San Diego Youth Services

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Case Manager (Bilingual English/Spanish Required)

San Diego Youth Services seeks two Case Managers (Bilingual English/Spanish Required) for the CHOICE Program to be based at our Spring Valley Campus. This is a full-time, hybrid, & non-exempt position reporting to the CHOICE Program Manager.

San Diego Youth Services: Who we are

San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 780,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 28,000 youth every year at 100 community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless.

We aim to:

1. Meet the basic needs of youth. Hunger, poverty and youth homelessness are on the rise for many youth and their families today. We help meet these basic needs for youth. What could be more vital than food and shelter? We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing.
2. Create positive connection. We help youth focus on positive life changes and healthy relationships as part of providing needed resources and services. San Diego Youth Services has long provided foster homes and adoption support services for families considering adopting a youth in the foster care system.
3. Help youth develop life skills. In addition to a range of safe and stable housing options, we offer support to help youth develop the independent living skills necessary to become self-sufficient and keep off the streets.
4. Promote overall health and well-being. Early intervention and care for the whole child are critical. We provide a broad continuum of services to help youth overcome trauma and challenges that put them at risk, including case management, counseling, mental health treatment and educational support and resources.

SDYS has a staff of approximately 215 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County and an annual budget of approximately $22 million.

You can learn more about us at www.sdyouthservices.org

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION HIRING FOR

CHOICE Program services are provided in the home, on school campuses and in the community of East and Central Region. CHOICE Program goals include: increase positive youth development, reduction of juvenile delinquency, improvement of family engagement, strengthening of family support, improvement of the juvenile justice system’s efficacy, reducing probation violations and youth in detention. CHOICE is a national model with three components 1) Positive Youth Development, 2) Advocacy, and 3) Accountability. The accountability component is supporting youth by monitoring their progress on goals and meeting the conditions of their Probation. The program provides individual check-ins with youth three times per day, seven days per week.

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

Case Manager is responsible for screening possible intakes, providing intake assessments, crisis management, creating a service plan in partnership with the youth and their parent/legal guardian, facilitating appropriate referrals, as well as community outreach. In addition, responsible for providing prevention and intervention facilitated groups on a variety of topics, including alcohol and other drug use, teen pregnancy prevention, self-esteem, positive choices, family support, ILS, delinquency prevention, gender specific group and anger management.

Essential functions include:

• Assist in implementation of ATD continuum of services.
• Participate in on-call rotation for ATD M-F 8am-6pm and 24-hour seven days-a-week emergency response to host parents as needed.
• Provide individual check-ins with assigned youth three times per day while on shift.
• Represent SDYS at appropriate community meetings such as community collaborative meetings and ATD/CHOICE Advisory meetings.
• Prepare case presentations and actively participate in weekly Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings by providing consultation and support as applicable.
• Maintain clear, timely, effective and open professional communication within the team and among community partners (law enforcement, schools, treatment providers and community-based organizations, Public Defenders’ office and government agencies) and referral sources (Probation Department and Juvenile Courts). Includes providing timely progress reports to referral source.
• Serve as a role model for youth in the juvenile justice system and their families.
• Provide initial screening, comprehensive family-based assessment, short-term crisis intervention services and referrals. Collect input from as many of the following as possible: school, health, law enforcement and faith community.
• Develop and maintain helping relationship with parents or guardians emphasizing client accountability. Work with youth and family to continue to re-assess and refine service plan approach throughout youth’s enrollment in program.
• Communicate with Foster Parent and Mental Health Specialist regarding the needs or behavioral health concerns of the youth in placement daily. 
• Maintain data collection and contract compliance of records within contract timelines as required. Maintain accurate and timely uniform case file documentation.
• Provide home-based, school-based, and center-based individual/family case management services that are strengths-based and family-centered.
• Provide crisis intervention services and referrals to telephone and walk in persons.
• Assist in planning, coordination, development, monitoring, and evaluation of services for youth and family that will be presented to the court for approval.
• Maintain current knowledge of resources and treatment providers within the community to support youth and family needs.
• Mobilize/link family with any necessary supportive or wrap-around services to carry out the service plan; ensure that any referral made is actively followed up on.
• Coordinate meeting transportation needs of youth in the program including transporting youth in a safe and secure manner to support their program service goals.
• Provide resources and facilitated referrals for positive youth development activities including leadership activities and/or youth job development and training.
• Create and lead recreational activities.
• Supervision of the youth while in the center.
• Facilitate trauma informed and strength-based groups on a variety of topics in various settings, such as community-based organizations, schools, and law enforcement facilities.
• Respond to service-partners during a crisis or urgent matter, including those that occur outside of normal business operating hours, by implementing and following the on-call procedures whenever the rotation of on-call falls into the scope of responsibilities for the assigned period

PREFERRED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required.
• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Social Work or closely related social-service field required.
• Prefer a minimum of one-year experience working with youth and their families.
• Familiarity with the Juvenile Justice/Probation and social services systems preferred.
• Some home-based services experience and knowledge of Central & East County resources is a plus.
• Ability to de-escalate and respond to crises appropriately.
• Must be willing to develop or possess working knowledge of trauma-informed care and dual diagnosis treatment; experience working in trauma-informed and dual diagnosis programs preferred.
• Strong professional oral and written communications skills is a must, ability to work with minimum supervision and frequent interruptions, while maintaining a professional demeanor at all times.
• Able to work with multi-disciplinary team in a very diverse setting that serves people of all backgrounds, culture and sexual orientation.
• Must be computer literate in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Access.
• Must show willingness to work flexible hours, including being available to work evenings and weekends as assigned by supervisor and/or as needed.
• Must maintain CPR/First-Aid Certificate. Must have valid CA driver’s license and reliable vehicle and relevant auto insurance, plus a clean driving record (mileage reimbursed). 
• Employment subject to clearances, which may include fingerprinting, background checks, TB testing, and drug testing and to obtain clearance to work with San Diego County Probation Department. 

SDYS EXPECTATIONS

• Adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of SDYS as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality.
• Maintain confidentiality and privacy standards of service partner protected health information and other applicable information and material in accordance to agency and center policies, and applicable regulations and laws including HIPAA.
• Welcome and support SDYS volunteers and assist them in accomplishing their services whenever applicable.
• Effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Receive and give supportive feedback to foster equity and inclusion in working relationships.
• Recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers.
• Maintain warm, welcoming and safe work environments.
• Possess flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.

Salary: $41,600/year plus $1,500/year bilingual differential

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on SDYS website.

SDYS offers a comprehensive benefits package to full time employees that includes generous PTO, personal holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, parental leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan with matching contribution.

Candidates must be able to follow all the guidelines provided by the agency, government, and health authorities to maintain safety and health when the job requires physical presence and/or contact with others during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the submission of proof of vaccination as mandated by the California Public Health Order. The successful candidate will need to submit verification of vaccination or have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated.

SDYS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. In compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended, all new employees must verify their eligibility to work in the United States.