ICMS Case Manager

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY: 

The ICMS Case Manager works within a multi-disciplinary field-based team of clinicians, case managers, employment specialists and community partners to assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of a service/treatment plan for residents living at the Nest on Florence, a 51-unit housing development and/or scattered site apartment sites in the South Los Angeles area offering permanent housing to the Transition Age Youth Population ages 18-25. 

The ICMS Case Manager practices with a healing centered, trauma informed approach that focuses on harm reduction and housing first to offer quality support to young people. In addition, the ICMS Case Manager balances accountability with life skill building so that young people can sustain and maintain their housing. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Formulates individualized service plans that identify the young person’s personal, social, emotional, mental health, educational, medical, housing, physical and/or financial needs and goals in collaboration with the ICMS program participants.
• Mediates and advocates on behalf of clients to help them obtain and keep suitable housing, health care, jobs and mental health services, education/school services, benefit entitlements, etc.
• Searches the community and presents options for additional needed or desired services (e.g. emancipation services; sober living opportunities; education enrichment; scholarships, grants or job training programs; age-appropriate social opportunities; parenting classes).  
• Connects to resources such as health insurance, housing, low-cost childcare, chemical dependency, education, mental health, medical care, housing, income (SSI, GR) and employment, depending on specific service needs. Provides linkage to participants to health, mental health, and substance use services as needed and assist participants in maintaining treatment regimens.
• Collaborates with participants (and other service providers) to maintain housing stability goals.
• Works with Property Management to Assist participants in lease signing, adhering to the lease requirements and understanding tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Provides field-based support to young people including transporting them to resources and appointments, empowering them to access different layers of support. 
• Provides outreach, housing navigation and housing location services.
• Attends and participates in Care Coordination Meetings for SA 6 and various other community meetings, and documents services in multiple electronic online databases (Exym, HMIS, CHAMP).
• Attends case conference meetings to assist and participate in case disposition and follow-up.
• Provides interagency and intra-agency consultation, communication, coordination and referrals.
• Completes and submits progress notes in a 24-hour timeframe utilizing the agency’s electronic health record system (EXYM, Clarity/HMIS, CHAMP) and collaborative documentation while serving clients; discusses and receives proof of insurance / Medi-Cal information in the field and submits to the QMET and/or IS Support Team.
• Maintains a caseload of 20 participants and sees them one time per week at minimum.
• Meets agency’s productivity standards for client service hours, if applicable.
• Represents Wellnest at community resource events as needed.
• Provides 24 hour on call care to residents of the Nest on Florence, and after care support to previous residents as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field, with an emphasis in community mental health work.
• One year of experience working with homeless individuals, OR a minimum of two years of experience providing direct mental health or intensive case management services, unless otherwise approved by DHS.
• Experience working with clients with mental illness, chronic health issues, and substance use disorders.
• Have expertise in the following areas: chronic homelessness, outreach and engagement strategies, intensive case management services, best practice models, mental health and substance use disorder services, crisis intervention, suicide assessment and prevention, affordable housing and public benefits applications, housing and landlord/tenant rights, eviction prevention, etc.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Must possess and maintain a valid CA driver’s license and insurable driving record.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• A strong commitment to advancing Wellnest’s mission.
• Ability to utilize a healing-centered, harm reduction, and housing first approach.  
• Ability to conduct initial and quarterly psychosocial assessments with participants referred by the Department of Health Services (DHS).
• Knowledge of surrounding poverty, homelessness, substance use, and social factors related to each dynamic, preferred.
• Knowledge about services for homeless individuals and families throughout Los Angeles County. 
• Knowledge of challenges associated with homelessness, including chemical dependency, mental disorders, physical health concerns, violence, and isolation.
• Ability to understand the needs of homeless young people to develop collaborative goals towards greater self-sufficiency and independence in the larger community.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 

Employee may be asked to pursue additional training when it is determined to be in the best interest of the company. Employee must have the ability to use a personal vehicle with the required insurance coverage to complete the essential duties of their job and conduct agency business. Employee must maintain a valid California driver’s license and clean driving record that meets Wellnest’s insurance carrier’s criteria for liability coverage. In keeping with Company policy for all employees, the successful applicant must also complete a test for TB, and fingerprint clearance by the Department of Justice. Employee must agree to Wellnest's Arbitration Agreement as a condition of employment.

WORKING CONDITIONS: 

Employee regularly works out in the field and in an office environment. Employee may be required to work flexible, evening and/or weekend hours for time-sensitive projects.

REASONING ABILITY:  

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret manual and office documents
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form. 
• Ability to define problems, gather, transcribe and post data, analyze, synthesize and classify information, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to work independently and with others - including other employees, clients and members of the public - in face-to-face and telephonic contexts.
• Ability to multi-task, establish priorities and manage time, meet deadlines and perform duties under time constraints.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work demands.
• Maintain a high level of concentration and attention to detail for extended periods of time.
• Maintain a high level of ethical and professional standards in accordance with agency policy. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to talk or hear in order to give and receive information and instructions.
• Ability to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls
• Ability to reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to use computer keyboard up to 50% of the day.
• Visual acuity, ability to adjust focus and peripheral vision for work on a laptop or other computer equipment.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Able to use telephone, office copier, calculator, fax machine, computer printer and scanner, or other equipment as required.

This description is only intended to illustrate the duties, responsibilities and requirements for it.  It is not intended, nor should it be interpreted to describe each and every duty the employee may be required to perform. 

Wellnest does not discriminate against any client, parent/guardian, employee or community member on the basis of actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Due to restrictions from DHCS, Wellnest, as a health care provider, is unable to employ anyone on a DHCS exclusionary list or database. Applicants will be asked to confirm within the application process whether they are subject to an exclusion.