General Statement
The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County is a dynamic, mission and values driven agency engaging 20,000+ local people a year to connect for good in our community. Our values are quality, equity and engagement for our staff, clients, community and volunteers. Community Connection (CC) is the mental health department of the Volunteer Center consisting of 12 high-impact programs serving 800+ youth and adults with a mental health diagnosis across Santa Cruz County. The mission of CC is to empower our mental health community through wellness, meaningful activity, and community connection.
Under the supervision of the Opportunity Connection Program Coordinator, the Mental Health Specialist provides a range of mental health, employment, education and independent living services to adults with mental health challenges in the Opportunity Connection program. The position facilitates group and individual counseling sessions aimed at supporting participants in achieving recovery, resiliency and connection to meaningful activities in the community.
Essential Functions/Responsibilities
1. Develops and facilitates counseling groups to engage and support program participants in meaningful activities and mental health recovery, with an emphasis on employment, education, symptom management and independent living goals.
2. Assists participants in identifying and addressing barriers to recovery, employment, education and/or other independent lifestyle goals through use of symptom management techniques, coping skills and/or development of independent living skills.
3. Provides trauma-informed rehabilitation services to participants experiencing acute mental health challenges.
4. Develops and maintains records of services provided to participants for Medi-Cal billing, program evaluation and measurement of participant outcomes.
5. Attends and participates in Community Connection’s All Staff meetings, clinical meetings and cross team meetings associated with the Opportunity Connection program.
6. Assists with the day-to-day operations of the Opportunity Connection program.
7. Assists with planning and hosting Community Connection events, fundraising events, and other agency-sponsored activities.
8. Provides intake services for new program participants.
9. Assists participants in accessing community resources related to vocational, health, and mental health goals.
10. Tracks and produces relevant information for the purposes of monthly and/or quarterly reports.
11. Maintains minimum Medi-Cal billing requirements, as determined by the supervisor.
12. Other duties as assigned.
Q*ualifications*
1. A.A. in a related field and six months of relevant experience, or two years of relevant experience working in jobs of a similar nature.
2. Experience supporting people with mental health challenges.
3. Experience assisting people with employment and/or educational skill building.
4. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
5. Ability to organize and document services offered.
6. Current California driver’s license, clean driving record, and car insurance required.
7. Ability to drive van and follow safety precautions when transporting others.
Plus Factors
1. Personal or family experience with mental health issues
2. Experience working with dual-diagnosed individuals
3. Bilingual in Spanish and English
Employment Term and Conditions
The Volunteer Center defines full-time as a 36-hour work week. This position is full-time, budgeted at 36 hours/week with our comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match and access to other employee benefits. Starting hourly pay is ranges from $22.26 – 23.86, dependent upon prior experience, with regularly scheduled increases. This position also requires mandated reporting and adherence to HIPAA and 42 C.F.R.
The Volunteer Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion and we encourage applications from people of all race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical ability, health, family status, gender, sexual preference, age, veteran status who meet the qualifications listed for this position. We practice affirmative action to create and sustain a diverse and representative workforce that reflects our community.
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Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $22.26 - $23.86 per hour
Expected hours: 36 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 4 hour shift
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Santa Cruz, CA 95060: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person