Clinical Specialist

Job Title: Clinical Specialist (LCSW, LMFT, or related)

(Middle Eastern and North African Arabic and Farsi/ Persian speaking communities)

Employment Status: .50 FTE

Location: Oakland and Alameda County, California

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Program Summary:

Diversity in Health Training Institute (DHTI) is hiring a Clinical Specialist for the Sidra Community Wellness project (Sidra), which is a part of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care’s Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) for Underserved Ethnic and Language Populations (UELP) focused on Middle Eastern and Arab communities. Sidra is designed to provide culturally sensitive prevention and early intervention mental health services and increase access to mental health treatment for Middle Eastern and Arab communities in Alameda County. The target population for Sidra includes individuals residing in Alameda County who identify themselves as part of the following communities: Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian, and Yemeni, among others. Sidra will address community mental health needs such as the impact of trauma, isolation, suicide risk and risks associated with the early onset of Serious Mental Illness.?The program employs a team approach with pre-defined staff roles. The Sidra program will deliver cultural wellness practices that are resonant with target communities, and that are strength based including Outreach/Engagement and Psycho-Education activities, Mental Health Consultation, Preventive Counseling, and Mental Health referrals.

Agency:

Diversity in Health Training Institute (DHTI) is an Oakland-based nonprofit that advances workforce development with and for immigrants in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. DHTI’s overall purpose is to promote conditions in which immigrants can thrive. DHTI was established in 2011 by then-Alameda County Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker to address the increasing demand for a linguistically and culturally diverse health system. Historically, DHTI’s work focused on assisting multicultural immigrant and refugee/asylee health professionals to enter/re-enter the U.S. health workforce while also supporting primary and behavioral health employers to diversify their workforces to be responsive to the needs of increasingly diverse populations in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and California at large. DHTI provides individualized and group-based career coaching; trainings, internships, and fellowships about the health system, community health work, and behavioral/mental health careers; professional skills workshops shaped by frameworks of cultural humility and intercultural intelligence; scholarships and linkages to work-based exposure and learning. Across all service provision and program delivery, DHTI takes a holistic view to wellness and support participants with accessing needed resources to promote social and emotional wellbeing along their health career pathways. Through Sidra Community Wellness program, DHTI will be expanding behavioral/mental health services and wellness work for the Middle Eastern and Arabic communities in Alameda County.

Job Description:

The Clinical Specialist will conduct comprehensive assessments and intakes and develop and implement care plans with individuals and families; provide psycho-education to wellness and other mental health related issues in a way that is culturally responsive and community driven; provide linkages to community services and assist in systems navigation; and will support group activities, including wellness/support groups, workshops and community events.

The Clinical Specialist will also be responsible for delivering mental health consultations and clinical supervision when applicable to Sidra staff, CBOs, community leaders, healthcare providers, and/or community groups. The Clinical Specialist will work closely with the Program Manager to ensure quality delivery of program deliverables and provide technical assistance to the Community Outreach Ambassador on Outreach/Engagement and Psycho-Education activities including, but not limited to community workshops, support groups, and outreach materials.

Supervision and Support:

The Clinical Specialist will report directly to and will work closely with DHTI Director of Programs, the Sidra Program Manager and Community Outreach Ambassador.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provide culturally sensitive case management for individuals who are socially isolated, have previous exposure to trauma and are at risk of mental illness.

• Perform intakes, screenings, and service planning to ensure clients mental health needs are met.

• Provide in -field and office based preventative counseling sessions including problem solving, empathetic listening, crisis intervention and stabilization.

• Provide technical assistance for the development of psycho-education sessions and to Community Outreach Ambassador on other Outreach/Engagement activities including cultural-based educational workshops, support groups, and outreach materials.

• Provide risk management and mental health referrals for clients and provide technical assistance for staff with case management clients.

• Deliver mental health consultations to SIDRA Community Wellness project staff, CBOs, community leaders, health care providers, and/or community groups.

• Maintain strong collaboration with the SIDRA Community Wellness Program Manager, Clinical team to seek out community partners for the development of psycho-education curriculum, workshop schedule/calendar, and to ensure overall quality delivery and documentation of program services.

• Attend meetings requested by ACBHCS and/or other state and local partners.

• Adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations with client records, notes, and all documentation.

• Provide data required for contract reports and assist with reporting.

• Become familiar with and abide by the standards of service delivery outlined by DHTI, State of California, and Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services.

• Ensure that program services are provided in accordance with quality assurance standards of DHTI, State and accrediting organizations.

• Support agency-wide activities and other duties as assigned.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Master’s or Doctoral Level degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology or related field;

• LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, Psy D. by the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences to practice in the state of California;

• 2 + years of relevant work experience post-licensure in the mental health field servicing isolated and/or under resourced communities. Experience working with people of color;

• Professional proficiency in English and Arabic. Ability to speak and write Arabic fluently. Strong bilingual communications skills. Bilingual and bicultural to serve Middle Eastern and Arabic speaking communities;

• Broad theoretical knowledge and expertise in the practice of a variety of counseling modalities and of diagnostics and therapeutic techniques in order to diagnose, develop care plans in partnership with clients, and solve problems in counseling work with children, adolescents and/or adults. Knowledge and familiarity with the Strengths Based Recovery Model and Trauma informed approach to care;

• Knowledge of ethnic, economic and social factors affecting wellness of Middle Eastern and Arabic speaking communities;

• Must be able to work in and around Alameda County and counties where many Middle Eastern or Arabic community events take place;

• Strong problem-solver under pressure and experience with crisis management;

• Empathy for, interest in and sensitivity to people from a multiplicity of backgrounds (ethnic, religious, social class, sexual orientation, etc.), with core awareness and sensitivity to the cultures and needs of Middle Eastern and Arab communities;

• Positive attitude and a natural inclination to focus on strengths;

• Interest in or knowledge of traditional health and wellness practices and perspectives;

• Proven ability to work as a team member and facilitate groups in cross-cultural environments;

• Commitment to cultural humility and strong interpersonal communication skills;

• Well versed in mandated reporting and client safety policies and procedures;

• Strong attention to detail, time management and organizational skills;

• Computer literate;

• Valid California driver’s license and access to vehicle.

Preferred: ?

• 2 + years of relevant work experience post-licensure in the mental health field servicing isolated and/or under resourced communities and ready to provide clinical consultation to AMFT, ASW and other non-clinical staff;

• Experience working with Middle Eastern and Arab communities in Alameda County and the Bay Area;

• Experience and familiarity with Community-Based Participatory methods and/or Popular Education/Critical Pedagogy;

• Experience entering data on county and state billing systems.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The predominant work environments for this position include fieldwork, home visits, and outreach in multiple settings as needed, and weekly in DHTI’s Oakland office. Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT

In the course of performing this job, the employee typically spends time sitting, standing, walking, typing, filing, listening and speaking.

MENTAL REQUIREMENT

The incumbent in this position must be able to accommodate to any/all of the following: tolerance for distractions and interruptions

HOURS: 20- hours / .5 FTE

COMPENSATION: DOE

BENEFITS: pro-rated vacation and sick leave benefits and share of medical and dental benefits for employees less than .8 FTE

This is a great opportunity to work at a growing agency with innovative approaches to addressing and fulfilling the behavioral health, youth and community wellness of underserved Middle Eastern and Arab communities.

Job Type: Part-time

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Hours per week:

• 20-29

Typical start time:

• 9AM

Typical end time:

• 5PM

This Company Describes Its Culture as:

• Detail-oriented -- quality and precision-focused
• Outcome-oriented -- results-focused with strong performance culture
• Stable -- traditional, stable, strong processes
• People-oriented -- supportive and fairness-focused
• Team-oriented -- cooperative and collaborative

Company's website:

• www.dhti.org

Company's Facebook page:

• https://www.facebook.com/DHTI.org

Benefit Conditions:

• Waiting period may apply

COVID-19 Precaution(s):

• Remote interview process
• Personal protective equipment provided or required
• Plastic shield at work stations
• Temperature screenings
• Social distancing guidelines in place
• Virtual meetings
• Sanitizing, disinfecting, or cleaning procedures in place