Case Manager

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Case Manager acts as a primary liaison between various client referral sources while providing walk-in screenings and offering resources and referrals for all applicants seeking services for severely emotionally disturbed children and the family/caregivers who support them. 

The Case Manager assesses resources and skill-building needs of Wellnest clients, and provides ongoing outpatient and school-based mental health and case management services. The Case Manager also tracks a variety of client referral sources including but not limited to: Walk-Ins, Specialized Foster Care (SFC), and Family Preservation (FP).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Serves as a point of first engagement with clients and families seeking or referred for mental health services. Provides outreach to families as needed to engage them in the application process.
• Provides Screening and Triages to applicants to make appropriate referrals within the agency to programs including mental health services, psychiatric support services, psychological assessment.
• Provides resources and linkage to supportive community resources to clients and families who are seeking other services or do not meet criteria for Wellnest programs.
• Implements Wellnest’s centralized scheduling workflow including assisting applicants in completing initial paperwork and schedules intakes within appropriate programs within the agency.
• Reviews and collects information related to the client’s socio-economic history, treatment history, education history and other relevant data and communicates these to a multi-disciplinary team for the purposes of diagnostic assessment and program assignment.
• Assists the Access Program in tracking utilization of services and providing feedback reports to referral sources including schools, DCFS Social Workers, Family Preservation IHOCS, etc.
• Attends case conference meetings to assist and participate in case disposition and follow-up. 
• Works in concert with other mental health providers (e.g., therapists, nurses) to provide skill-based intervention to improve client/family functioning and progress towards mutually agreed upon treatment goals.
• Works with clients to searches the community for options for additional needed or desired services (i.e., emancipation services; sober living opportunities; education enrichment; scholarships, grants or job training programs; age-appropriate social opportunities; parenting classes). 
• Provides outreach to other community institutions (e.g., schools) or community events (e.g., health fairs) to promote Wellnest services and increase access to care for the community. 

• Manages the tracking and scheduling of client referrals from one or more specialized referral source(s) with specialized workflows (e.g., SFC, FP, SRTS) as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree (B.A./B.S.) in Social Work, Psychology, or another related field.  Must possess and maintain a valid CA driver’s license and insurable driving record that meets Wellnest’s insurance carrier’s criteria for liability coverage. Use of a personal vehicle is required to complete the essential functions of this position. In keeping with Company policy for all employees, the successful applicant must also complete a test for Tuberculosis (TB), and fingerprint clearance by the Department of Justice.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Employee may be asked to pursue additional training when it is determined to be in the best interest of the Company.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Employee regularly works out in the field and in an office environment. Employee may be required to work flexible, evening and/or weekend hours for time-sensitive projects.

REASONING ABILITY: 

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret manual and office documents
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Ability to define problems, gather, transcribe and post data, analyze, synthesize and classify information, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to work independently and with others - including other employees, clients and members of the public - in face-to-face and telephonic contexts
• Ability to multi-task, establish priorities and manage time, meet deadlines and perform duties under time constraints
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work demands
• Maintain a high level of concentration and attention to detail for extended periods of time
• Maintain a high level of ethical and professional standards in accordance with agency policy  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to talk or hear in order to give and receive information and instructions
• Ability to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls
• Ability to reach with hands and arms
• Ability to use computer keyboard up to 50% of the day
• Visual acuity, ability to adjust focus and peripheral vision for work on a laptop or other computer equipment
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Comprehensive knowledge of internet and telecommunications technology
• Able to use telephone, office copier, calculator, fax machine, computer printer and scanner, or other equipment as required

This description is only intended to illustrate the duties, responsibilities and requirements for it.  It is not intended, nor should it be interpreted to describe each and every duty the employee may be required to perform.

Wellnest does not discriminate against any client, parent/guardian, employee or community member on the basis of actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Due to restrictions from DHCS, Wellnest, as a health care provider, is unable to employ anyone on a DHCS exclusionary list or database. Applicants will be asked to confirm within the application process whether they are subject to an exclusion.