MEDICAL CASE WORKER II (Community Programs)

Los Angeles County (CA)•Los Angeles, CA

73d

About The Position

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you. Department of Health Services (Housing for Health for Homelessness) is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Medical Case Worker II (Housing for Health for Homelessness) vacancies related to the homelessness crisis. Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment. Before your initial work period ends, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Medical Case Worker II (Housing for Health for Homelessness). Housing for Health (HFH) provides housing and supportive services to Department of Health Services (DHS) clients who are homeless and who have complex medical and/or behavioral health conditions. Since its inception, HFH has expanded to provide a continuum of housing and supportive services to unhoused county residents. HFH is now one of the two largest homeless housing and services entities in Los Angeles County.

Requirements

OPTION I: One (1) year of experience as a Medical Case Worker I in the service of the County of Los Angeles.
OPTION II: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university AND one (1) year of professional casework experience interviewing, counseling, and assisting patients/clients with social problems.
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
Physical Class II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
Applicant must hold or have held the payroll title of Medical Case Worker I with the Los Angeles County.
Applicants must attach a valid, legible copy/image of their Bachelor's degree or official transcripts to their application at the time of filing or email the required documents to the exam analyst at [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online.

Responsibilities

Functions as a member of a medical or psychiatric multidisciplinary team, providing services to patients and clients in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation, residential, or health care facilities.
Performs a variety of direct services such as assessing adequacy of home support, assisting patients and families in arranging for and accepting nursing home care and extended care facilities, and placing homeless patients in a temporary and permanent housing.
Makes referrals to and works with various public and private health, mental health or other agencies such as the Department of Public Social Services, Department of Children and Family Services, Legal Aid, Public Health Department, Free Clinics, Planned Parenthood organizations, Family Service Agencies, and Community Service Centers to resolve patient's personal and social problems.
Interviews patients, family members, and friends, to obtain information about home environment, and family relationships that may have a bearing on the patient's medical and mental health, treatment and recovery.
Utilizes environmental data gathered in relation to the medical or mental health problems to make recommendations concerning the provision of services that will ensure maximum benefits for each patient.
Places patients suffering with mental or emotional disorders in board and care homes, intermediate care homes, residential facilities depending upon psychiatric reports and personal interviews with patient.
Keeps informed on community health and welfare resources and the variety of programs offered by each.
Participates in medical rounds and health care team conferences, shares social information, and evaluates the medical and/or mental health status of patients/clients with other health care disciplines to develop the most effective treatment plan for the patient/client.
Serves as a trainer to new hires as needed.
Counsels patients in health clinics regarding family planning and related problems, and makes referrals where necessary for therapeutic abortions, tubal ligations, and vasectomies.
Conducts on an independent basis, workshops with groups of 10-15 alcoholic in-patients or substance use disordered clients, sets tone of workshop to encourage maximum participation of patients/clients to assist in the identification of drinking or co-occurring substance use problems and to achieve a successful rehabilitation program.
Provides individual and group informational counseling in mental health clinics or specialized mental health treatment programs for patients/clients regarding problems of independent living.