Mental Health Worker

Mental Health Professionals' Needed at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS)

Assignments Available at the Following VASH Unit Locations:

• Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara VA Clinic, 4440 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA, 93110
• Bakersfield: Bakersfield VA Clinic, 1801 Westwind Dr., Bakersfield, CA, 93301
• Ventura: Ventura VA Clinic, 5250 Ralston St., Ventura, CA, 93003
• SPA 1/2: Sepulveda VA Hospital Medical Center, 16111 Plummer St., Sepulveda, CA, 91343
• SPA 3/7 and SPA 4: VA Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center, 351 E. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA, 90012
• SPA 5/8: VA Clinical Offices, 733 S. Hindry Ave., Inglewood, CA, 90301
• SPA 6: West LA VAMC, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90073

Period of Performance: One year to five years

Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm with no holidays or weekends.

Requirements:

• Must have a Master’s Degree in Behavioral Sciences
• Have prior social work experience working in a healthcare facility setting.
• Be licensed as Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage Family Counselor (LMFT), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Associate Marriage Family Therapists (AMFT), Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) through the State of California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) at the advanced practice level and maintain an active license throughout employment or an unlicensed Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW) registered with the Board of Social Work in California.
• Proficient in the use of computers for basic word processing functions (Microsoft Office, Excel)
• Minimum one (1) year of In-Patient Case Management experience
• Have an understanding of human behavior and the impact of the illness on the Veteran and family.
• Possess working knowledge of medical and psychiatric diagnostic treatment and procedural terminology.
• Experience in the following areas is highly preferred: Mental Health Assessments, Community Outreach, Substance Abuse, and/orWelfare
• Have a basic understanding of VAGLAHS social service role, housing-first model, harm reduction, and homeless services.
• Possess a current, valid, and unencumbered California driver’s license because it is necessary to drive to provide services to Veterans in the community.
• Active BLS Certificaition
• Active ACLS or ART Certification
• Must have a valid drivers license

*Please note that for the ACSW, AMFT, APCC or any other unlicensed position, Caduceus will not be able to provide supervision hours.

Duties and Responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide direct and indirect services to eligible Veterans including determining eligibility for VASH services, determining priorities requiring independent judgment, improving organizational and communication skills.
• Utilize an interdisciplinary approach in the provision of these services.
• Participate in consultation with the VA’s designated HUD-VASH leads regarding complex situations and ethical and legal matters.
• Be directed to the needs of Veterans confronted with crisis, homelessness, substance abuse, life-threatening illnesses, traumatic losses, chronic diseases, and/or disabilities including chronic mental illness. This includes social and environmental concerns that can cause challenges in participating in treatment or impede the Veteran’s success and healthy living.
• Provide housing-search assistance by locating suitable housing in the community and at project-based voucher locations and help maintain an inventory of safe available units accepting rental subsidies; assisting Veterans with completion and submission of rental applications and credit reports; communicating with landlords to secure and maintain housing; conducting outreach to prospective landlords and property management groups on behalf of homeless Veterans; educating individuals and organizations on the benefits of leasing to Veterans; meeting Veterans at housing units both for viewing and walk-through purposes; assisting Veterans in obtaining move-in and security deposits, as well as furniture and household items; facilitating individual and group housing searches; creating outreach materials for landlords; participating in Public Housing Authority (PHA) sponsored landlord outreach and appreciation events.
• Provide and document housing-related advice to Veterans via face to face or telephone contact using required documentation systems including the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and the Homeless Operational Management Electronic System (HOMES) and/or other required centralized documentation systems that may be developed during the course of the contract.
• Participate in scheduled meetings to review and evaluate the services provided to our Veterans, identify opportunities to improve the services delivered, and recommend corrective action when problems exist.
• Complete assessments and other documentation as required, including psychosocial assessments and assessments as needed per program regulations.
• Develop, coordinate, and carrying out treatment plans, as appropriate, under the direction of the HUD-VASH Supervisor.
• Document and report suspected cases of abuse within the required timeframe and in conjunction with a discussion with the designated HUD-VASH Supervisor.
• Interview Veterans/families to assess resources needed in the areas of housing, financial assistance, extended-care facility placement, transportation, home help, support groups, respite, day healthcare, day treatment programs, legal aid, and other services.
• Complete clinical reminders, encounters, and progress notes at each encounter with the Veteran.
• Completing the Suicide Risk assessment for at-risk patients.
• Under the direction of the VASH Supervisor, coordinate and oversee the process for placement into community nursing homes, rehabilitation programs, substance- abuse programs, emergency shelters, board and care facilities, homeless transitional housing programs, the Domiciliary, and other various VA and community program locations.
• Assist Veterans with maintaining permanent housing at the individual desired location.
• Assist Veterans and Veteran families with identified psychosocial needs, patient/family resistance, or complex problems.
• Maintain and update resource files in assigned areas of community resource needs such as transportation, meal programs, housing/shelters, adult daycare, support groups, Department of Public Social Services, extended care facilities, and other resources as required by VAGLAHS.
• Document Veteran-care activities in VAGLAHS Medical Records in accordance with Departmental standards and VA policies.
• Complete incident reports, inquiries/controlled correspondences, and reports when requested and with the support and guidance of the designated social work lead.

For additional information and compensation details, please email your most recent resume/CV to opportunities@cadgov.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!