PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER II (Community Programs)

Los Angeles County (CA)•Los Angeles, CA

65d

About The Position

Department of Health Services (Community Programs) is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Psychiatric Social Worker II (Community Programs) 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 the end of your initial work period, 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 Psychiatric Social Worker II (Community Programs). ABOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its unified system of 23 health centers and four hospitals - and expanded network of community partner clinics - DHS annually provides direct care for over 500,000 outstanding patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $8.4 billion. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov. Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings to supportive housing. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov ABOUT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: Community Programs at the Department of Health Services (DHS) supports a range of programs that provide healthcare services and resources to the most vulnerable patients across Los Angeles County. The Community Programs Unit includes Housing for Health, Office of Diversion and Reentry, My Health LA and other community programs. MISSION: To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care. DEFINITION: Performs a wide variety of professional social work services in connection with the treatment of clients in need of mental health services.

Requirements

A valid and active license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences.
All required licenses and certifications must be active and unrestricted or your application will not be accepted.
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.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive assessments in the jail, community, or court settings for homeless and justice involved individuals including psychosocial and service needs through interviews and evaluations, review of medical and mental health records, and consult with housing team members, intensive case management service (ICMS) and acute/subacute mental health bed providers.
Provide oversight of outreach and engagement of community-based providers and acute/subacute mental health services, including monitoring service plans and progress with assigned clients, identifying, and troubleshooting service issues, and providing consultation to in-reach case managers.
Coordinate with other County departments including Correctional Health Services, Public Defender, Alternate Public Defender, District Attorney, and Superior Court staff to assess appropriate referrals of homeless and justice involved individuals.
Collaborate and offer mental health training to community-based housing and acute/subacute mental health bed providers who will work with the homeless and justice involved populations with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
Interview individuals and/or their families to obtain a family, social work, medical, and mental health treatment history.
Make an assessment of the patient's functioning in his/her environmental setting.
Establishes a treatment plan designed to resolve or cope with the mental or emotional problem. The treatment plan may include individual, group, family or conjoint therapy, and/or referral to another treatment source such as a psychologist, vocational or rehabilitation counselor, psychiatrist for medication or another agency.
Provide psychotherapy to individuals, groups, families, and significant others.
Determine the duration of the therapy, the priorities of the problems to be dealt with, the therapy methods, and the need for changes in the treatment goals at successive intervals during treatment process.
Interview persons seeking psychiatric assistance on an emergency basis and utilize crisis intervention techniques to prevent hospitalization and to aid the person in dealing with the emotional crisis.
Assist clients, families, and significant others in understanding the mental health problem and their reactions to the problems, accepting the need for treatment, working toward the solution of the problem and stresses interfering with treatment or social functioning, modifying unrealistic attitudes and strengthening patients and families and significant others toward gaining their acceptance of and participation in treatment recommendations.