Psychiatric Social Worker/Marriage & Family Therapist-Older Adult Mental Health-Chinese Spkg Pref

The County of San Mateo Health System's Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division is seeking a well-qualified individual for the position of Psychiatric Social Worker/Marriage & Family Therapist – in Older Adult System of Integrated Services (OASIS) Mental Health Team- Bilingual Chinese Preferred - Extra Help.         

OASIS is community field-based mental health services provided to older adults at their place of residence. This home visit services include medication evaluation and monitoring, individual counseling/therapy, and case management. This multiple discipline team with language capacity in English, Spanish, and Chinese, consists of Psychiatrists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, a Community Mental Health Nurse, and a Peer Support Worker. Services are available to San Mateo County residents age 60 and over with issues of mobility and mental health conditions that impact their day-to-day functioning. 

The current vacancy is for Extra Help, 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with some flexibility, in the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Health Department located at 1950 Alameda De Las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94403.  Clinicians in this position will drive to clients' homes throughout the County, provide transport support if needed, and drive occasionally to meetings and other appointments, so must have current California Driver's license in good standing.

OASIS is the point of entry for Older Adult Mental Health services within San Mateo County.  

Clinicians will use evidence-based approach to perform assessment, diagnosis, make medical necessity treatment plan, case management, individual therapy, and work with family members of clients' and other community providers for clients' mental health follow-up care needs.  These interventions are provided in field setting or in clients' place of residence, and/or as needed to clients who are living in the community.  Clinicians are committed to providing medical necessity treatment that supports the clients' goals of independence and self-sufficiency with other service providers' support to continually live in the community with better quality of life. These positions embrace the challenge of providing simultaneous co-occurring treatment for both mental illness and substance use disorders in some cases; to work in an older adult outpatient setting as a member of a multidisciplinary team in collaboration and within the system of care.

The ideal candidates will possess:

• A current license as either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist, or are collecting hours to take the licensing exam;
• Solid clinical treatment, assessment, diagnostic and evaluation skills;
• Knowledge of principles, techniques and trends in counseling, psychotherapy, clinical case management, crisis management and various treatment modalities;
• Experience delivering services to adult and/or older adult consumers who have co-occurring behavioral health and substance use disorders;
• Excellent documentation skills:  progress notes, assessments, client care plans, etc.
• Demonstrated expertise, skill and interest in working with a broad range of clients of diverse cultures and backgrounds, and an ability to provide culturally appropriate and proficient services
• Skill in establishing and maintaining productive working relationships with families, co-workers, other professionals, collaborative partners and the public.
• The ability to speak, read, and write fluently in both English and Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese) is preferred.

NOTE: This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform initial diagnostic evaluation noting behavioral symptoms which may indicate organic and/or mental disorders.
• Determine and develop appropriate treatment plans for all clients in the caseload.
• Conduct individual counseling/therapy sessions for clients toward the goal of achieving more adequate, satisfying and productive adjustments in the community and provide case management services as appropriate.
• Participate in developing individual treatment plans utilizing a variety of psychotherapeutic, psychosocial and psycho educational modalities.
• Make referrals and plan discharge procedures as needed.
• Assess progress of clients on a selected basis and propose modifications to rehabilitation plans in order to meet goals agreed upon by the clients.
• Prepare and maintain psychosocial case histories for use in diagnostic evaluations and of client progress.
• Collect and evaluate medical or psychosocial data such as case histories, behavior patterns and family relationships of clients.
• Analyze factors which exert an adverse effect upon health problems, treatment, or recovery, or which may contribute to or are responsible for mental illness or affect the potential for rehabilitation.
• Be a team player in the team and with other treatment disciplines.
• Conduct home visits and provide transport support if needed.
• Provide consultation and education services.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Licensure/Certification:
PSW I - current California registration as a Clinical Social Worker Associate (ASW).
MFT I - current California Registration as a Marriage and Family Therapist intern (IMF).
Individuals hired in these classifications must become licensed within three years from the date of employment as a Clinical Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist by the State of California.

PSW-II - Current California license as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
MFT II - Current California license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT).

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is a Master's degree in Social Work and Counseling or a closely related field.

Knowledge of:

• Current philosophy, principles, and practices for services to clients with serious mental illness.
• Individual, group and family psychodynamics as they relate to adults and/or older adults.
• Psychological diagnostic methods and terminology.
• Personality development from infancy through adulthood.
• Human and health services systems in the County including private agencies and other community resources.

• Provide treatment to adults and/or older adults with various mental disabilities ranging from serious mental illness to dysfunctional behavior patterns, including victims of sexual or physical abuse.
• Set realistic treatment goals and facilitate their attainment.
• Evaluate the degree of psychiatric disability or emotional distress of patients/clients.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Provide consultation and technical assistance to agencies, and other organizations.
• Work collectively within a multi-disciplinary team.

If you are interested in being considered for this extra help position, the following materials must be electronically submitted in a Word or PDF format.

• Cover letter
• Resumé
• Responses to these supplemental questions: