Youth Advocate

Stars Behavioral Health Group was recently certified as a great workplace by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work, based on extensive ratings provided by its employees in anonymous surveys. According to the study, 75 percent of employees say it is a great workplace.
 

We are committed to providing a career-enhancing environment for dedicated professionals desiring to improve the lives of people living with mental health and other challenges to their wellbeing. SBHG currently employs approximately 1,700 people at more than 45 different sites throughout California. We serve more than 30,000 adults, children, youth and families annually throughout the state. We strongly value and are committed to having a truly diverse workforce and environment- including LGBTQ, cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity in our workforce. We also value lived experience and employ staff who have been consumers of behavioral healthcare or other social services, or supported a consumer as a family member or caregiver.

Our experienced staff of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Mental Health Specialists, Parent Partners and other therapists/counselors provide case management, mental health care and a range of support services in our outpatient clinics and 24/7 treatment facilities, and in community settings such as schools and homes. Our dedicated teams work collaboratively and in partnership with family members, school administrators and faculty, county social workers, case managers, probation officers and other community-based agencies.

Do you have Personal experience as a previous consumer of the child welfare, probation, or mental health systems? If so, please continue reading! This is a requirement of the Advocate position.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Please submit a cover letter describing your relativity to the required 'experience' listed below. Applicants without cover letters will not be considered for the Youth Advocate position.

Job Summary:

The position has primary responsibility for using their lived experience and knowledge of the system to provide outreach and engagement, support, and advocacy to TAY (Transition Age Youth) engaged in the Youth Help Network (YHN) program.

Job Duties:

• Provides Outreach and Engagement to TAY within the community.
• Provides one-on-one support, mentoring, and role-modeling to TAY in the YHN program. Helps TAY formulate problem-solving plans.
• Helps TAY navigate the peer support, wellness services and navigation supports within the behavioral health system of care, other health systems, and community supports.
• Links youth to various resources, including housing, food, education/vocation, recreation, spiritual, mentors and social, as deemed appropriate in partnership with the treatment team.
• Assists TAY with communicating with other providers and agencies, advocates on behalf of TAY and promotes self-advocacy

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Experience

• High School diploma or equivalent and experience as follows is required:

• Personal experience as a previous consumer of the child welfare, probation, or mental health systems is required.

• 2 years working in a behavioral health field or similar position

License or Certification

• Valid California Driver's License preferred

Bilingual Candidates Preferred

• Hmong
• Vietnamese
• Spanish
• Mandarin
• Arabic
• Russian