Behavioral Health Case Manager I

Who we are : La Clinica de La Raza is a non-profit, community-based health center established in 1971 to address health barriers and create better lives for the underserved. We have proudly grown into 35 sites across Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano County. To learn more about our history, click here : Our History - La Clinica or visit our website at www.laclinica.org.

Job Summary :

Under the supervision of the Clinical Supervisor, the Case Manager works actively to mitigate the social determinants of health that disproportionately impact our patient population. As an essential member of the care team, the Case Manager provides direct patient services within primary care or behavioral health clinics. The role of the Case Manager is to work closely with medical providers and behavioral health clinicians to provide access, coordination, and care management for La Clínica patients who have medical, psychosocial and / or behavioral health care needs. This role requires the ability to develop strong relationships with at-risk patients (and families), to support our patients in accessing culturally appropriate psychosocial, medical, and behavioral health services. This position requires the ability to provide linkage and referral, patient education, advocacy, motivational interviewing, and emotional support.

The Case Manager role is most suited for someone seeking to advance their career in behavioral health or related social service, and that has had experience in a medical, social service or behavioral health setting, ideally providing case management, counseling, or crisis intervention). La Clinica supports and encourages continued education, training, and career advancement.

Major Areas of Responsibility, include but are not limited to :

Duties / Responsibilities :

• Conducts strength-based psychosocial assessments addressing wide range of presenting behavioral health and psychosocial issues or needs; provides patient and resource information to medical providers or behavioral health clinicians; develops a follow-up plan.
• May provide evidence-based, short-term psychosocial counseling / and or rehabilitation counseling and psychoeducation to clients and their families. Involves family members / significant others as necessary to increase client participation and improve patient well-being.
• Provides crisis intervention as needed.
• Provides education, information, and referral to La Clinica patients to ensure linkage and utilization of care within La Clinica and external community services and resources.
• Identifies high-risk patients and refers and consults with supervisors as appropriate.
• Runs psychoeducational or resource groups or assists with psychotherapy groups as indicated by clinical needs of patient population and grant deliverables.
• Administers objective screening tools and outcome measures as determined by program.
• Conducts and facilitates timely and coordinated internal communications among patients, medical providers, behavioral health staff, consulting / treating psychiatrists and others involved in the patient's care provision.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive referral system to link patients to resources.
• Links patients effectively and efficiently to all levels of assessment and resources within and external to La Clinica and monitors linkage to resources and patient participation in primary care and behavioral health care.
• Provides outreach, advocacy, and follow-up through phone calls and meetings, to support successful patient access to services and resources and engagement in care.
• Acts as a single point of contact to receive and coordinate referrals.
• Receives and facilitates warm hand-offs and referrals between medical, behavioral health staff and community resources to support whole person health.
• Uses Electronic Health Record (EHR) and population management tools to collect data, communicate with medical and behavioral health providers and produce reports to support collaborative care, improved health outcomes and program compliance.
• Participate in case presentations, seminars, regular clinical supervision with supervisor and peer review as needed.

The following applies when working within the scope of :

In Comprehensive Perinatal Services Programs (CPSP) only :

In Specialty Mental Health programs only :

In School-Based Health Center (SBHC) programs :

In Pediatric settings :

Minimum Job Requirements :

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

Education and Experience :

Crisis intervention experience includes working with Domestic Violence, warmline / hotline response, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, poverty, homelessness, disability, complex medical conditions and / or other psychosocial stressors.

In some Behavioral Health programs, the Associate's degree may be substituted with :

Physical Requirements :