Employment Specialist – Mental Health Services for Assertive Community Treatment Program

Hours: 40 hours per week; Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm with occasional evening and weekend shifts.

CRF: WHY IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK!

Community Research Foundation (CRF) inspires and mentors the next generation of mental health professionals! Our accredited programs reach various demographics, so you can gain experience with almost any sector of mental health services.

At CRF, we are constantly evolving and developing fresh approaches to meet the needs of San Diego County’s residents who are experiencing mental/behavioral health challenges. For you, that means that you will have opportunities to learn new ways to provide optimal supports to your clients. You will work within a collaborative, supportive team structure so that you can have fresh perspective and training. We have strong internal advancement options, so there are opportunities for you to grow within our company. Come join us!

CRF FOLLOWS ALL COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND GUIDELINES AS OUTLINED

BY SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND THE CDC.

Program Overview:

Located in San Diego, CA, the downtown Intensive Mobile Psychosocial Assertive Community Treatment (Downtown IMPACT) program provides intensive, community-based case management services for homeless adults throughout San Diego County. We deliver fully-integrated services to clients diagnosed with a serious mental illness, as well as individuals with co-occurring, mental health, and substance disorders.

Our program utilizes the evidence-based practice of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) to support our clients in the higher level of community care and to assist them in reaching their goals and living a life that is not dominated by mental illness. Our team is a model of care, providing treatment, rehabilitation, and case management supports.

Typical Duties of the Employment Specialist

The Employment Specialist works with a highly dynamic interdisciplinary team on a shared caseload, with the objective to assist clients to reintegrate back into school, the workforce, or volunteer positions. The Employment program at IMPACT and throughout the county's BHS system uses the IPS (Individualized Placement and Support) model for employment. The key principles of IPS are zero exclusion criteria, rapid individualized job search, and finding client's competitive jobs. Duties include:

• Conduct initial behavioral, functional, and vocational assessments for clients
• Help clients develop vocational/educational goals and plans to facilitate reintegration into the workforce using a supported employment based model
• Assist clients in developing resumes and linking them with other employment resources
• Develop networks to increase job development and placement within the community
• Works with companies and with clients to facilitate and maintain job placements
• Provide intensive case management supports for the assigned clients

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Associate's degree is required for this position; Bachelor’s degree in a mental health-related field such as Social Work, Psychology, or Vocational Rehabilitation preferred
• Minimum of one year of experience working with a mental health population, especially with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and co-occurring disorders is strongly preferred; previous vocational rehabilitation experience strongly preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of County Health and Human Services requirements including documentation is preferred
• Experience with IPS preferred, but not required
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, specifically Word and Excel
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment is essential
• A valid California driver’s license in good standing and eligibility to be an approved CRF driver is required to fulfill the essential functions of this position. In addition, proof of insurance is required prior to driving personal vehicles on company business.
• Ability to pass criminal/background clearance

Benefits: CRF takes your dedication seriously, and provides benefits to help you balance your work life and your personal life. Our full-time (30 hours or more) staff may earn up to 24 days of PTO per year plus generous holiday schedules; we offer top-of-the-line medical insurance, dental plans, paid life insurance, vision plans…and really generous retirement benefits. We also provide access to student loan repayment/forgiveness programs for graduates.

Be a part of our vibrant non-profit organization and make a difference in the lives of the people we serve!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer