Community Wellness Specialist - Community

Sycamores•Pasadena, CA

2d•$21 - $25

About The Position

Sycamores provides equitable mental health services to multicultural populations, with a primary focus on low-income youth at high risk. The Community Wellness Specialist provides interventions that build coping and problem-solving skills, promote safety and attachment, and help young people transfer those skills to their homes, schools, and communities. Services are developed through the child and family team process to help maintain youth at home or transition them home. The role also promotes wellness and resilience through interventions, community-resource linkages, and referrals. The position primarily supports Intensive Case Management Services (ICMS) for young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The specialist is also cross-trained as a floater to support other Housing and Homeless Services programs as needed. Duties may include housing navigation and search, landlord and property-management coordination, support with housing applications and voucher programs, lease-up assistance, housing stabilization and retention, and coordination with county agencies, housing authorities, service providers, and community partners. The role may also support benefits acquisition, employment resources, education navigation, and independent-living goals. Services are field-based and may involve home visits and community meetings, with documentation in required systems such as CHAMP or HIMIS.

Requirements

High school diploma or associate degree and one year of direct care experience; alternatively, a bachelor's degree plus one year of direct care experience is preferred.
Maintain all required licenses and certifications.
Have a personal, reliable vehicle for travel to various locations.
Hold a valid California driver's license.
Have an acceptable driving record under Agency policy.
Provide proof of auto insurance meeting minimum coverage requirements.
Be able to travel locally, with some out-of-area and overnight travel potentially required.
Be able to work a non-traditional schedule to meet family needs, potentially including weekends, holidays, early mornings, and late evenings.
Be able to travel and work in the community and home environment.
Have strong computer and typing skills for required documentation.
Satisfy the pre-employment background check, drug screen, and health screen following a conditional offer.

Nice To Haves

Two years of direct care experience.
Bachelor's degree plus one year of direct care experience.
Knowledge of behavioral interventions and successful implementation with youth who have severe behaviors, such as physical aggression, verbal aggression, and defiance.
Experience in a residential facility, group home, or probation setting.
Knowledge of resources in the service area.
Experience with ICMS, housing navigation, homeless services, Housing First programs, transitional-age youth, foster youth services, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, voucher programs, landlord engagement, housing stabilization, or field-based case management.

Responsibilities

Provide interventions that develop coping and problem-solving skills, promote safety and attachment, and support the transfer of skills to home, school, and community settings.
Deliver services intended to maintain youth at home or support their transition home, using the child and family team process.
Promote wellness and resilience through interventions, community-resource linkages, and referrals.
Primarily provide Intensive Case Management Services to young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and support other Housing and Homeless Services programs as needed.
Provide housing navigation and housing-search assistance.
Engage landlords and coordinate with property management companies.
Assist with housing applications, voucher programs, and lease-up activities.
Provide housing stabilization and retention services to participants in permanent housing.
Coordinate with county agencies, housing authorities, service providers, and community partners.
Support benefits acquisition, employment resources, education navigation, and independent-living goals.
Provide field-based services, including home visits and community-based meetings.
Complete documentation and data entry in required systems, including electronic health records such as CHAMP or HIMIS.
Travel between client locations and provide services in community and home environments.