Description

Job Title: Supervising Attorney- Consumer Center for Health Education and Advocacy (“CCHEA”) Behavioral Health Unit

Position Summary

With input and supervision of the Managing Attorney, the Supervising Attorney will effectively lead and oversee the work of the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) of the CCHEA team. The Supervising Attorney will assist in training and supervising legal and advocacy work of staff attorneys, non-attorney staff, interns, and volunteers. The Supervising Attorney is primarily responsible for the review of all BHU case work, being responsive to case review questions from advocates and staff attorneys and assisting the Managing Attorney to ensure the overall quality and competency of the substantive legal work. The Supervising Attorney will also help identify and meet staff training needs in coordination with other management staff, as well as assist with the team’s grant management as needed.

About the Organization

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD), the largest poverty law firm serving San Diego County since 1953, strengthens our communities by redressing our clients’ legal problems, empowering our clients to access and effectively participate within the legal, governmental, and social systems and encouraging self-empowerment in the fight against poverty and injustice. LASSD continues to be a proud, committed, and compassionate group of people dedicated to providing equal access to justice for San Diegans through aggressive, quality legal services. #justicebeginshere

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists Managing Attorney with supervising a unit comprised of staff attorneys, advocates, support staff, and volunteers.

• Interview prospective clients, render legal advice, maintain an increasingly complex caseload, and represent clients in all phases of affirmative administrative litigation.

• Train and assist less experienced attorneys to become effective in representation of their clients through administrative litigation, negotiation, research, and case strategy.

• In conjunction with the Managing Attorney, evaluate the work of and create professional development plans for staff underneath their direct supervision.

• Timely and accurately perform all team administrative duties, including the review of closed cases.

• Along with the Managing Attorney, maintain oversight of Behavioral Health Unit (BHU), including serving as a liaison to CCHEA Operations and Executive Management regarding BHU activities, contract and grant making activities, and other duties as assigned.

• Maintain knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, policies, and protocols applicable to the work of the CCHEA team. Understand Title IX and its application for patients’ rights advocacy work.

• Develop, implement, monitor, and revise protocols, policies, and procedures for the program in cooperation with the CCHEA Managing Attorney, Executive Management, and relevant Boards.

• In conjunction with the Managing Attorney, monitor and analyze program data and ensure its accuracy. Oversee the submission of monthly mental health and substance abuse logs to the county. Prepare and lead the annual chart reviews for behavioral health cases.

• Assist with the development of the CCHEA annual report.

• Prepare recommendations for policy development in coordination with the CEO/Executive Director, CCHEA Managing Attorney, and CCHEA Director of Policy and Training. Participate in behavioral health systems advocacy efforts as appropriate.

• In conjunction with the Managing Attorney, develop, implement, and supervise behavioral health community education and outreach programs, including materials development, in collaboration with the appropriate Boards and outside organizations.

• In conjunction with the Managing Attorney, ensure that the Program achieves and maintains an active and visible role in the consumer and organizational communities. Identify consumer representatives for the Consumer Center’s Advisory Board. Maintain positive relationships with those consumers and promote their participation on the Board.

• Assist with grant writing and grant management of BHU, including contract deliverables, data collection, and timely reporting compliance.

• Maintain excellent relationships with funders, including ensuring positive and productive relationships with County BHS.

• Seek new funding opportunities to enhance and expand existing health care advocacy services in conjunction with the Executive Management and CCHEA Operations.

• Develop teamwork and encourage active staff participation. Motivate and mentor new BHU staff and provide continuous coaching for those staff.

• Incorporate new rules and policies into staff training.

• Review and approve BHU staff time sheets and requests for leave. Develop agendas and lead BHU staff meetings.

• Participate and represent LASSD and the Consumer Center in relevant meetings and calls pertaining to the BHU, including but not limited to the Behavioral Health Advisory Board, BHS Quality Review Council, and others as assigned.

• Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Must be a member of the California Bar.

• Must have three (3) years’ experience as a practicing attorney, two (2) of which must be in public interest law.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the Behavioral Health (BH) system of care, including its governing laws and policies as well as relevant oversight agencies and patient’s rights and protections.

• The capability to relate to staff and the specific client communities in a direct, professional, and empathetic manner.

• The ability to supervise staff, evaluate performance outcomes, and provide feedback.

• Knowledge, understanding, and application of the principles required to collect and analyze data accurately and reliably.

• Understanding of legal issues and needs faced by the client communities served by the program and the laws relating to those issues.

• Have knowledge of the terminology used by professionals and the service provider community that affects the issues impacting the client communities.

• Ability to work independently and organize workload including setting priorities, goals, and staff schedules.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly in writing and orally.

• Willingness to travel throughout San Diego as well as to meetings throughout the State.

• Demonstrated experience in developing and presenting training materials and programs.

• Must have reliable transportation.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Behavioral Health diversionary programs, standards and rights related to involuntary inpatient and outpatient mental health services, assisted outpatient treatment and Laura’s Law, and the CARE Act.

• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish or a threshold language preferred.

• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income and underrepresented people.

• Ability to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds.

Salary and Benefits:

The Supervising Attorney for the CCHEA Behavioral Health Unit is a salaried position with a salary range of $90,000 - $135,000. The starting salary is $90,000. In addition, there is a bilingual pay increase of 2% for passing an oral test and 2% for passing a written test for threshold languages other than English.

LASSD offers a generous benefits package, a 35-hour workweek, paid vacation leave and sick leave and 100% employer-paid medical premium, 50% employer-paid premium for dependents under LASSD health plan, as well as dental, vision, and life benefits. Staff also have the option to participate in a 403(b)-retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts (FSA). LASSD has its own law school loan repayment program and is an eligible nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

LASSD is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Hybrid Work Environment:

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (“LASSD”) has adopted a hybrid work environment in which most staff are required to work in the office part of the week and permitted to work remotely for the remainder of the week, provided their job duties allow. All employees are issued LASSD computers and provided with appropriate supplies to perform their work. LASSD has implemented and continues to explore additional technologies to make our hybrid working environment as efficient and connected as possible. All employees must be available to travel to LASSD offices and service locations throughout San Diego County as needed and in compliance with public health advisories. Applicants must reside in or near San Diego County or plan to relocate in or near the County prior to their start date and must be able to commute to the physical Legal Aid Society of San Diego office locations or service delivery locations within San Diego County. LASSD’s normal business hours are 9am-5pm, but we are open to providing flexible work schedules to the extent feasible for the position. LASSD reserves the right to change these policies at any time.

Diversity and Inclusion:

It is vitally important to LASSD that we represent the community that we serve. LASSD is a signatory to the San Diego County Bar Association’s Diversity Pledge. We pledge to promote diversity and inclusion through hiring and retention, promotion and leadership, engagement of outside counsel, and participation in legal community diversity initiatives. We strongly encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply.

Legal Aid Society of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer.