Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, and education services are carried out at four sites on the Westside of Los Angeles.  St. Joseph Center’s integrated programs provide clients with concentrated and coordinated access to services according to the nature of their needs.

Job Summary

The Licensed Vocational Nurse works as a team member of the multi-disciplinary homeless street outreach team, in collaboration with social service professionals, ensuring the delivery of quality care in accordance to the rules and regulations established by the Los Angeles Department of Health Services for contracted agencies, as well as adhering to the mission of St. Joseph Center. The Interim Housing Licensed Vocational Nurse will use the “whatever it takes” approach and strong clinical and medical lens to medically asses and help people experiencing homelessness get connected to adequate health care in order to obtain permanent housing.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Licensed Vocational Nurse’s key areas of responsibility include: 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Provide outreach, navigation, health and mental health support to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Provide health assessments and interventions to the severe and persistent chronically and mentally ill.
• Provide support and assistance to clients with accessing resources in the community.  Establish and maintain professional and positive relationships with staff, clients, and community providers.   
• Link clients to appropriate bridge/interim and permanent supportive housing programs.
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, conferences, program evaluation and program development.

Essential Duties:

• Coordinate and provide medical outreach services for individuals within the SPA-5 Service Area
• Provide any needed or requested license-dependent physical or mental health service(s)
• Provide health education, resources, and liaison with community health providers and counseling on specific health issues
• Provide health care services in the field to homeless population within scope of the license
• Dispense medication(s)/injection(s) as ordered by MD, NP, PA
• Demonstrate responsibility for the proper transcribing, administration, monitoring, and managing of medications. Display knowledge of adverse side effects, indications for use, and contraindications of medications
• Complete assessments regarding physical and mental health status. Develop appropriate plan of care and interventions
• Assist in the collection of health information. Monitor and manage health conditions by taking measurements of weight/BMI, blood pressure, glucose levels, and lipid profile when possible.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to provide linkage, outreach, community-based case management, housing, mental health and primary care services to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Make independent assessments to identify individual needs as necessary and initiate communication and collaboration within the integrated team and with referral sources to provide the resources to meet those needs
• Utilize evidence based practices in service delivery such as motivational interviewing, harm reduction, supported employment and education, intensive case management, housing first, and critical time intervention
• Be an active part of the learning in this project by participating in other trainings (LAHSA trainings, DMH/DHS trainings and other sources) that introduce different interventions that could be an effective strategy with this population
• Build collaborative partnerships with existing and new community resources and providers for linkage and support purposes.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings and other aspects of the day-to-day operations and community life of the program site(s)
• Complete all documentation and maintain all paperwork and other required documentation as required for program compliance and accountability in accordance with St. Joseph Center/DHS standards and funding source requirements.
• Provide linkage support, coaching, counseling, mentoring, instruction, training, feedback and positive reinforcement for members in areas such physical health care, money management, grooming and hygiene, meal preparation, public transportation and other independent living skills.
• Mediate and advocate on behalf of individuals to help them obtain and keep health care benefits, entitlements, etc.
• Read, perform research, attend classes, workshops or seminars and participate in other professional development activities in order to maintain and enhance personal and professional skills.
• Provide training and consultation to the team on physical health issues.

*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.  The ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse group of people including clients, community, and other staff.  Must have excellent organizational skills. 
• Have an understanding in how to work with low income and homeless individuals.  Knowledge of how to work effectively in a harm reduction environment.
• Understanding of chronic health and mental health conditions that affect the older adults and the homeless population.

Experience:

• Experience and general knowledge of working with individuals who may be mentally ill, HIV positive, and/or have chemical dependency issues is highly desired.
• Experience working with under-served communities, especially homelessness is preferred.

Education:

• Associate degree or higher; graduate of a fully accredited school of nursing.

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.
• Ability to navigate L.A. County and Contracted partners medical health records databases

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Current California Licensed Vocational Nurse License
• Valid California Class C Driver License
• Valid automobile liability insurance

Travel Requirements:

• Travel to trainings around L.A. County, and will need to be mobile within SPA-5

Work Environment:

The work environment will be primarily field-based in the Los Angeles Service Planning Area 5. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment in the office is usually moderate, the work environment in the field can vary depending on where a client may be.

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.

EEO:

SJC (St. Joseph Center) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. 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.

The position requires an ability to work flexible hours including some early morning, evenings. A bilingual/bicultural background is a plus. Excellent Benefits package available.

Status: Full time/Exempt

Salary: $68,000 - 73,000/yr

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

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

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 here.

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf