurate records in both written form and through HMIS/CHAMP
• Attend various regular staff, agency. and community meetings as designated by supervisor
• Drive 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

What You're Skilled At

• 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
• Clinical experience in working with participants with multiple diagnoses including mental illness, substance abuse and/or physical illness
• Knowledge of DSM-5 required (attained either from schoolwork or work experience)
• 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
• Ability to be flexible and work in an environment subject to ongoing change
• Able to maintain and execute confidential information according to HIPAA standards
• Obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid Certification
• Ability 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
• Ability 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.
• Licensing hours will be offered once BBS registration and ASW/MFT/LPCC practice number have been confirmed.

Alternatively, 

• Candidates in their final semester of an MSW/MFT program or eligible Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) program with proof of expected graduation date are also eligible. In this case, the ACSW, MFT or LPCC practice number from BBS must be obtained within six months of graduation.
• Licensing hours will be offered once BBS registration and ASW/MFT/LPCC practice number have been confirmed.

What We Offer

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 Eligibility, Professional Development Funds, Emergency Funds, and more!

Physical Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Potential physical demands include but are not limited to: walking, climbing stairs, handling, finger/grasp/feel objects and equipment, reaching, communicating, being mobile, repetitive motions, visual activity, driving, and entering buildings. Comfortable working in a pet-friendly environment required. If an accommodation is needed, please inform the Human Resources Department.

Equal Employment Opportunity

LAFH is committed and proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

Fair Chance Act

LA Family Housing will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if LA Family Housing is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s Fair Chance Act webpage.