Lead Patient Advocate, Patient Advocacy
About The Position
JFS is looking for a compassionate, mission-driven individual to join the Patient Advocacy team as a Patient Advocate Lead. In this role, you have the opportunity to use your leadership skills and advocacy experience to make a meaningful difference in your community and help change lives across San Diego. The Patient Advocate Lead plays an integral role on the team and supports the entire agency by adhering to the Jewish values. This position reports directly to the Program Director and works closely with the other Patient Advocate lead and the rest of the Patient Advocacy team. Provide advocacy services to consumers with mental illness and substance use disorders who are receiving services in psychiatric hospitals, crisis centers, residential substance use disorder treatment facilities, board and care and skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, and licensed residential facilities. Duties include conducting educational training for consumers and professionals, investigating claims of client rights violations, and representing behavioral health clients at Certification Review Hearings for involuntary psychiatric holds.
Requirements
- Must have a valid California Driver’s License, reliable transportation, insurance and be able to travel throughout the county
- BA/BS or equivalent experience
- Experienced in facing verbal abuse or hostile interactions from clients, family members, or facility staff
- Ability to work with a wide range of community groups including professionals, facility administrators, clients with behavioral health diagnoses, as well as advocacy groups such as NAMI, DRC, Ombudsman, etc.
- Strong sense of ethics
- Willingness to be exposed to contagious illnesses when entering health facilities. Safety precautions are provided
- Experience working in high-stress environments and emotionally charged situations that can lead to mental and emotional burnout. Emphasis on one’s wellness should be prioritized
- Willingness to visit facilities like correctional institutions, where individuals are in crisis, which may pose physical safety risks
- Must be able to pass a background check
- Experience working with clients diagnosed with a serious mental health or substance use disorder
- Knowledge of patients’ rights law and/or willingness and ability to learn California State laws and San Diego County Policies and Procedures as they pertain to patients’ rights in treatment and residential facilities
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong sense of ethics
- Ability and willingness to regularly use office equipment such as computers, fax machines, telephones and cell phones
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Flexible and able to handle emotionally intense situations
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual a plus
Responsibilities
- Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Patient Advocacy Program
- Participate in hiring, training, and supporting qualified staff and volunteers, and continually assist with the development of a team focused on collaboration, productivity, efficiency, and passion
- Follow up with new hires to ensure timely completion of requirements
- Assist Director/Program Manager with the completion of quarterly and annual status reports
- Build and maintain relationships and collaborate effectively with a wide range of community partners, including: professionals, facility administrators, law enforcement, fellow advocates across the state, as well as advocacy groups such as NAMI, CCHEA, DRC, etc.
- Assist with the review of goals and objectives of program on a quarterly basis and revise programming according to evaluation findings mid quarter
- Leverage individual staff strengths to continually improve program needs and objectives
- Attend and participate in community meetings, committees, and events relevant to the provision of behavioral health services in private and publicly funded treatment and residential facilities
- Maintain an awareness of current community resources relevant to the populations served
- Respond to questions from the behavioral health community
Benefits
- Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
- Generous employer 401(k) contributions
- Employer-covered life insurance
- Paid vacation time and sick leave
- 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
- 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
