Clinical Case Manager - SAGE

Downtown Emergency Service Center•Seattle, WA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Case Manager works in DESC’s SAGE outpatient mental health program, providing ongoing case management to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. The role is part of a multidisciplinary team and uses a recovery-focused approach to help consumers improve clinical and social stability, maintain housing, and build independence and self-sufficiency. The position is based at DESC’s Hobson Clinic and reports to the SAGE Clinical Supervisor. The Case Manager engages and supports assigned consumers through outreach, psychosocial assessments, collaborative goal planning, crisis intervention, and coordination of psychiatric and substance use treatment and other services. The role includes local travel, home visits, housing-retention support, advocacy, documentation, and coordination with housing staff, landlords, property managers, and community providers. The position may also serve as a protective payee for some consumers. The employee supports consumers in achieving and maintaining healthy living conditions, including coordinating with housing staff, attending care conferences, supporting upkeep of residential units, and documenting barriers. The role also involves clinical consultation and supervision, program meetings, training, case conferences, quality assurance activities, and maintaining complete clinical and administrative records.

Requirements

Relevant bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or a related behavioral science, or a combination of one year of relevant paid work experience and demonstrated ability to perform the required duties.
Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle for agency business.
Current Washington State driver’s license and insurable driving record.
Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or a superseding credential.
Interest in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health or substance use disorder programs.
Knowledge of recovery-focused, strengths-based mental health work.
Knowledge of harm reduction strategies.
Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behaviors.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
Commitment to cooperation and continuity across programs and to consideration and respect for consumers.

Nice To Haves

Eligibility for a Licensed AAC credential or a superseding credential meeting RCW 71.05.020 requirements for acting as a Mental Health Professional authorized to independently conduct mental health assessments and make mental health diagnoses.
Master’s degree in social work, psychology, or another relevant behavioral science.
Bilingual Spanish and English.
Bicultural background or experience and/or Qualified Minority Mental Health Specialist designation.

Responsibilities

Provide ongoing case management to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses as part of a multidisciplinary and multi-departmental team.
Collaborate with DESC’s Scattered Sites Supportive Housing team to develop client care and housing retention plans.
Conduct outreach and engagement to establish and maintain working relationships with assigned consumers.
Conduct psychosocial assessments and develop goal planners with consumer participation.
Coordinate consumer support and goal plans, including psychiatric treatment, substance abuse treatment, 24-hour support services, and acute case management.
Facilitate access to food, clothing, housing, medical care, financial assistance, vocational training, and employment.
Advocate for consumers’ access to community resources and services, protect their rights, and collaborate with community providers to support continuity of care.
Travel locally for outreach, conduct home visits, assist with home inspections and annual recertifications, and report maintenance concerns and housing-retention barriers.
Provide crisis intervention and risk assessment, and tolerate unusual or unpleasant behavior.
Provide counseling when qualified.
Act as a protective payee for some consumers, including creating monthly budgets, distributing funds, and assisting with purchases.
Build and maintain professional relationships with landlords and property managers, and assist with rule enforcement and lease compliance as needed.
Document services and meet administrative deadlines.
Support consumers in maintaining healthy living conditions through care conferences, outreach and support in residential units, coordination with housing staff, participation in unit cleanouts, and documentation of barriers.
Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings, in-service trainings, clinical reviews, and case conferences.
Attend internal and external trainings on landlord-tenant laws, housing vouchers, and other relevant topics.
Follow clinical accountability policies and procedures, maintain current and complete records, participate in assigned quality assurance reviews, and comply with program research and evaluation procedures.
Perform other duties as assigned.