With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential. 

AGENCY DESCRIPTION

The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) is comprised of the Division of Behavioral Health (Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services), Intellectual disAbility Services (IDS) and Community Behavioral Health (CBH). This integrated system of care serves more than 120,000 people with mental health concerns, intellectual disabilities, substance use challenges, and/or co-occurring conditions who are eligible for medical assistance, as well as those who are uninsured or underinsured, through a network of over 200 providers. Our Community Behavioral Health (CBH) division manages behavioral health care for all Medicaid recipients in Philadelphia.

This individual will provide direct support to the Behavioral Health Division’s Homeless Services Unit.  The person will focus on special initiatives relative to the behavioral health homeless population including but not exclusively Outreach efforts, Safe Havens, Journey of Hope programs and other projects as identified.  This staff will also be part of an active team that will interface with external counterparts regarding ‘special requests’ that are identified to and by the department.   Along with other staff within the Unit, this staff will be responsible for working from a consumer centered approach and assuring participants are served in a coordinated manner particularly as their needs involve various city departments. The position will interface professionally with all levels of city staff and external partners and represent the Department in cross collaborative efforts on behalf of the behavioral health homeless population.  Contact with participants, significant supports, professional and community groups and the public is a significant aspect of the work.   

Salary: $43,093-62,730/yr 

Essential Functions:

• Assure that consumers are served in a respectful and coordinated manner when their needs involve various city departments. 
• Engage participants and assess the social, medical and emotional health of an individual to determine needs and presenting problems; develop a planful approach to getting needs addressed
• Coordinate clinical care, housing assistance, linkages, other supports for individuals who are recently homeless or housed in specific DBH programs.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal departmental and external system providers and officials.
• Participate in the afterhour on-call rotation to support street outreach services
• Participate in all street count functions as scheduled throughout the year.
• coordinate clinical care, training and outcomes for individuals who are recently homeless or housed in specific DBH programming and need assistance with connections and coordination to care;
• develop programming to respond to the changing needs of individuals with behavioral health issues who are challenged by homelessness;
• work on cross collaborative workgroups regarding data tracking and outcome monitoring for Housing Support Services and Homeless Services programs.
• Function as back-up support to staff working directly with outreach services, the safe havens and Journey of Hope programs.
• Function as part of a “special forces” cross system team to respond to special requests as it impacts the behavioral health homeless population.
• Develop recommendations for programmatic and operational modifications as necessary when working on special initiatives
• Participate in the preparation and submission of reports on program activities and achievements and on progress toward overall goals.   
• Participate in data entry functions as related to Outreach operations.

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Human Services/Social Sciences, Public Health, Healthcare or a related field required.  
• 3 years of experience within the Behavioral Health System in direct care services.  Experience with Homeless and Housing supportive services a plus.    
• Other mental health and/ or drug and alcohol credentialing desired.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of mental health and substance abuse disabilities
• Experience working with homeless adults and/or families.
• Knowledge of multiple support and social services systems including the Office of Homeless Services and the Behavioral Health System
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong organization and analystic skills, detail oriented
• Computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Ability to employ tact, diplomacy and judgment in dealing with sensitive problems and hostile attitudes
• Must have good verbal and written communication skills and work well with people without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.
• Be flexible and adaptive in handling changing priorities in a fast-paced work environment
• Ability to be mobile and on one’s feet for extended periods of time as well as sit for extended periods of time.
• Necessary to be able to travel independently, take stairs as they present and use public transportation as required
• Work evening and overnight shifts as part of a rotation or when supporting unit functions as scheduled.
• Ability to be ‘outside’ in inclement weather (ie> summer and winter)
• Ability to lif up to 10 lbs.

Please submit a cover letter and resume. 

Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to pchr@ phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx