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

VOALA is an Equal Opportunity Employer