Complex Care Case Manager (Roads to Recovery) - Department of Public Health and Environment

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

2d • $64,000 - $90,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The City and County of Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) is seeking a Complex Care Case Manager for the Roads to Recovery (R2R) initiative. This role is part of a Mayor-led effort to transition individuals struggling with addiction or mental health issues out of the criminal justice system and into a coordinated intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation pipeline. The Community & Behavioral Health division aims to foster an inclusive culture and implement equitable public health strategies. The Complex Care Case Manager will work within the intersection of the criminal justice system and co-occurring disorders, providing outreach, in-reach, client check-ins, data collection, client tracking, placements, referrals, and ongoing care management and support. This position involves managing a caseload of individuals with complex needs, including transiency, behavioral health issues, substance use disorders, and medical health challenges, requiring frequent face-to-face interactions. The role emphasizes collaboration with various City agencies and community partners to ensure clients receive wrap-around care management and support, with a focus on maintaining healthy relationships and meticulous data tracking.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of experience working with and counseling patients and individuals with special needs such as mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness, and marginalized individuals within the criminal justice system.
• One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.
• Additional appropriate education may be substituted for experience requirements.
• Requires a valid Driver’s License at the time of application.
• Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.
• At least 4 years’ experience managing a complex care caseload.
• Experience working with unhoused community members, individuals with chaotic substance use, and individuals diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness
• Comprehensive knowledge base of community resources
• Robust understanding of insurance systems, namely Medicaid and Long-Term Care through Medicaid
• Experience with substance-use disorder and other mental health conditions
• Dedication to trauma-informed, person centered, and culturally responsive care
• Previous training in motivational interviewing and harm reduction best practices
• Ability to build trust and rapport quickly
• Competence with determining the most appropriate level of care for a participant to meet a participant’s need
• Strong ability to be flexible and work with a team
• Enjoyment from working outside of the typical office space
• Exceptional organization skills and attention to detail, along with excellent communication skills (verbal and written).
• Excellent customer service skills, along with initiative, empathy, flexibility, and patience, which will translate to work with clients, other City agencies, and community partners.
• A tenacious work ethic.
• Strong situational awareness and ability to de-escalate situations
• Ability to adapt to changing situations.
• Serve as a model of best practices in case management services
• Willingness and capability of working with a diverse group of people to achieve a common goal.
• Valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

• Employees can expect to spend approximately 80% of their time in the field.
• When not in the field, you can expect to work in the office and/or remotely as needed.
• Days and hours required for this position may vary occasionally, including some evenings/nights.
• This position is field based, which includes visiting client locations (client homes/shelters, encampments, and other locations). Employees can expect to spend up to 80% of their time in the field. Therefore, in this position, you could be exposed to extreme weather, unsanitary conditions, diseases and illness, animals, open air drug use and paraphernalia, criminal activity, and other harsh conditions.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of high-service utilizer clients with needs that could include transiency, behavioral and mental health disorders, substance use disorders, medical health, job readiness and education, and criminal justice involvement.
• Work as a team amongst Denver City agencies to include The Office of Social Equity and Innovation, The Department of Safety, Department of Housing Stability, Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, Department of Development & Economic Opportunity, and other programs managed by the Department of Public Health and Environment.
• Maintain positive and co-working relationships with community partners and health providers.
• Actively participate in community outreach, jail-based in-reach, diversion, and reentry efforts for identified clients.
• Support clients with a wrap-around care management model to ensure consistent communication, engagement, and employable “safety nets” in the event of client disengagement.
• Meticulously track client data, client engagement, and client outcomes.
• Transportation of clients to placements, resources, or services.
• Act as a liaison between R2R program management, client referral, and community partners.
• Communicate with contract managers on provider outcomes.
• Participate in team meetings, individual and group consultation, and community-based learning opportunities.
• Provide coverage for team members when needed, which could include meeting with clients and performing case management duties.
• Support clients with life skills, including cleaning; light moving of items to next temporary or permanent housing opportunity; clearing rooms/residences; and transporting clients and their belongings as needed.
• Respond to client emergencies during business hours.
• Actively participate on an emergency preparedness and response team to support DDPHE’s responsibilities outlined in the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.
• May require being ‘on-call’ from time to time to help respond to emergencies.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year
• 12 paid holidays
• 1 personal holiday
• 1 Wellness Day
• 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level