Mental Health Warmline Coordinator

Mental Health Assn of Alameda County•Oakland, CA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Family Education and Resource Center (FERC) is seeking a Warmline Coordinator who is passionate about supporting families and caregivers of loved ones living with mental health conditions. In this role, you will serve as the welcoming first point of contact, providing emotional support, resource navigation, and connection to services while ensuring families feel heard, informed, and empowered. The Mental Health Association of Alameda County (MHAAC) is a well-established non-profit organization with long term staff that assists and advocates for people with mental health challenges and their family members through programs including the Family Education and Resource Center, the Family Partnership Program, the African American Family Outreach Project, and Patients' Rights Advocacy. Together, these programs assist thousands of people with serious mental health issues and family caregivers every year. We envision a world without stigma where people with mental health challenges and their family members are free to live their best lives. MHAAC's current budget is approximately $5 million dollars. The Family Education and Resource Center (FERC) is a family-centered program that provides free education, advocacy, and support to family caregivers of a loved one living with mental health conditions in all regions of Alameda County. What makes FERC unique is that all FERC staff members care for a loved one with a mental health condition or Serious Mental Illness (SMI). FERC programmatic components include: a warmline; education, training, and support for family caregivers; a resource center; assistance with AB 1424 Historical Information forms; support for the development of family leadership; and collaboration with other BHSA funded programs. The Warmline Coordinator (WC) reports to the Program Director/ Assistant Program Director and serves as the primary point of contact for families and caregivers seeking support through FERC services. The position is responsible for answering and triaging calls, conducting preliminary screenings and needs assessments, providing emotional support and information, coordinating referrals and assignments to Family Advocates, maintaining accurate documentation and call logs, and collaborating with internal staff and community partners to ensure timely and equitable access to services and resources.

Requirements

Lived experience as the primary caregiver and/or direct family member of a loved one diagnosed with a serious mental health condition NOTE: education and/or professional experience may NOT be used to meet the lived experience requirement
High School Diploma or GED
Minimum 2 years experience in customer service, behavioral health, peer support, case management, family support, call center operations, or a related human services field
Experience conducting intakes, screenings, referrals, or coordinating services for individuals or families
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, manage multiple priorities, and maintain accurate documentation in electronic systems
Must successfully pass a fingerprint background check by CADOJ and FBI
Have proficiency in Microsoft Office Outlook (email/calendar); Word (documents)
Some positions require a valid CA Drivers License, daily access to a working vehicle, maintain legally required car insurance, and have an acceptable motor vehicle report as determined by MHAAC's insurance broker
English (Required)

Nice To Haves

Associates or Bachelors Degree
Certification as a Family Partner, Peer Support Specialist, or related credential
Experience navigating the Alameda County Behavioral Health care system
Experience triaging calls and providing support to those in crisis
Experience applying trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and family-centered practices
Experience delivering services using video-based platforms such as Zoom, Teams
Bilingual in one of Alameda County's threshold languages: Cantonese, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Spanish (Preferred)

Responsibilities

Answer warmline calls
Serve as the primary point of conduct for families, caregivers, and community members seeking support through FERC
Conduct initial intake screenings and assessments with families seeking support
Provide information, education, and referrals to county, community, educational, healthcare, and behavioral health resources
Complete warmline call logs and maintain accurate records for all contacts and interactions
Participate in community outreach activities, health fairs, school events, conferences, and other community-based events
Track trends in caller needs, referral patterns, and service gaps to support program planning and quality improvement efforts
Collaborate with FERC staff to ensure coordinated and effective service delivery

Benefits

Competitive salary
Eligible for first pay increase after successful completion of 3-month introductory period
Some positions eligible for Bilingual Pay Differential for fluency in an Alameda County threshold language
100% paid medical and dental coverage for the employee
401K Retirement Plan
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that includes free unlimited Tele-Doc and Psychotherapy services
Generous time-off benefits: 14 paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Years Day
Vacation leave 2 weeks per year, increases to 4 weeks by year four of employment
Mileage reimbursement for work related travel
Paid volunteer time-off
Tuition reimbursement
On the job training
401(k) Retirement Program
Dental insurance
Employee assistance program
Flexible spending account
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time-off
Mileage reimbursement for work-related travel
Vision insurance