Behavioral Health Advocate-Gulf Coast Work Force Soultions

Behavioral Health Advocate

Are you looking for an opportunity to advance your career while working with an extraordinary team?

At Merakey, we put heart and soul into everything we do!

The Behavioral Health Advocate (BHA) engages participants where they are—community hubs, mobile outreach sites, and accessible virtual platforms—to motivate, educate, and navigate individuals toward the right supports at the right time. Using motivational interviewing, brief psychoeducation, and barrier-removal strategies, the BHA coordinates closed-loop referrals to mental health and substance use treatment, case management, peer support, housing, food/utility assistance, childcare, and legal aid. The BHA partners closely with LCSWs and Career Specialists to ensure no participant falls through the cracks and that behavioral health supports align with employment goals. Services are tailored for both adults and transitional-age youth (TAY) with age-appropriate engagement approaches.

Earn: $37.50/hour

General Duties and Responsibilities:

• Engagement & Relationship-Building
• Proactively reach participants via in-person, mobile, and virtual methods; use motivational interviewing to build trust and readiness for change.
• Tailor engagement to adults and TAY, adapting language, pacing, and tools to developmental needs.
• Navigation & Barrier Resolution
• Identify social and behavioral barriers to employment; coordinate linkage to MH/SUD treatment, peer support, housing assistance, food/utility resources, childcare, transportation, and legal aid.
• Execute warm handoffs; confirm appointments, address logistics (IDs, benefits, forms), and follow up to ensure services were received.
• Psychoeducation & Skills Support
• Deliver brief psychoeducation on topics like stress management, relapse prevention basics, sleep hygiene, and coping skills that support job readiness/retention

Benefits

Merakey offers generous benefits that promote well-being, financial security, and work-life balance, including:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus access to healthcare advocacy support.
• Retirement plan -- both pre-tax and Roth (after-tax) options available for employee contributions.
• DailyPay -- access your pay when you need it!
• On the Goga well-being platform, featuring self-care tools and resources.
• Access Care.com for backup childcare, elder care, and household services.
• Confidential counseling, legal, and financial services through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Tuition reimbursement and educational partnerships.
• Employee discounts and savings programs on entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
• Access to Pryor Online Learning for free online personal development classes.

About Merakey

Merakey is a non-profit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services. More than 8,000 employees provide support to nearly 40,000 individuals and families throughout 12 states across the country each year. Merakey strictly follows a zero-tolerance policy for abuse.

Merakey is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer! We deeply value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ethnic background, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or disability status. Moreover, we are committed to creating teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Merakey welcomes all Veterans to apply!

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Master's degree or higher in a generally recognized clinical discipline.
• Texas LMSW/LPC-Associate Preferred to be registered, licensed, or certified to practice if applicable.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel across the service area.
• 1 year of mental health, paid or unpaid experience
• Knowledge and understanding of severe mental illness, recovery principles and recovery driven service system

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated skill in motivational interviewing, trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice.
• Knowledge of Gulf Coast community resources (MH/SUD, housing, benefits, reentry, DV, youth/young adult services).
• Proficiency with EHR/documentation and secure virtual engagement platforms.
• Certifications such as MHFA, CPI/nonviolent crisis intervention, CPR/First Aid.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred