Job Summary: Provide clinically & culturally competent behavioral health (integrated mental health and substance use) services to the populations served by the BEST Neighborhoods program. As described above, BEST Neighborhoods works closely with individuals experiencing homelessness and living with chronic mental health conditions (and frequently with intersecting medical and substance use challenges as well).
The Behavioral Health Counselor provides street-based assessment and counseling for individuals who are unhoused in the streets, and also meets clients at shelters, navigation centers, transitional housing units, hospitals, and any other locations where our clients may be able to benefit from our services. Some evenings or weekends may be required depending on program scheduling and client care needs. The Behavioral Health Counselor takes part in client care coordination, referral, and linkage to substance use, mental health, medical, and shelter, working in tandem with a multi-disciplinary team of peer counselors, nurses, social workers, health workers, and psychiatric providers to support each client’s behavioral health and access to care.
Primary Responsibilities Include
Provide clinically & culturally responsive behavioral health services to the populations served by the RAMS program, in various modalities. These can include clinical evaluation, case management, referral & linkage, mental health consultation, short-term individual/group/family psychotherapeutic interventions, outreach & advocacy, crisis intervention, and collateral therapy services (based on services provided at the program).
Provide clinical services and outreach at the appropriate location (street-based, clinic setting, portable/wrap-around, at assigned partner site, etc.) as determined and assigned by the RAMS program to ensure the client’s successful engagement and compliance.
Conduct intakes &/or initial and ongoing screening assessments to determine a client’s suitability for program services, counseling, or other referrals.
Liaise with community treatment providers, personnel at partner organizations, families (as appropriate), and other members of client’s support team to coordinate client care.
Coordinate with client and their treatment/service provider team regarding treatment planning (including developing and implementing treatment plans and goals), progress assessment, disposition, and referral & discharge plans.
Develop and maintain administrative and clinical records related to client care, in accordance to standards specified by agency's policies, clinical standards, and program funders & partners.
Provide outreach, education, training, and consultation on mental/behavioral health services and issues to clients, families of clients, partner organizations, community members, other professionals, and community settings as assigned and needed.
Participate in case conferences, staff meetings, in-service training, individual &/or group supervision, and other staff development activities, including daily huddles and debriefs.
Develop and maintain clear, open, timely, cooperative, and diplomatic communications and working relations with all staff, consumers, and partner agencies
Must be able to maintain regular attendance to assigned shifts—job will require primarily in-person work
Perform other duties as assigned
For Best Neighborhoods, Program-specific Responsibilities Include
Conduct Street-Based outreach to identified clients and potential new clients on foot, by vehicle, and/or on public transportation to clients referred to the DPH Office of Coordinated Care’s BEST Neighborhoods Program and to new clients seeking services across the City & County of San Francisco
Represent BEST Neighborhoods Program as assigned at multi-agency meetings for purposes of client care coordination
Work closely with DPH-BHS program staff and RAMS peer counseling staff to ensure high quality clinical assessment and care for identified clients.
Required Qualifications
MS/MA in Psychology, MFT, Clinical or Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, or related field, from an accredited institution
Current BBS or Board of Psychology licensure or registration
At least one year of direct service-provider experience in a similar community-based organization and setting, providing similar mental/behavioral health counseling and consultation services to indigent & underserved clients in the populations served at the RAMS program
Knowledge of and demonstrated experience utilizing a variety of treatment & recovery models
Must be able to travel to and from worksite and other locations within San Francisco, and to accompany clients as needed to appointments and community-based resources on public transit and taxis/ride-shares
Must be able to physically walk/stand in San Francisco neighborhoods up to 75% of any assigned shift, as applicable.
Must be able to physically lift or carry items up to 25 lbs at a time, approximately 25% of the assigned shift
Other Preferred Qualifications
Demonstrated experience in outreach/engagement to targeted at-risk populations in non-traditional behavioral health settings, very strongly preferred
Proficiency in conducting clinical & functional assessments of clients with both behavioral health and physical complaints.
Prior experience in assessment and treatment modalities including short-term counseling, group therapy, crisis intervention in treating clients with dual diagnoses (e.g. behavioral health/substance abuse).
Excellent communication and organization with the ability to present feedback in a positive and empowering manner
Ability to organize, manage, and/or work effectively with diverse program staff, community partners, and behavioral health clients
Strong knowledge and experience with service delivery documentation (including counseling planning), HIPAA standards, utilization review, and data management
Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times
Familiarity with community behavioral health systems of care in San Francisco, including the philosophy of care, levels of care for clinical services, and the delivery of such services, highly preferred
Familiarity with the San Francisco community resources/services (may include health, mental health, substance abuse, vocational, housing, etc.), highly preferred
Strong commitment to the philosophy, goals, & mission of RAMS in providing community-based, culturally responsive, and person-centered mental health services to the community
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively, function independently, and interact professionally with a diverse, multicultural, and interdisciplinary staff of all levels
Ability to provide services in threshold language (Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Russian, Tagalog, Arabic) highly preferred but not required
Program Overview: BEST Neighborhoods is a collaboration between RAMS, the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Behavioral Health Services (DPH-BHS), and other community partners that provides street-based behavioral health care throughout the city, one neighborhood at a time. With carefully created care plans, strong multi-disciplinary teams, street-based medical and psychiatric resources, and the support of other agencies and City departments, we seek to quickly improve the health and quality of life of people experiencing homelessness and living with chronic mental health conditions. The program’s origins and strong impact so far have been covered by the San Francisco Chronicle’s ‘Fixing Our City’ podcast series. You can read and listen more about it here, from April 25, 2023: https://www.sfchronicle.com/podcasts/article/erica-mcgary-radical-hospitality-17908844.php
About the Company: Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS) is a private, non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community based, consumer-guided services. RAMS offers behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational services that aim to meet the needs of the diverse communities in the City. Our agency is recognized by the local and national social service community as having expertise in providing culturally competent mental health services to the underserved, with expertise in working with the Asian & Pacific Islander and Russian-speaking populations.
Seniority level
Entry level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Other
Industries
Mental Health Care
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