Community Mental Health Associate

Mental Health Associate

Job Overview

Location/Schedule :
This position is based at the Garlington Health Center located in NE Portland, OR. The schedule for the position is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Position :
Community Mental Health Associate

Program :
Housing Outreach Team

Mission :
Cascadia Health delivers whole health care – integrated mental health and addiction services, primary care, and housing – to promote hope and support the well-being of the communities we serve.

Vision: We envision a community where everyone benefits from whole health care, experiences well-being, and has a self-directed, connected life.

Position Description :
The Community Mental Health Associate works independently and as a member of a team to provide engagement, housing placement, and time-limited home-based retention supports to individuals and household members impacted by homelessness and mental illness. The Community Mental Health Associate must have strong interpersonal skills necessary to develop positive working relationships within the team and assist participants in developing trusting relationships with other individuals and support systems, and assist all participants in accessing program partner services as well as mainstream resources/health programs.

The position is part of a team that provides community based behavioral health services and long-term rental subsidies. The program uses a holistic, whole person, culturally responsive approach as well as motivational interviewing, assertive engagement and the Harm Reduction model. All incumbents must understand, appreciate and respect the differences within our Cascadia community. It is expected that there is an awareness and sensitivity to the perspectives and perceptions to those we serve, as well as our colleagues.

As Cascadia is Trauma informed, the incumbent must support a Trauma Informed Care Environment. With the high prevalence of trauma among individuals receiving behavioral health services, it is required that the incumbent understand the effects of trauma on health, coping, and other aspects of the lives of those we serve.

Essential Responsibilities

This position description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. Management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary.

• Provide engagement services to clients utilizing strength-based case management, motivational interviewing and harm reduction concepts.

• Communicate with supervisor, manager and office coordinator in a timely manner on all individuals/households who are receiving outreach supports, or other services. Maintain full and prompt communication and approval for all client households on caseload, and service planning, and potential need for program client/rent assistance.

• Collaborate with QMHP to conduct Behavioral Health Assessments and collaboratively develop Treatment Plans (ISSPs) with participants, and all tasks related to enrollment as a Cascadia client for clinical and insurance billing purposes.

• Gather all client level data in a timely and accurate manner as required for HMIS/Service Point and contacted funders. This includes entry, exit, and services provided each month.

• Complete all applications related to housing placement and service access in a timely fashion. This includes providing quality information to each household engaged in service and housing options, as well as completing and submitting forms, applications and other documentation in collaboration with participating clients: includes, but is not limited to supportive housing application packets, apartment applications, rental subsidy applications, vulnerability assessments, referrals into BEST and other entitlement assistance programs, food stamps, AMHI programs, Crisis/Respite services and all other programs and resources of value to the participant household.

• Provide limited therapeutic intervention and skills training services, including practical support and advocacy to clients throughout the working relationship with focused intent to improve each clients ability to develop informal and formal support systems, with the intent of long-term housing stability, and full engagement in outpatient health and mental health supports.

• Accompany clients to appointments and provide transportation using company vehicle when necessary.

• Provide in-reach/liaison to community partners serving homeless people under the direction and in…