Intake and Eligibility Coordinator, Independent Living Program

Description

AGENCY OVERVIEW

Since our founding in 1895 in Marin County as an orphanage – and through subsequent years as Sunny Hills Services – Side by Side has been at the forefront of best practices in child welfare, working with the most vulnerable youth in our community. Today, Side by Side operates in four counties – Marin, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa – across the Bay Area, reaching nearly 2,000 children, young adults, and family members per year with much-needed services related to behavioral and mental health, early intervention in schools, 

Side By Side places high value on individuals with a passion for helping underserved youth and families in a collaborative and inclusive work culture. We strive to work together to create a trauma-informed workplace where we walk the walk of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles.

COMPENSATION

This position is 40 hours/week and an hourly rate of pay between $32.00 to $35.00 per hour.

BENEFITS

•  3 weeks of paid vacation for F/T employees increasing to 4 weeks of vacation after 2 years of service (for all non-school based employees).
• 2 weeks sick leave for F/T employees with 2 additional sick days for direct service staff
• 10 paid holidays per year and 1 Self-Care Anniversary Day each year
• 99% employer-paid Medical for F/T employees including platinum level Kaiser Permanente insurance, Sutter Health or Anthem options
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Long Term Disability insurance up to $9,000 per month, plus $50,000 Life and AD&D insurance.  Employees also have the option to purchase additional life insurance at their own cost.  
• 403b Retirement Plan with match after one year of employment
• Professional development and other learning opportunities including unlimited access to over 1,000 behavioral health courses online. Side By Side is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness certified employer
• FREE Employee Assistance Program including up to 10 complimentary personal counseling sessions per problem, per year for staff and dependents
• Employee recognition program with $500 bonus awards
• Employee referral bonus of up to $1,000
• Pet Insurance

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Independent Living Program provides every eligible youth in care with independent living skills training to assist in the transition to a successful and independent lifestyle. ILP services are currently delivered to youth ages 14-21 by Side by Side and partnered with Alameda County Social Services.

JOB SUMMARY

The Intake and Eligibility Coordinator is responsible for the initial screening and management of referrals to the Independent Living Program. Participates in weekly meetings tracking referrals, facilitates interviews, monitors waitlists, and completes all intake paperwork. 

• Oversees eligibility screening for housing and ILP (Independent Living Program) youth during intake, ensuring all requirements are met for program placement.
• Manages case assignments, ensuring clients are appropriately assigned to staff 
• Manages all client data within the EHR system, including scanning, uploading, and maintaining all hard-copy client documents to ensure complete and accurate records.
• Sends a welcome email to the assigned SSA (Social Services Agency) contact for new clients, ensuring proper introduction and communication at intake.
• Conducts a quarterly data refresh by reconciling client information with their child welfare worker to ensure records are current and accurate, accommodating changes in child welfare assignments.
• Act as liaison between ILP and referral sources to successfully convert program referrals to program participants.
• Maintain active liaison with referral sources to identify and cultivate new referrals, strengthen and solidify relationships with established referral sources and provide information to the community regarding agency services and programs.
• Keep referral sources appraised of program openings.
• Receive and review referring documentation. Follow up with referral source to get more information as necessary.
• Work with applicable staff to complete intake process – inclusive of phone contact with referral source, faxing of necessary paperwork, checking eligibility, etc.
• Conduct initial intake screening with youth who are referred for mental health and housing services.
• Work to resolve any identified problems with eligibility.
• Track the referral process to ensure prompt entry into services.
• Develop and maintain waiting list for programs at capacity.
• Identify and cultivate new referrals, strengthen, and solidify relationships with established referral sources and provide information to the community regarding agency services and programs. 
• Maintains written records of procedures for assigned tasks, ensuring the team can provide support in their absence due to vacation or illness.
• Serves as backup to the front desk, providing in person support during open business hours when the Front Desk Admin is unavailable.

POSITION SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

• Enthusiastic and strengths-based approach to partnering with youth and collaborating with peers.
• Highest level of integrity in all internal and external activities, and maintains strict confidentiality related to client information.
• Knowledge and self-awareness regarding issues of race, class and ethnicity and the ability to supervise an educationally and ethnically diverse staff.
• Commitment to working in a diverse workplace, and self-awareness regarding issues of race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/spirituality and disability.     
• Passion for working with a diverse group of Transition Age Youth (TAY) including youth of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities.  
• Ability to view families, both biological and chosen, as resources and support systems for youth, and commitment to involve families in services
• Commitment to self-reflection and personal awareness as a means of being able to remain emotionally available and connected with youth, and function as an engaged team-member
• Knowledge and interest in trauma-informed care
• Broad general knowledge of the child welfare system and youth mental/behavioral health fields
• Commitment to effectiveness, prioritizing efficiency and follow-through.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, internet and email.
• Bilingual in Spanish a plus

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Ethical Conduct: Highest level of integrity in all internal and external activities and maintains strict confidentiality related to client information.

Cooperation: Ability to work independently, but also effectively as a team member, sometimes receiving work direction from multiple people.

Composure: Ability to work with financial and personnel information in strict confidence. Ability to remain calm under the pressure of deadlines.

Safety: Demonstrate safety consciousness about the work environment and equipment.

Work Quality: Employee performance of work is to expected standard with a minimum of avoidable errors and problems. Employee includes meeting deadlines and commitments and communication on a timely basis even when there are obstacles to meeting them, as well as adherence to productivity standards. 

Priority Setting: Spends his/her time and the time of others on what’s important. Quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside. Can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal. Eliminates roadblocks, creates focus and uses time effectively.

Job Knowledge: Employee has relevant knowledge and skill to perform job duties. Employee has an awareness and possession or mastery of job facts, practices, manual skills and techniques and decision-making methods. Employee demonstrates an ability to use technology to efficiently complete work assignments, including demonstrated proficiency in using personal computers, email, the Internet and web-based programs, and necessary familiarity with Microsoft Office products, particularly Word and Excel. Also, includes ability to assess own strengths and weaknesses and taking the initiative to seek feedback and further training to improve performance. Employee strives to share their job knowledge with others. Must be detail oriented and able to manage multiple priorities. Excellent organizational and time management skills, showing the ability to consistently meet deadlines.  

Cooperation: Employee has the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships. Employee exhibits tact and consideration. Employee displays positive outlook and pleasant manner. Employee offers assistance and support to co-workers. Employee works cooperatively in group situations as the situation requires. Employee works actively to resolve conflicts.

Customer Focus: Employee is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers. They get first-hand customer information and use it for improvements in services. They act with customers in mind. Employee establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• High School graduate
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Fulfillment of TB clearance, fingerprinting and state clearance, and any other mandatory state/federal requirements.
• A valid California driver's license, dependable personal automobile for use on the job, insurable by SHS’ insurance policy based on DMV record and personal vehicle insurance.
• Bilingual Spanish-speaking a plus

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sitting, walking, standing, twisting and bending for brief periods of time.
• Occasional reaching and/or grasping using hands and/or arms.
• May be required to lift up to 15 pounds.
• May be required to ascend/descend stairs.
• Regular use of hands requiring dexterity in using the telephone, computer keyboard, mouse or calculator.
• Visual ability to read documents and computer monitor.
• Exposure to low to moderate noise levels characteristic of working in an office or client environments.
• Ability to drive to various sites
• Hearing and speech to converse in person and over the telephone.

AGENCY EXPECTATIONS

• Adhere to all Agency Health and Safety policies and procedures administratively as well as related to the care of our clients
• Adhere to the Agency’s Code of Conduct and Employee Handbook, as well as any other agency policies and procedures.
• Attend and participate in all required agency supervisions, meetings and trainings.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality related to client, staff and other Agency information

Side by Side provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.  

Salary : $32 - $35