About Courage to Call

“By Veterans for Veterans” – Courage to Call is a veteran-run, peer-to-peer support program in San Diego County. Our free services are offered to active and former military members, their families and loved ones. We connect callers with former members of the military who understand the rigors of military life and have made the transition to civilian life.
Courage to Call participates in the San Diego County Vet-Fam Forum, a collaboration of community leaders and organizations whose goal is to identify, build and maintain relationships to help offer veterans and their families the best resources and services available.

About Mental Health Systems

Mental Health Systems is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to delivering innovative mental health, substance abuse, supportive housing, veteran, and recovery services. MHS provides over 75 broad-ranging programs that offer safety-net services and employs over 800 dedicated individuals across 6 California counties; Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Bernardino, and San Diego. Since 1978, Mental Health System’s client-centered, strengths-based solutions have been designed to offer comprehensive, culturally competent programs that embody our core values of Excellence, Hope, Action, Innovation, Integrity, and Dignity. MHS has a commitment toward reducing stigma and improving access to care using the principle of “whatever it takes”. MHS offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision, company sponsored retirement plan, employee assistance program, generous holidays, vacation, and sick for eligible employees.

Job Summary

This position will serve as a mental health clinician providing solution focused clinical case management, psychoeducation, and advocacy to Veterans, Active Duty Military, Reservists, National Guard and their Families (VMRGF) that are facing behavioral, physical, mental and emotional dilemmas. Previous experience in the United States military is highly preferable (for rapport building with client population). This position will provide prevention and early intervention assessments and advocate for services designed to address basic needs that impede VMRGF client wellbeing and reduce stigma associated with seeking mental health support. The mental health clinician also provides connections and linkages to the tools/resources necessary to support navigating civilian life.

Responsibilities

• Provides behavioral, mental, and emotional support to current and former military members and/or their families. The bulk of services are provided in the community- including meetings with VMRGF, collaborative meetings in the community, county jails, San Diego Courts System, and local colleges.
• Provides clinical case management for an assigned group of VMRGF facing imminent homelessness, loss of income, lack of nutrition, and other barriers that may contribute to future mental health challenges. Provide recommendations/resources to VMRGF client.
• Advocates on behalf of VMRGF client as needed.
• Conduct and interpret clinical assessments (BHA/Strengths Assessment/Client Stressors/CSSR/MSE/PHQ9/Safety Plans) and provide recommendations/resources to aid VMRGF situations.
• Coordinates and monitors assistance for VMRGF with Department of Veterans Affairs, San Diego Housing programs, Vet Centers, and other non-profit organizations.
• Develops, evaluates, implements intervention goals in conjunction with the Courage to Call team.
• Provides individual motivational interviewing and solution focused brief counseling to VMRGF as well as education of symptom management.
• Completes all training as required by Mental Health Systems
• Completes all training as required by Courage to Call program as needed to facilitate parenting classes to incarcerated veterans.
• Attends monthly Veterans Treatment Court and reaches out to justice involved veterans to provide information and resources as needed for housing, employment, financial, and volunteerism resources.
• Networks with partner organizations to attain appropriate referrals for clients.
• Provides ongoing support to military families as needed and proactively checks in on a weekly basis to ensure the VMRGF receive needed services and supports to successfully navigate civilian life.
• Maintains log of client contacts in SalesForce and inputs referral status/outcomes of recommendations made.
• Travels in personal vehicle to meet with VMRGF in a public location (or to advocate on behalf of the VMRGF client).
• Conducts and oversees psycho educations groups, education, and training activities as directed by the program manager.
• Prepares critical care issues for discussion during supervision and team meetings.
• Collects necessary client demographic data and enters it on the designated electronic reporting system as required for Quarterly Status Reporting to County of San Diego.
• Provides information about the Courage to Call program to community agencies connected to the VMRGF
• Demonstrates commitment to professional growth by attending group supervision, in-service trainings, staff meetings, and all staff meetings.
• Attains a minimum degree of training and knowledge in cultural competency, co-occurring and gender responsiveness.

Qualifications

• United States Veteran status is preferred
• Master’s degree in social work, clinical counseling, or related field is preferred. License eligible with CA BBS registration preferred. (Trainees may apply)
• Formal education and training in work with the military population or one years’ experience in programs serving veterans, active duty military, and their families. Experience working with Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans preferred.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $20.00 to $24.00 /hour

Experience:

• working w/ programs serving veterans, active duty: 1 year (Preferred)
• Formal education and training in work with the military: 1 year (Preferred)

Education:

• Master’s (Required)

License:

• License eligible with CA BBS registration (Preferred)

Benefits offered:

• Paid time off
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Healthcare spending or reimbursement accounts such as HSAs or FSAs
• Other types of insurance
• Retirement benefits or accounts