Justice Involved Liaison

Job Description

Job Description

Empowering Wellness, Transforming Lives

Optima Medical Management Group is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life by promoting wellness. At Optima MMG and all of its divisions: Serene Health, Community Support, and American TrueCare, our mission is to provide comprehensive support and care that not only addresses immediate concerns but also fosters long-term well-being.

As pioneers in the field, we aspire to lead in member care outcomes and set new standards for excellence and innovation. We are committed to empowering our members to achieve self-sufficiency in health, creating a ripple effect that strengthens families and communities.

Our work culture at Optima MMG is built on pride, passion, and a collective commitment to making a positive difference in people's lives. Our team members are dedicated problem-solvers who bring their unique skills and perspectives to the table. We believe that by fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, we can unlock the full potential of our team and, in turn, provide the best possible care to our members.

A career at Optima MMG is an opportunity to be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking organization. We encourage continuous learning and professional growth, providing our employees with access to industry experts, cutting-edge technologies, and a supportive community that values each individual's contributions. Join us on this journey to not only advance your career but to be a driving force in transforming lives and communities through passionate and fulfilling work!

Job Summary:  

The Justice-Involved Liaison (JIL) supports California's Enhanced Care Management (ECM) program by coordinating care for justice-involved members, including individuals transitioning from county jail, state prison, probation, parole, reentry programs, and diversion settings. This role serves as the primary bridge between ECM care teams and justice system partners to ensure safe, timely, and compliant care transitions, linkage to services, and continuity of behavioral health and physical health care. 

The Justice-Involved Liaison is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with county and community justice partners, supporting referral pipelines, and ensuring ECM members receive appropriate care coordination, warm handoffs, and post-release engagement. 

 

Responsibilities:  

• Serve as the primary ECM liaison to justice-involved entities including county jail discharge planners, probation and parole officers, public defenders and court diversion teams, county reentry coalitions, and community-based reentry providers. 

• Support pre-release planning when available and coordinate post-release engagement within ECM timelines. 

• Conduct warm handoffs and care transition coordination to primary care, behavioral health providers, SUD treatment, MAT providers, housing supports, and social services. 

• Partner with ECM Lead Care Managers (LCMs), RNs, and behavioral health clinicians to support justice-involved members with care plan development, appointment scheduling, follow-up, medication continuity, and refill access. 

• Coordinate services for high-risk individuals with complex needs including homelessness, serious mental illness, and substance use disorder. 

• Build and maintain a network of reentry partners including FQHCs and county clinics, community mental health, SUD treatment providers, shelters and transitional housing programs, and workforce/benefits programs. 

• Maintain an updated partner directory and referral workflows. 

• Document all member outreach, coordination activities, and partner interactions in the ECM system according to program requirements. 

• Ensure compliance with confidentiality and consent requirements including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 (when applicable), and county/justice partner data sharing protocols. 

• Participate in audits, reporting, and internal quality reviews. 

• Track key performance indicators including referral volume from justice settings, engagement rates post-release, timely follow-up completion, and barriers to care (housing, medication access, transportation). 

• Support training for internal ECM staff on justice-involved workflows and best practices. 

• Assist leadership with county-specific strategy development and operational rollout. 

• Perform additional duties as assigned. 

Education and Experience:  

• Associate's degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred. 

• 7+ years sales experience required. 

• Strong experience in establishing and maintaining relationships, preferably with community partners. 

• Strong understanding of California community-based service networks. 

• Ability to work independently in the field, including visiting community partners and member locations. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

• Must have a valid California driver's license and valid auto insurance required. 

Required Skills/Abilities:  

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, customer service and organizational. 

• Ability to communicate effectively with insurance companies, healthcare providers, and patients. 

• Familiarity with Serene Health and mission and populations served. 

• Comfortable representing the company and interacting in a public environment. 

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 

• Bilingual skills are a plus. 

Preferred Skills/Abilities:  

• Experience working directly with Medi-Cal populations and/or CalAIM ECM programs. 

• Experience collaborating with county behavioral health departments, jail/prison discharge planning, and reentry initiatives. 

• Familiarity with Whole Person Care, CalAIM, Community Supports (CS), and reentry workflows. 

• Trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, crisis de-escalation, and relationship-based engagement. 

• Navigation across justice, healthcare, and housing systems. 

• Strong follow-through with disciplined documentation. 

• Bilingual Spanish preferred. 

Work Environment: