Mental Health Team Lead Clinician, Street-Based Team - C3 Skid Row

Role: Mental Health Team Lead Clinician, Street-Based Team

Reports to: Program Manager

Program: 1502-Downtown C3

Department: Outreach

Location: C3 Skid Row - 627 S. San Julian Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Setting: 100% Onsite

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm

Status: Full-time/Non-Exempt/Non-Management 

Benefits: Medical, Vision, Dental, Life Insurance, 403(b) Retirement plan, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), etc.

Openings: 1

Summary:

Under the supervision of the Clinical Program Manager, the Mental Health Team Lead provides leadership and clinical support to a small team of case managers. The Team Lead assists their team in outreaching and assessing the highest need chronically homeless individuals, and is responsible for identifying, engaging, and connecting to street medicine/psychiatry, and long-term providers. The Team Lead will focus specifically on the Skid Row area of Downtown Los Angeles, and will provide emergency and ongoing risk assessment, linkages to emergency care, medical and mental health services, and housing. The Mental Health Team Lead provides initial engagement, assessment, and triage, as well as harm reduction support to those living on the street. They will connect community members to emergency services, hospitalization, clinic-based medical and psychiatric care, shelter and ongoing services. The Harm Reduction Case Manager will assist the C3 program in being a leader in health-based harm reduction approaches to substance use.

The Mental Health Team Lead provides clinical training and support for team members, as well as fosters a supportive team setting for growth. The Team Lead will model competence in clinical and safety assessment, trauma-informed interventions, and implement a harm reduction approach to meet the needs of those living with severe mental illness, severe medical disorders, and high-risk substance use disorders. The Team Lead is also responsible for maintaining the highest quality services and efficiency of team operations including accurate, and timely referrals and documentation to meet outcome measures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Work as part of an interdisciplinary team (medical, psychiatry, case management) to engage and provide services to the most vulnerable homeless individuals sleeping on the streets of Skid Row.
• Participate in daily street-based outreach and engagement in skid row to provide resources and interventions to the most in need individuals. Assess and triage short term needs for safety, healthcare, and shelter.
• Interface with partners, including community health providers, the business community, hospitals, and social service/housing providers to professionally advocate for the complex needs of C3 clients.
• Work in collaboration with other team members to remove barriers to permanent housing; e.g., acquisition of identification, legal aid, benefits assistance, life skills acquisition.
• Serve as the team’s mental health consultant and mental health care provider. Assess for, and respond to medical, psychiatric, and safety emergencies in the skid row community.
• Facilitate daily team huddles with multidisciplinary staff. Attend weekly staff meetings, trainings, and case consultations.
• Provide leadership and support to a team of case managers to support with client care and team coordination needs.
• Provide crisis management care for individuals with a medical or psychiatric emergency. This may include assessing, participating in hospitalization, transporting individuals, and following up with hospitals to advocate for care and appropriate discharge.
• Work collaboratively as a team to remove barriers to client safety, identify appropriate services taking into account each individual’s physical, and cognitive needs.
• Provide excellent documentation and referrals in a timely manner to adhere to required outcome measures.

Qualifications: 

• Ph.D., Psy.D., Master of Social Work (MSW) , or Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT); hours are available for this position for unlicensed candidates. Those who will complete a clinical masters program within the next 12 mos. may also be eligible for this role.
  
• A clinician who is registered and in good standing with Board of Behavioral Sciences.
  
• Current, valid Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record
• Able to obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid certification
• Strong clinical assessment skills and experience working in fast-paced, unpredictable clinical settings.
  
• Highly detail oriented with excellent time management, organizational, written, verbal, interpersonal, and computer skills
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and database applications
  
• Able to learn quickly and work effectively with a wide range of constituencies
  
• Passion for meeting clients where they are, and working independently in the skid row community.
  
• Desire to lead, and work as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Strong desire to provide low-barrier clinical services with a goal to do “whatever it takes”
• Experience with working with clients with co-occurring disorders (serious mental illness and chaotic substance use)
• Familiarity and passion for Harm Reduction approaches to substance use.

Preferred Qualifications:

•  Experience working in a harm reduction setting with people actively using substances and/or sex work.
• Familiarity with the medical/psychiatric hospital and crisis response settings.
• Experience working with those experiencing homelessness or incarceration
• Applicants with past lived experience of substance use, homelessness, sex work, or incarceration encouraged to apply.

Work Environment:

• Skid Row program serving street-homeless individuals. Daily walking independently throughout Skid Row community.
  
• Combination of field, and office environments.
  
• Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, stoop, twist; occasionally lift or carry up to 35 lbs. Able to stoop/bend to engage for periods of time with people sitting and laying on the ground.
  
• Walk and drive to different local sites with or without clients (ex: hospitals, shelters, clinics, housing)
• Regularly walking distances over uneven surfaces and in encampment areas for at least 1 mile per day.
  
• Will necessitate working in busy, loud, and chaotic environment with individuals with untreated mental illness and substance use.
  
• Will be exposed to elements like cold, heat, noise and odor, as well as clients with severe medical and hygiene needs.