POSITION SUMMARY:

The Elder Mental Health Case Manager Lead provides elders (age 50 and older) with case management, including: assistance in care coordination, patient support in maintaining income, housing, basic needs, and independent living skills, crisis intervention, and other such services. Works as a part of the adult mental health team and in close collaboration with the addictions and outreach teams, medical services, and other NARA programs. Assists elders and therapists in developing strengths-based service plans for case management and community-based services. Provides some administrative leadership, including ensuring timely documentation, monitoring program reporting / tracking requirements, and developing new systems as-needed to track various information for the Elder Mental Health Case Management Team.

DUTIES:

• Prioritize referrals to appropriate behavioral health services (mental health or addiction services) as-needed, to address elders needs.
• Help elders navigate the care delivery system, including systems of health and behavioral health, housing, insurance, and transportation.
• Monitor food and housing security.
• Meet with client in hospital stays when appropriate for continuation of care.
• Provide case management and community services to elders living with serious mental disorders that significantly affect their functioning in the community setting
• Assist with obtaining benefits such as insurance and SS benefits, job training, housing, health care, socialization, and other community resources as identified in a strengths-based plan.
• Provide community-based skills training, such as finance management, medication management, disease management, self-advocacy, use of public transportation, nutrition, hygiene, etc.
• Assist with connection to cultural resources and events, including transportation and support at events, as desired.
• Assist elders in learning about and accessing cultural resources and activities.
• Provide a warm handoff for elders who are being referred out to resources, e.g., attending first appointments with elder at health clinic, addictions intake, housing, cultural activities, etc.
• Coordination of care actively initiate and maintain communication and collaboration with all members of elders support system and service team as permitted by the consumer
• Maintain appropriate documentation as required by agency policy and OARS, learn elder specific documentation in external systems as needed and approved.
• Connect with elder and disabled services public care delivery system as-needed.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings to coordinate care, including older adult behavioral health services and the older adult behavioral health initiative trainings.
• Attend relevant trainings as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Desire to serve elders in a supportive capacity, previous experience preferred.
• Additional training around senior services, culture, and knowledge of community resources and entitlement programs preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of mental illness, medications, symptoms, and treatments.
• Understanding of common health and behavioral health issues for older patients.
• Ability to engage and interact positively with clients to promote strengths and improve health and well-being.
• Initiative to communicate effectively in coordinating care.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Knowledge and skills in working in a multi-cultural environment.
• QMHP or QMHA with MHACBO.
• CADC credentials preferred.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients, the community, and other staff members.
• Work collaboratively with clients, other NARA staff, team members, and to treat everyone with respect and dignity at all times.
• Experience working within the Native American/Alaska Native community preferred.
• If in recovery, must have a minimum of two years sobriety/clean time.
• Ability to pass a pre-employment or for cause drug tests.
• Ability to pass criminal background and DMV checks.
• Mental Health Therapists must be able to pass a CRIMS finger printing and background check.