Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist
City of La Mesa, CA - La Mesa, CA
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 Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist Salary $81,619.20 - $106,766.40 Annually Location 91942, CA Job Type Regular Full-Time Job Number 24-29 Department Police Department Opening Date 09/17/2024 Closing Date 10/7/2024 5:00 PM Pacific Description Benefits Questions Position Summary The City of La Mesa is currently seeking candidates passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of others to join the Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) team serving the community as a Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist. In February 2021, the La Mesa City Council unanimously adopted the 2021-2026 Homeless Action Plan ( . The Plan establishes programs designed to prevent homeless and housing insecurity, provide comprehensive outreach and mental health services, and address future transitional and permanent supportive housing needs in East San Diego County. The City will continue implementing and updating the Homeless Action Plan ( to provide additional programs and resources. As our Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist, you will perform a wide variety of specialized, non-sworn duties in support of the Police Department's Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) Program to address chronic homelessness and focus on providing high intensity case management including individualized and comprehensive support throughout the transition from the street to housing; initiate and engage in outreach and advocacy activities with the Homeless Outreach Technician in known homeless communities and in response to community requests; collaborate and coordinate between several homeless service providers to facilitate linkage to an array of services and resources such as: healthcare, education, and disability benefits, mental health services, substance abuse programs, legal services, employment opportunities, and housing referral and placement; and to develop relationships within the community to identify new and existing opportunities to better assist clients during the transition to permanent housing. This position operates in support of the City's Homeless Action Plan. The Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist is distinguished from the Homeless Outreach Technician by providing clients with a more focused approach to addressing their specific behavioral and mental health circumstances, in addition to assisting with housing and other related needs. This position requires current registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (ASW/ACSW) with the prerequisite of a Master's degree in Social Work. For more detailed information, please review the detailed job description. (&pagetype=classSpecifications) IDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate for the Clinical Outreach Specialist position is someone who has a graduate degree in a behavioral health services field and is working towards clinical licensure. This person should be able to demonstrate experience in development and maintaining an integrated treatment approach for at-risk populations with co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse disorders and quality trauma informed services. Experience with HMIS and generating clinical documentation is preferred. Additionally, the clinical outreach specialist should be comfortable providing the services above to people in their encampments and environments. The ideal candidate should also be comfortable preparing and conducting community presentations related to homelessness. Key Responsibilities The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Perform persistent and frequent outreach throughout the City where those experiencing homelessness reside and congregate, and respond to community requests for street outreach intervention. Receive and respond to community calls for service related to homelessness. Respond to calls which dispatch considers inclusive of a behavioral health component involved. Respond to requests from City departments, merchants, community groups, and citizens to assist individuals found at-risk in places not meant for human habitation. Coordinate intake and conduct initial interview, including completion of the Vulnerability Index & Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), for all clients to determine appropriate intervention and supportive services. Conduct ongoing assessment of client's condition, including mental status, level of functioning, developmental status, social and employment skills, and substance abuse problems, as well as behavioral, mental, and physical health educational needs. Obtain client's social and medical history, and integrate with assessment results to either collaborate with clients to develop individualized service plans (ISP) that address barriers to obtaining housing and services, or appropriately facilitate a warm handoff to a primary provider for case management services. Provide ongoing case management support to support ISP goals including advocacy assistance with procuring documentation and services such as identification or disability income, and transportation to appointments. Provide crisis intervention services for individuals experiencing homelessness in the community. Maintain expertise of pertinent government and community services and resources to effectively provide information, referrals, linkages, and advocacy that assist clients in obtaining permanent housing. Identify appropriate permanent housing options for clients based on their needs, provide assistance with housing location and application, and advocate for clients with prospective landlords. Develop relationships within the community, including local businesses, landlords, and other service providers, to identify new and existing opportunities and build relationships to better assist clients in accessing resources, employment services and housing. Maintain timely and accurate documentation according to program requirements. Prepare, complete, and submit reports according to program requirements and as needed. Perform other related duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: Education/Training: Equivalent to a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited (Council on Social Work Education) college or university. Experience: Three (3) years of recent experience working with the homeless population, especially performing street outreach, behavioral and mental health assessments and case management, and coordinating/collaborating with community and government organizations to provide services as appropriate for individual clients. License or Certificate: Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW/ACSW) registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences Active status and current Board registration must be maintained for the duration of employment with the City. Possess or be able and willing to obtain CPR/First Aid training and certification within 90 days of hire. Must possess an appropriate valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record. Other Working Conditions: Please note this position will work a 4/10 (10 hours a day, 4 days a week) or traditional 5/8 (8 hours a day, 5 days a week) work schedule and work days may include weekends and holidays. Examination Process Interested applicants must submit an online application and supplemental questionnaire. Candidates whose qualifications must closely meet the needs of the City will be invited to participate in the examination process for this position. The examination process may consist of any or all of the following components: written exam, practical skills assessment, writing assignment and appraisal interview. Eligible candidates will be notified when testing and/or interview dates have been established. NOTE: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment medical evaluation, including drug screen, polygraph, psychological evaluation and a thorough background investigation. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Monday October 7, 2024 - Recruitment Closes Week of November 4, 2024 - Initial Interview Panel Please note, all dates and/or timeframes are subject to change. The City of La Mesa is an Equal Opportunity and ADA compliant employer. All qualified candidates and veterans are welcome to apply The City of La Mesa offers a comprehensive benefit package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. Retirement: All regular City employees are members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). Non-safety employees are enrolled in one of the following retirement formulas based on date of hire. Additional benefits are provided in accordance with the City's CalPERS contract. Retirment Formula and cost sharing Tier 1 - Hired on January 21, 2011 through December 31, 2012 = 2.5% @ 55 Employee Contribution = 8% Employee Cost Sharing = 1.5% Final Compensation = 1 Year PEPRA - Hired on or after January 1, 2013 = 2% @ 62 Employee Contribution = 7.75% Employee Cost Sharing = 0% Final Compensation = 3 Years CalPERS Classic Members hired on or after January 1, 2013 will be enrolled in the Tier 1 retirement formula. Vacation: Employees accrue vacation based on years of service as follows: 0 - 60 Months: 80 hours a year 61 - 120 Months: 120 hours a year Over 120 Months: 160 hours a year Once an employee reaches the maximum accumulation of vacation hours (two and one-half times the annual allowance), the employee will not accumulate additional vacation until the vacation time is reduced below the maximum allowable. Sick Leave: Earned at the rate of 3.692 hours per pay period (96 hours per year). Sick Leave Conversion: Employees may convert a portion (above 192 hours) of accumulated sick leave to an equal amount of vacation or pay, based on the formulas below. For purposes of this program, usage is calculated using a defined (12) month period that begins and ends with the first pay period in November. Sick leave conversion for regular part-time employees will be pro-rated based on the regularly scheduled hours compared to a 40-hour workweek. Unused Sick Leave Reimbursement: Employees with ten (10) or more years of service shall be paid an amount equal to 50 percent of a maximum of 150 days (1200 hours) of the current cash value of the unused sick leave credited to his or her account upon normal or disability retirement, or death. Employees with ten (10) or more years of service, who terminate for reasons other than retirement or death, shall be paid an amount equal to 25 percent of a maximum of 150 days (1200 hours) of the current cash value of the unused sick leave credited to his or her account. Holidays: All employees shall be granted the following holidays, or the days celebrated for these holidays, with pay: New Year's Day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Memorial Day Juneteenth Independence Day Labor Day Veteran's Day Thanksgiving Day Friday after Thanksgiving Christmas Eve Christmas Day In lieu of celebrating Admission day, Cesar Chavez's Birthday, and President's Day, employees will be granted three floating holidays to be used at the convenience of the employee with the approval of the department head. For employees hired on or after July 1, 1991, unused floating holidays may be accumulated up to a maximum of 160 hours. Holiday Closure: The City will close City Hall between Christmas Day and New Year's Day each year. The City will cover 50% of the closed days and employees will be responsible for using their vacation, floating holiday or comp time leave banks to cover the remaining 50% of closed days (50%/50% split). Some employees may be required to work some or all of the closed days based on operational needs of the City at the City Manager's discretion. Use of Paid Leave Upon Resignation: An employee who resigns shall not use paid leave to extend his/her resignation date. The last day worked shall be considered the date of resignation, and compensable accrued paid leave shall be paid off in lump sum. Leave (except catastrophic and compensatory leave) must be earned prior to the pay period in which it is used. Out-Of-Class Pay: Where an employee is temporarily assigned to a higher job classification for the convenience of the city for a period equal to or exceeding 36 hours in a Monday through Thursday period or 40 hours in a Monday through Friday period, he/she will be paid at least five (5) percent above his/her regular rate for the period he/she continues in the new assignment. Cafeteria Plan: The City offers a Cafeteria-style plan in which each employee receives a fixed amount of FlexNet credits to purchase health coverage. Health coverage is available through CalPERS. Dental coverage is available through MetLife. Vision coverage is available through EyeMed. Employees may also contribute pre-tax earnings into the City's Section 125 Flex Spending plan. Employees may make contributions for both health and dependent care reimbursement. Effective the first full pay period in January 2024, the City shall make contributions to the cafeteria benefit plan according to the following formulas: WAIVE CITY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE (TAXABLE) 115.00 per month ($57.50 per pay period) EMPLOYEE ONLY 754.72 per month EMPLOYEE + 1 DEPENDENT $1,294.32 per month EMPLOYEE + 2 OR MORE DEPENDENTS $1,694.58 per month Life Insurance: The City pays for the cost of life insurance in an amount equal to the employee's annual compensation. Voluntary Life Insurance: Employees may purchase voluntary life insurance up to 5x annual compensation (maximum of $500,000) at a monthly cost of $0.95 cents per $10,000 of coverage. The City also purchases $5,000 in life insurance for a Spouse and $2,500 for each eligible Dependent Child. Spouse voluntary life insurance may be purchased in units of $5,000 but cannot exceed 50% of the employee benefit. Child life insurance may be purchased in units of $2,000 up to $10,000. Accident Indemnity/Critical Illness: The City provides voluntary benefits through The Standard. The personal Accident plan features benefits for emergency treatment, follow-up treatment, initial hospitalization, hospital confinement, physical therapy, accidental death, and other wellness benefits. The Critical Illness plan features benefits for heart attack, stroke, invasive cancer, major organ failure, and health maintenance screening wellness benefits. Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Provides confidential professional assistance to employees and members of your household who need emotional wellbeing support (six sessions per EAP issue). There is no cost for EAP counseling. If further treatment is recommended, there may be costs to the employee. Deferred Compensation: City employees have the opportunity to build their retirement savings and reduce taxable income by participating in the City's Section 457 deferred compensation program, or the post-tax 457 Roth deferred compensation program. The City's plan is administered by Mission Square Retirement Corporation (formerly ICMA-RC). Participation is handled through payroll deduction. The City does not make any contributions to this plan. Tuition Reimbursement: $2,000 in tuition reimbursement per fiscal year for pre-approved college courses, non-college courses, certificates or tests related to employee's job responsibilities. Additional, limited reimbursement may be distributed to eligible employees if funds are available. Social Security and Medicare: Employees are required to pay into Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%. Bilingual Pay: Employees who are regularly required to use their bilingual or sign language skills in the performance of their duties may receive an additional $50 per month. An exam is required to substantiate fluency for pay eligibility. Uniform Reimbursement/Boot Allowance/Tool Allowance: The City will provide employees in certain classifications an annual uniform allowance as listed below, payable the first pay period in October of each year, for the purchase and maintenance of uniforms in accordance with departmental uniform policies. The uniform allowance for new employees hired after October 1 shall be prorated for the period from date of hire to September 30, and shall be paid to the employee as soon as possible and practical after date of hire. Downtown Operations Assistant: $650 Fire Inspector I/II: $650 Public Works and selected positions listed in the General MOU are provided an annual boot allowance of $250 per year. These are payable the first pay period in October. Selected positions in the Public Works Fleet Department, as listed in the General MOU, are provided a tool allowance of $600 per year. Safety Glasses Reimbursement: Employees who are required to wear prescription safety glasses to perform their duties may be reimbursed up to $100 for out-of-pocket costs per pair. The employee should attempt to utilize the City's insurance coverage to the extent possible. Reimbursement for new glasses will be limited to instances where the employee's glasses are damaged on-duty or when his/her prescription has been changed. In order to be eligible for reimbursement, the safety-glasses must meet CalOSHA standards. Jury Duty: Court leave is paid leave granted by the city to enable an employee to fulfill his/her duty as a citizen to serve as a juror, or as a prospective juror, or to serve as a witness in a court action to which the employee is not a party, before a Federal, Superior, or Municipal Court located in the County which the employee resides. Paid leave shall not be granted when the employee is paid an expert witness fee. Employees on jury duty are required to have a court timesheet to be considered on paid leave. State Disability Insurance (SDI): All General and Public Works employees pay into, and are covered by SDI. Premiums are automatically deducted from paychecks. In case of a non-work-related injury, it pays 66 2/3rd of an employee's salary. Computer Loan Program: Employees may obtain an interest-free loan, up to $2,500, to purchase computers, related equipment, and software. This program is intended to increase computer literacy, which is beneficial to employees, the City, and the citizens we serve. Union Membership: All full-time, benefited employees in classifications represented by LMCEA have the right to elect membership. Part-Time Regular Employees: Salary and benefits for regular employees on halftime (.5) or three-quarter-time (.75) status with the City will be proportional to the equivalent of fulltime regular employees. These hours must be worked on a regular and continuous basis, or as a result of a mutually agreed upon reduced work period. 60 - 69 hours per pay period = 75% Benefits 40 - 59 hours per pay period = 50% Benefits 39 or less hrs. per pay period = No Benefits Part-Time Sick Leave: All temporary and part-time employees will receive 40 hours of paid sick leave. To be eligible, the part-time employee must be employed with the City for 90 days and worked at least 30 days. For additional detailed information regarding salaries and benefits, you may request a copy of the MOU document ( from a representative of the bargaining unit that represents you. 01 Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to continue in the selection process. Resumes in lieu of this questionnaire will not be accepted. Please be as descriptive as possible in your responses. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and that your responses can be verified from information included within the application? Yes No 02 What is your highest level of education? High school, GED, or equivalent Associate degree Some College Bachelor degree Master's Degree PhD 03 Please indicate the number of years of recent experience you have working with the homeless population, specifically performing homeless outreach, behavioral and mental health assessments and case management, and/or providing services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Over 3 Years At least 3 Years 1 to 2 Years Less than 1 Year No Experience in this area 04 I am currently registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW/SCSW)? Yes No 05 I understand that I must maintain active status and current Board registration as an ASW/ACSW for the duration of employment with the City of La Mesa? Yes No 06 Do you have experience working in, or working with, any of the following areas: (check all that apply) Local Government Social Work Non-Profit Homeless Outreach San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness None of the above 07 Please indicate the data systems you are proficient at using: (check all that apply) Clarity Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Vulnerability Index & Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) Customer Relationship Management None of the above 08 Please list your level of expertise using Microsoft Word in a work environment. Advanced (watermarks, mail merge, headers/footers) Intermediate (tables, fonts, bullets, margins, shading) Beginner (typing basic memos and correspondence) No Experience 09 Do you possess or have the ability to obtain a current CPR/Standard First Aid Certificate by date of hire? If you possess the certificate, please attach a copy to your application. Yes No No, but will have one by the date of hire 10 Do you possess a valid driver's license (equivalent to a California C license)? Yes No 11 APPLICANT'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT - NOTIFICATION VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL): The City of La Mesa Human Resources Division uses e-mail to notify our applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of your application. Therefore, as an applicant, you are hereby advised of the following: 1. Ensure that the e-mail address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. Do not share e-mail addresses. Spam or other filters should be adjusted to accept our e-mails. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our e-mail notifications, i.e., for the non-delivery of e-mail or if you fail to check your e-mail inbox on a timely basis, etc. 2. Carefully read any notices that we send in a timely manner. Follow further instructions, if any. We recommend that you print and keep a hard copy of our notices for your records. I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the above. Yes No Required Question Agency City of La Mesa Address 8130 Allison Avenue La Mesa, California, 91942 Phone 619-667-1175 Website Apply Please verify your email address Verify Email
Created: 2024-09-20