Associate/Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Job Description

Job Description

SUMMARY: 
The Los Angeles Christian Health Centers (LACHC) is seeking a BBS registered associate clinical social worker (ACSW) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) to reduce the distress and improve the mental health of the homeless and underserved populations presenting with complex medical and psycho-social problems on Los Angeles, CA skid row.  The ideal candidate will increase patient accessibility to care by working on-site at least one day per week during the clinic’s extended hours. 

Since 1995, LACHC has been a source of hope and healing to thousands of homeless and low-income residents of Los Angeles County seeking care and compassion.  In 2004, LACHC became a 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center. Today, LACHC operates clinical service sites on Skid Row, East Los Angeles, and in three partner locations throughout South Los Angeles County with over 150 employees, providing medical, dental, optometric, pharmaceutical, social, and mental health services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES include:

• Assess, diagnose, and treat patient’s symptoms and dysfunctional behaviors per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual via in-person visits and telehealth (i.e., video & phone sessions).
• Provide individual and group psychotherapies to clients with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension, medication non-adherence, addiction, social and interpersonal problems, personality disorders and challenging behaviors
• Develop social assessments and formulate individualized treatment plans based on evaluation of the patient’s past, present, and future medical and socioeconomic functioning.
• Apply behavioral interventions such as motivational interviewing to increase positive outcomes and optimize patient well-being.
• Provide wellness checks (i.e., SBIRTs – Screening, Brief Intervention, & Referral to Treatment) to patients to assess their well-being and to connect them to mental health services.
• Triage patients on the mental health waitlist by calling them for SBIRTs to assess mental health conditions and needs.
• Work as a part of a multidisciplinary team alongside medical providers, nurses, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, front office staff, and case managers.
• Increase patient accessibility to care by working on-site at the clinic during the clinic’s extended hours at least one day/week. (i.e., Thurs or Fri 11:30 am - 8 pm, and/or Sun 8am - 3:30 pm).  
• Provide consultation services to multidisciplinary team members by evaluating the biopsychosocial implications of the patient’s illness when the team is assessing and planning medical treatment.
• Refer patients to institutions, support services, psychiatry, and other specialists as needed.
• Provide functional assessments in reports to the Department of Public Social Services, Department of Child and Family Services, Social Security Administration, and the Judiciary as needed.
• Provide some case management or referral to assist homeless patients with accessing vital resources such as housing, substance abuse treatment, specialty mental health care, and public benefits as needed.
• Document all assessments, diagnoses, care plans, interventions and referrals in our electronic medical records system.
• Network with community organizations for referrals, partnership, and collaboration.
• Attend community meetings and events (i.e., street fairs and outreach events) as needed.
• Assist with some administrative functions of the Mental Health Dept as needed (e.g., running daily SBIRT lists on the Relevant platform and distributing them to the team). 
• Participate in weekly individual and group supervision per BBS guidelines (as a supervisee for ACSW or as a supervisor for LCSW as needed).
• Other duties may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• CPR Certification required.
• Bi-lingual Spanish preferred.
• Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish and English preferred.

 
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in social work.
• Registered in the State of California as an associate clinical social worker (ACSW) or licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
• Minimum two years of providing mental health services (i.e., assessment, diagnosis, individual and group therapies) to homeless, mentally ill, substance addicted adult populations.
• Prior experience working at a community mental health or primary care, medical setting preferred.

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE:

• Experience with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, and Microsoft Excel preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Familiarity with medical terms and operations of clinics useful.
• Proficiency in English required, Bi-lingual/ Bi-literal Spanish preferred.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as totals, proportions, and percentages.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

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 regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be exposed to carriers of contagious diseases. The employee may have to deal with irate and irrational clients who may or may not be under the influence of mind-altering substances such as cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, etc.

The employee will have access to patient charts which contain confidential information about medical conditions and other personal matters. The employee must display a commitment to maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

WORK STATUS:
Full-time, Regular, Exempt position. Medical, Dental and Vision with 403B Retirement Plan with employer match.  Salary range : ACSW $61,835 - $92,752  LCSW $69,255 - $103,882. Equal Opportunity Employer.  Willing to consider candidates with criminal history.  Please submit your cover letter with resume to April Jones at View email address on ziprecruiter.com.