Description
Position Summary
Under the supervision of the Program Manager or Staff Attorney, provide short-term case management for clients with complex behavioral health or other social service needs, support and assessment, resource identification, and other assistance necessary to ensure that clients get their basic needs met and are able to access appropriate services. Coordinate services within LASSD legal teams and other community providers. Handle complex case work.
About the Organization
Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD), the largest poverty law firm serving San Diego County since 1953, strengthens our communities by redressing our clients’ legal problems, empowering our clients to access and effectively participate within the legal, governmental and social systems and encouraging self-empowerment in the fight against poverty and injustice. LASSD continues to be a proud, committed and compassionate group of people dedicated to providing equal access to justice for San Diegans through aggressive, quality legal services. #justicebeginshere
Essential Functions:
• Interview referred clients; evaluate the nature and scope of their issues by assessing their short-term needs and problems.
• Identify needed resources; prepare documents; render legal assistance; manage a caseload.
• Assist with case assessment, strategy, and management, including case planning with clients, coordination with service providers, and advocacy for consumers at meetings.
• Refer, advise, or represent the client according to established protocols and guidelines.
• Document use of flex funds per approved policy and procedures; submit reimbursement requests timely.
• Enter required information on each case into the database and maintain the confidentiality of all information.
• Collect data documenting case work performed; track time and outcome of service intervention.
• Provide a three-month follow up survey to clients who received case management services after the case closed.
• Participate in all assigned meetings, staff development, and training as required.
• Support to non-attorney advocates through training, case review, and review of written materials related to client advice and case management.
• Assisting in the training of paralegals, law students, and volunteers as appropriate.
• Develop creative methods, litigious and non-litigious for helping resolve recurring client problems.
• Perform additional duties as requested by management.
Requirements
Qualifications:
• A bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, or related field plus at least two years of experience in substance abuse or mental health services preferred.
• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills, be self-directed and flexible, and have experience working with diverse populations including those with history of behavioral health conditions, those from culturally distinct groups, limited English proficiency, and those with disabilities. Understand trauma-informed care.
• Respond to clients in a calm, empathetic, and professional manner while directing the conversation to the pertinent issues.
• Possess the ability to communication information effectively, analyze resource needs and set a preferred course of action. Work in an interdisciplinary team with other LASSD legal teams.
• Facilitate involvement of government, social service agencies, and community-based organizations to resolve consumers’ behavioral health service needs as well as other short-term social service needs in coordination with the LASSD teams.
• Identify resources for necessary legal, social, medical, or behavioral health services; address medical and government benefit needs; serve as a navigator to link consumers with needed resources including connecting them to a medical home.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with community-based organizations and governmental workers.
• Must have a commitment to the rights and empowerment of clients.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as support team efforts, and to strategize and plan so as to timely and consistently meet contract deliverables and reporting requirements.
• Must have a valid California driver license, reliable transportation, and auto insurance.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Bilingual fluency in English and other County-designated threshold languages preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income individuals and families.
• Ability to work successfully with people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Personal recovery experience is not required, however, knowledge of client and family support groups is essential.
• Knowledge of health care, social services, behavioral health systems of care, and pertinent laws.
• Experience in providing social services including intake, interviews, and research related to legal issues, and experience in the field and understanding of related systems, laws, and regulations.
Salary and Benefits:
The CCHEA Behavioral Health Case Manager position is an hourly position with an pay range of $26.92 - $32.42. The starting hourly rate is $26.92 LASSD offers a generous benefits package, a 35-hour workweek, paid vacation leave and sick leave and 100% employer-paid medical premium, 50% employer-paid premium for dependents under LASSD health plan, as well as, dental, vision and life benefits. Staff also have the option to participate in a 403(b) retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts (FSA). LASSD has its own loan repayment program, as well as, LASSD is an eligible nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. In addition, there is a bilingual pay increase of 2% for passing an oral test and 2% passing a written test for threshold languages other than English.
LASSD is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.
Hybrid Work Environment:
Legal Aid Society of San Diego (“LASSD”) has adopted a hybrid work environment in which most staff are required to work in the office part of the week and permitted to work remotely for the remainder of the week, provided their job duties allow. All employees are issued LASSD computers and provided appropriate supplies to perform their work. LASSD has implemented and continues to explore additional technologies to make our hybrid working environment as efficient and connected as possible. All employees must be available to travel to LASSD offices and service locations throughout San Diego County as needed and in compliance with public health advisories. Applicants must reside in or near San Diego County or plan to relocate in or near the County prior to their start date and must be able to commute to the physical Legal Aid Society of San Diego office locations or service delivery locations within San Diego County. LASSD’s normal business hours are 9am-5pm, but we are open to providing flexible work schedules to the extent feasible for the position. LASSD reserves the right to change these policies at any time.
Diversity and Inclusion:
It is vitally important to LASSD that we represent the community that we serve. LASSD is a signatory to the San Diego County Bar Association’s Diversity Pledge. We pledge to promote diversity and inclusion through hiring and retention, promotion and leadership, engagement of outside counsel, and participation in legal community diversity initiatives. We strongly encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply.