Patient Rights Advocate Level 2 (Sacramento)

Job Description

Job Description

Department : Patients’ Right Advocate Sacramento County Team 
Reports To: Program Director 
FLSA Status: Full time, Non-Exempt 
Work Location : Sacramento County Facilities and Community Locations; Travel Required 
Schedule : Full-time, typically Monday- Friday; 37.5 hours per week. 

Position Summary
The Patients’ Rights Advocate II represents the expressed interests of behavioral health clients in Sacramento County through rights advocacy, complaint investigation, facility monitoring, and hearing representation. As an advanced-level advocate, the PRA II independently manages complex or sensitive matters, applies sound judgment, and serves as a peer resource to less-experienced advocates. This is a non-supervisory position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Represent clients expressed wishes at Certification Review hearings, Riese capacity hearings, and other assigned proceedings under the California Welfare and Institutions Code. 
• Independently prepare for and manage complex, sensitive, or high-conflict hearings and advocacy matters in accordance with legal, contractual, and organizational requirements. 
• Receive and investigate complaints regarding abuse, unreasonable denial, or punitive withholding of rights under W&I Code section 5325 and Title 9 CCR. Begin investigations as soon as possible and within two working days. 
• Seek timely complaint resolution and escalate matters that remain unresolved within five working days. Elevate legal uncertainty, recurring facility barriers, or potential compliance concerns to the PRA Lead, Program Director, or California Office of Patients’ Rights, as required. 
• Monitor designated facilities for compliance with patient rights notification and posting requirements. Document and report violations through established channels. 
• Provide training and education to facility staff and community partners regarding patients’ rights and mental health law, as requested. 
• Provide informal guidance, shadowing, onboarding, and training support to PRA I staff without assigning work or assuming supervisory authority. 
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case documentation and timekeeping. Review and respond to incoming calls and voicemails. 
• Identify recurring advocacy barriers, complaint trends, and potential process improvements and report them to program leadership. 
• Maintain professional public relations and represent SWS at community meetings 
as directed. 
• Perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the classification.

Required Qualifications
• Minimum of two years of experience in patients’ rights advocacy, peer advocacy, behavioral health, legal support, or related client services. 
• Working knowledge of California patients’ rights protections, LPS processes, the W&I Code, and Title 9 CCR, with demonstrated ability to independently manage complex hearings and investigations. 
• Knowledge of and commitment to self-help philosophy, peer-driven advocacy 
values, and client-directed representation. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to represent clients in formal hearings. 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, recognize when escalation is required, manage conflict, and remain professional in acute settings. 
• Ability to provide respectful peer guidance without assuming supervisory authority. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and basic data systems. 
• Willingness to travel throughout Sacramento County and conduct fieldwork. 
• Valid California driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, and an acceptable driving record. 
• Successful completion of a DOJ background check.

Preferred Qualifications
• Lived experience as a consumer of mental health services or an immediate family member of a consumer. 
• California patients’ rights experience involving formal hearings, complex investigations, peer mentoring, onboarding, or training. 
• Bilingual skills relevant to Sacramento County communities. 

Work Environment
• Work is performed primarily in psychiatric hospitals, emergency departments, crisis units, residential facilities, and other community settings. 
• Frequent interaction with clients experiencing crises and exposure to high conflict situations and secure environments. 
• Regular travel between multiple locations is required. 

Physical Requirements
• Ability to sit for hearings, travel between locations, walk through facility units, and complete site-monitoring activities. 
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds, including files, laptops, and program materials. 

Compliance and Performance Expectations
• Advocacy must remain client directed. The advocate represents the client’s expressed interests, not the advocate’s opinion. 
• Confidentiality and HIPAA compliance are mandatory. Unauthorized disclosure of client information is prohibited. 
• Investigations and escalations must comply with contractual timelines, including the two-working-day investigation requirement and five-working-day escalation threshold. 
• Reporting and documentation must be accurate, complete, and submitted within required timelines. 
• Follow the SWS Employee Handbook, program procedures, and applicable facility rules while onsite