Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice and throughout Los Angeles County.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through 20+ programs in four pillars of service: Outreach and Engagement, Housing Services, Mental Health, and Education and Vocational Training.  St. Joseph Center serves more than 10,000 people each year. 

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, mental health, and housing assistance is offered through street outreach and 9 service sites throughout Los Angeles County. St. Joseph Center also provides on-site services at five permanent supportive housing developments, and will provide services at an additional six more sites in the coming year.  St. Joseph Center’s total holistic approach to services provide our clients with the help they need to regain their stability.

Job Summary

The Case Manager works as part of the interdisciplinary Homeless FSP (Full Service Partnership) team that will conduct assertive mobile outreach to chronically homeless individuals on the streets in the Venice community and surrounding areas, and provide them with intensive services intended to engage them in the service continuum and ensure their linkage services that enable them to become housing ready.  Once housing ready, the case manager will help clients apply for subsidized housing and link clients to available housing resources by locating suitable units and helping clients to obtain and move into permanent housing.  Once clients are housed, the case manager will be responsible for providing ongoing intensive services that will assist them to retain their housing and be good tenants and neighbors.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Case Manager’s key areas of responsibility include: 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Develop close working relationships with outreach workers, case managers, police, paramedics, the Los Angeles Housing Authority, and all collaborating agencies.
• Locate and focus efforts on specific chronically homeless persons that are considered to be most vulnerable. 
• Present findings to other collaborative agencies in order to develop a service plan of action that will expedite housing opportunities and housing stability.
• Assist with developing and implement client treatment plans that emphasizes coordinated strategies for addressing mental health/substance abuse issues, relapse prevention, symptom/behavior reduction, medication management and any other risk factors that could impede permanent housing.    

Essential Duties:

• Provide ongoing assessments of client progress in obtaining their individual goals. 
• Utilize evidence based practice models including the Harm Reduction Model, CBT, and Motivational Interviewing when working with clients. 
• Provide ongoing therapeutic case management services that will ensure successful permanent housing, decrease social isolation, decrease and prevent relapse risks, advocacy to deter evictions, and linkage and brokerage to any needed services such as medical, dental, mental health, substance abuse, like skills training, self-help, money management, meaningful community activities, volunteer services, job placement, etc. 
• Ensure a smooth transition into permanent housing by assisting clients with benefits and housing application processes, life skills such as budgeting and cooking, accessing community resources, and other skills as needed. 
• Provide crisis management, case management, and other therapeutic services related substance abuse and mental health services to clients on the streets, in service venues, in housing placements, or other locations as appropriate.
• Provide substance abuse counseling for dually diagnosed populations.
• Respond to urgent requests for assistance from clients or landlords as needed.
• Participate in all meetings with collaborative agencies and other community meetings as directed.
• Complete and maintain all documentation necessary per DMH requirements, agency requirements, and program requirements.   

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Must be highly motivated and a self-starter. 
• Must have the ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse group of people including clients, community, and other staff. 
• Must have excellent organizational skills and the capability to work in a fast paced environment.   
• Strong knowledge of homeless services and resources.  Demonstrated knowledge and experience with Harm Reduction, Motivational Interviewing, Critical Time Intervention, and Housing First.
• Requires an ability to work flexible hours including some early mornings, evenings.

Experience:

• Experience providing services to chronically homeless individuals or equivalent experience is desired.
• Experience working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders is highly desirable.   

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work, human services or a related field.

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. 

 Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Valid automobile liability insurance.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel to meet with clients as needed.
• Travel to meetings at multiple St. Joseph Center sites and at community partner locations as needed.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

Status: Full-Time/Exempt

Salary: DOE

Benefits:

Excellent Benefits package available.

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent upon completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. 

EEO:

St. Joseph Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, status as a veteran or any other characteristic protected under federal law. In addition to federal law requirements, SJC complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located  below. https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/eeo-law-poster