BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST II/III - CalAIM JI ECM

The Riverside University Health Systems - Behavioral Health department is currently recruiting for multiple Behavioral Health Specialist II/III positions for the CalAim program.  This posting will be used to fill Behavioral Health Specialist II/III vacancies in Riverside and Indio. 

These Behavioral Health Specialist II/III positions will be for CalAim, Justice Involved, and Enhanced Care Management team. 

What is Cal AIM?
California Advancing and Innovating Medical CalAIM is a state funding initiative. This initiative aims to help advance and transform Medi-cal to improve services that will provide well-rounded care beyond the doctor's office and hospital to address the individual's physical and mental health needs. CalAIM encompasses services and programs such as Enhance Care Management, Community Support, Justice Involved initiative, and Population Health Management, among many others. These programs primarily focus on improving patients' access to health care and better health outcomes.  

What is ECM?
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) is an essential part of CalAIM. ECM provides care management for the most complex patient populations, such as the homeless population, adults who are high utilizers, children and youth, adults with serious mental illness, individuals with long-term care services, justice-involved populations, birth equity, and intellectual developmental disabilities. This program provides comprehensive care management and coordinates the individual's whole health needs.

This recruitment is for a Justice Involved team. Justice Involved teams will provide services both in-person inside Riverside County jails and juvenile halls and with justice-involved consumers after their release from these institution. Positions may require a law enforcement background investigation which requires completion of an extensive questionnaire, meeting with a background investigator, and submitting several references. 



• Interviews consumers to team with mental health professionals in determining the needs of individuals or groups on a walk-in/telephone basis; responds to potential suicide or other emergency telephone calls; describes basic services to consumers; discusses goals and objectives of proposed treatment plans and establishes contract with consumer; assists consumer in recognizing and solving conditions in the consumer's environment which may contribute to mental health problems; as part of a team, counsels individual consumers and groups to develop social adjustment skills and to increase client resolution of identified problems.

• Visits clients, individually or as part of a team, in a variety of living situations to help assess the mental health needs of individuals and families; places consumers who may have difficulty caring for themselves into an appropriate care or treatment facility; visits consumers to observe progress, provide counseling, gather data, and to report significant changes in the consumer's condition to designated professional staff.

• Refers consumers to appropriate resources and/or makes appointment with behavioral health professional(s) for diagnosis and evaluation; assists the consumer, family, and other concerned individuals in filing for and obtaining various kinds of assistance such as financial, housing, or legal; monitors consumer services to insure that a continuum of services is available.

• Gathers data from consumer/family interviews, past records, other information, to gain understanding and verification of previous disorders and treatment episodes; refers consumer to physicians for medication, observation, and treatment; advocates for the client; consults with other individuals and groups regarding services available within the Mental Health Department and specific needs of particular consumers.

• May provide direction to volunteers interested in performing services in Riverside County behavioral Health programs; acts as a liaison between the Mental Health Department and other agencies, departments, organizations, and community groups; May act as an agency representative to community organizations.

• Schedules or assists in the scheduling of needed transportation for consumer services; maintains records and writes reports and summaries for consumer records or other documentation including care status, care reviews, case management plans, summaries, and reports; prepares correspondence and special reports as necessary; attends in-service workshops and training.Knowledge of: Basic principles and practices involved in improving mental health; laws, rules, and regulations governing a public mental health agency; behavioral health programs and services available to the community and their functions; principles and techniques of individual and group counseling; interviewing and problem solving methods.

Ability to: Work effectively with a wide variety of different agencies, organizations, and individuals; Interview clients, recognize the relevant and significant facts, and take appropriate action pertaining to behavioral health needs; implement a treatment plan and monitor a client's progress toward established goals; understand and evaluate psychological, cultural, and social factors affecting behavioral patterns; interpret agency programs and policies to clients, the general public, and agencies/organizations; apply laws, rules, and regulations governing a public mental health agency in specific situations; communicate effectively in verbal and written form.

OPTION I

Education: Completion of 30 sem./45 qtr. units in psychology, sociology, or related behavioral science coursework from a recognized college.

OPTION II

Experience: Six months of experience as a Behavioral Health Specialist I with Riverside County.

OPTION III

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to Behavioral Health Specialist I with a California County Mental Health Agency or private Mental Health care facility.