Case Manager Specialist - ODR

About Us:

Volunteers of America of Greater Los Angeles is a large, national not-for-profit organization founded in 1896. We provide a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans’ services, homeless shelters, low-income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at www.voala.org.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct the VI-SPSDAT and other comprehensive screenings and assessments with ODR participants to collect functional, environmental, employment, housing, educational, and health information, as appropriate, to develop a case plan
• Provides pre and post release/transitional services; assists with data collection and evaluation; provides supportive counseling and advocacy for individuals; provides crisis intervention, if needed
•  Works with participants that are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical and social problems by motivating behavioral changes among enrolled participants
• Maintains all case files/records; in physical files and in HMIS system; completes all required documentation and case notes as requested; and responds to regulatory agencies in accordance with federal, state, and county
• Develops and maintains inter-agency and community relationships
• Meets with clients on a regular basis to establish goals, and action steps towards those goal, and to monitor and assess progress towards achieving permanent housing goals
• Communicates with landlord and familiarize them with DHS, program and community resources to assist both tenants and landlords in the event of potential problems leading to eviction 
• Other duties as assigned  

Supportive Services

• Ensure clients are linked to and accessing health, mental health and substance use disorder services as needed including assisting clients with establishing permanent housing 
• Assist clients with maintaining medication and treatment regimens including accompanying clients to appointments with health, mental health and /or other care providers.
• Assist clients with obtaining income and /or establishing benefits. This includes coordinating the completion and submission of applications for health insurance benefits (e.g. Medi-Cal, Medicare, etc.) disability benefits (e.g. Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI); and other resources of financial assistance, (e.g... Unemployment, General Relief (GR). Provide advocacy on behalf of clients, as appropriate.

Field Services

• Assist clients with obtaining permanent housing and conduct bi-monthly (minimum) home visits after client is housed
• Liaison between client and property manager
• Ensure clients have food resources and if they are not eligible for benefits transport them to local food banks and /or deliver groceries
• Ensure clients are represented in court and at probation
• Transport clients to probation and court
• Active liaison between client and all supportive service providers (probation, landlord, court, primary care doctor, mental health care provider, etc.)
• Transport clients to DMV, DPSS, doctor’s appointments and mental health appointments

Administrative Duties

• Conduct initial intake and assessments
• Develop individual service plan
• Documentation related to accessing and obtaining housing, benefits, and other services
• Documentation of legal issues and all correspondences and notices
• Documentation of client housing stability status and retention in permanent housing

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree (Social Work or related field) OR equivalent related job experience (6 years)
• At least 1 year of experience in case management in re-entry, housing, benefits or job development (2 years required if no degree)
• At least one year of experience with the target population
• Must be able to pass LASD background check
• Valid California driver's license and have reliable transportation

Preferred Skills for this Position:

• Specialized training or certification as required by law or funder (if none required, at least 2 years of employment in a similar position)
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office; database experience strongly preferred
• Good written and oral communications skills; bilingual in Spanish helpful

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form 1-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (OHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.