Mental Health Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, and education services are carried out at four sites on the Westside of Los Angeles.  St. Joseph Center’s integrated programs provide clients with concentrated and coordinated access to services according to the nature of their needs.

St. Joseph Center (SJC) is a nonprofit organization and is the leading housing and supportive services provider on the Westside of Los Angeles.  For nearly five decades, our mission has been to end homelessness and poverty in Los Angeles.  We work at the intersection of housing, economic mobility and social justice. We provide comprehensive housing services, outreach, food assistance, mental health support, and workforce development to over 15,000 low-income individuals, youth, and families each year.

We understand that homelessness, housing insecurity and poverty in Los Angeles are unique, largely shaped by the critical housing shortage.  That’s why we take a holistic approach to supporting Angelenos in need, prioritizing Housing First while recognizing that housing alone is not enough to support individuals and families on their path to build a sustainable and productive future.

We are looking for people who, like us, believe in the inherent worth of every individual.  And understand that homelessness and poverty are often a result of circumstances, not a reflection of character. We are on a bold mission to end poverty and homelessness in our generation and are deeply committed to finding long-term solutions to shape a future for Los Angeles that works for all.

At St. Joseph Center we are committed to creating a culture where innovation flourishes, diversity strengthens us, and our strong SJC community contributes to our shared mission.

Job Summary

The Mental Health Specialist works as a team member multi-disciplinary homeless street outreach team, in collaboration with social service professionals, ensuring the delivery of quality care in accordance to the rules and regulations established by the Los Angeles Department of Health Services for contracted agencies, as well as adhering to the mission of St. Joseph Center. The E6 MDT Mental Health Specialist will use the “whatever it takes” approach and strong clinical lens to help people experiencing homelessness get connected to resources, and mental health supportive services, in order to obtain permanent housing.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Mental Health Specialist’s key areas of responsibility include: 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Provide street based outreach, navigation, and mental health support to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Provide support and assistance to clients with accessing resources in the community. Establish and maintain professional and positive relationships with staff, clients, and community providers.
• Provide mental health assessment and interventions to the severe and persistently mentally ill.
• Link clients to appropriate bridge/interim housing programs and assist them in completing required paperwork in order to enroll them in permanent housing programs.
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, conferences, program evaluation and program development.

Essential Duties:

• Implement case management service plan goals, emphasizing coordinated strategies for addressing mental health/substance abuse issues, relapse prevention, medication management, and any other risk factors that could impede permanent housing and provide ongoing assessment of client progress in attaining goals.      
• Build trust and rapport with individuals experiencing homelessness.  Assess homeless individuals utilizing the DSM-V.
• Utilize a harm reduction model when working with clients with chemical dependency or abuse issues.
• Link clients to appropriate bridge/interim housing programs and assist them in completing required paperwork in order to enroll them in permanent housing-related programs.
• Keep highly organized files for each client and enter appropriate data into the region’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
• Assist clients to enroll in mainstream benefits and obtain identification (i.e. California Driver’s License, Social Security Card).
• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle to perform the essential functions of the position, which includes transporting clients in company vehicles.
• Provide bus tokens, bus passes, taxi vouchers, and/or direct transportation as needed. 
• Perform daily follow-ups and wellness checks on existing clients and on all new referrals.
• Participate in SPA 5 case conferencing meetings and other community meetings.
• Coordinate with other outreach teams in joint outreach efforts and attend to special requests from the Coordinated Entry Systems Team.

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Must be highly motivated and a self-starter.  The ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse group of people including clients, community, and other staff.  Must have excellent organizational skills and the capability to work in a fast paced environment.   
• Strong knowledge of homeless services and resources.  Demonstrated knowledge and experience with Harm Reduction, Motivational Interviewing, Housing First, and Critical Time Intervention.

Experience:

• Two years’ experience providing street-based services to highly vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrate experience with providing mental health assessments using diagnostic criteria from the DSM-V

Education:

• Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in social work, human services or a related field.

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.
• Ability to accurately enter data in to L.A. County, and St. Joseph Center databases

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• BBS licensure or current registration.

Travel Requirements:

• Access to reliable transportation. 
• Travel to trainings around L.A. County, and will need to be mobile within SPA-5.

Work Environment:

The work environment will be primarily field-based in the Los Angeles Service Planning Area 5. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment in the office is usually moderate, the work environment in the field can vary depending on where a client may be.

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 frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

Benefits: Excellent benefits package available.

Status: Full time/Exempt

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.