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.

1. Develop close working relationships with outreach workers, case managers, police and paramedics, the Los Angeles Housing Authority, and collaborative agencies.

2. Locate and focus efforts on specific chronically homeless persons from the Venice Registry that are the considered to be most vulnerable.

3. Conduct initial mental health/substance abuse screenings and housing needs assessments.

4. Present findings to other collaborative agencies in order to develop a service plan of action that will expedite housing opportunities and housing stability;

5. Implement case management service plan goals emphasizing coordinated strategies for addressing mental health/substance abuse issues, relapse prevention, medication management and any other risk factors that could impede permanent housing.

6. Provide ongoing assessment of client progress in attaining goal plans.

7. Utilize a harm reduction model when working with clients.

8. Provide therapy to stabilize and connect them with ongoing mental health resources so that they will be able to maintain housing.

9. Provide ongoing case management services that will ensure successful permanent housing, decrease social isolation and prevent relapse risks; advocacy to deter evictions; and linkage and brokerage to any needed services such as medical/dental, mental health, substance abuse, life skills training, self-help, money management, meaningful community activities, volunteer services, job placement, etc.

10. Ensure a smooth transition into permanent housing by assisting clients with benefits and housing application processes and life skills such as budgeting, cooking, accessing community resources, and other skills as needed.

11. Provide crisis management, case management, and other related substance abuse/mental health services to clients on the streets, in service venues, in housing placements, or other locations as appropriate.

12. Respond to urgent requests for assistance from clients or landlords as needed.

13. Participate in all meetings with collaborative agencies and other community meetings as directed.

14. Document services according to DMH standards in a timely manner.

Candidates should possess a Masters degree in psychology, counseling or social work. BBS licensure or current intern registration required. Previous experience with DMH paperwork and billing highly recommended. Two years’ experience providing mental health services to homeless individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders is necessary. Candidates must also demonstrate experience in performing crisis intervention and the ability to provide mental health assessments using diagnostic criteria from the DSM IV.

The position requires an ability to work flexible hours including some early mornings, evenings. A bilingual/bi-cultural background is a plus.

Status: Full time/ Non-Exempt

Salary: DOE

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.