Case Management Specialist

Support, Advocacy, Growth and Employment (SAGE) is DESC's comprehensive outpatient mental health program. SAGE intake specialists, case managers, psychiatrists and nurses assist adults with severe and persistent mental illness in their journey towards recovery. Long-term case management services are provided including help with obtaining and maintaining housing, improving clinical and social stability, and enriching their level of independence and self-sufficiency.

SAGE services are licensed under the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery and are provided under contract with King County Mental Health, Chemical Abuse & Dependency Services Division. Services are provided within a Recovery model.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary and multi-departmental team providing on-going case management services to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
• Collaborate with DESC's Scattered Sites Supportive Housing team in the development of client care and housing retention plans.
• Provide outreach and engagement services to assigned clients, to initially engage clients and maintain working relationships.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments; develop goal planners with consumer participation; facilitate linkages to collaborative resources when appropriate.
• Assume primary responsibility for coordinating all aspects of consumers' support and goal planners. This includes: providing and/or coordinating the delivery of psychiatric treatment; substance abuse treatment; 24-hour support services; and performing acute case management to facilitate consumer access to food, clothing, housing, medical care, financial assistance and vocational training or employment.
• Advocate for consumers' access to community resources and services, ensuring that consumers' needs are met and rights maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Travel locally to outreach consumers; make home visits and assist with home inspections, annual recertifications, address and report any maintenance related concerns and housing retention barriers.
• Provide crisis intervention and risk assessment; tolerate unusual or unpleasant behavior.
• Provide counseling, as qualified.
• Fulfill role of protective payee for some consumers on behalf of the agency, creating monthly budgets with consumers, distributing funds, and assisting with purchases.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with landlords and property managers, assisting in building rule enforcement and lease compliance as necessary.
• Document services provided and adhere to strict administrative deadlines.

Other duties include:

• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for consumers on caseload.
• Attend external and internal trainings related to landlord/tenant laws, housing vouchers and/or other relevant topics.
• Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical and administrative records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements include:

• Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or any other superseding credential.
• Relevant bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science, OR a combination of 1 year of relevant paid work experience and demonstration of the ability to perform required job duties.
• Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business. A current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record are required.
• Interest in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health/substance use disorder programs.
• Knowledge of Recovery focused, strengths-based work in mental health.
• Knowledge of Harm Reduction strategies.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behaviors.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for consumers.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional whose scope of practice includes independently conducting mental health assessments and making mental health diagnoses.
• Master's degree in social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science or Bachelor of Nursing degree with specialty in mental health.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.
• Bicultural background/experience and/or Qualified Minority Mental Health Specialist designation.

Physical demands include:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required sit for long periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Equal Opportunity Employer: DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.