HHS Specialist I

Salary: $19.31 - $27.59 Hourly

Location : Countywide, CA

Job Type: Part-Time

Job Number:

Department: Health and Human Services

Division: Behavioral Health

Opening Date: 03/18/2024

Closing Date: 5/20/:59 PM Pacific

Description

To provide a range of paraprofessional and case management services under general supervision. For the Health and Human Services Specialist (HHS Specialist) I and II levels, such services include both direct client services and support to professional staff. For the journey-level HHS Specialist III and IV, incumbents provide a broad range of services and support, including educational and case management services with youth, transitional age youth, adults, and/or older adults.
Up to 19 Hour per week- No county benefits
The current position is located in our Behavioral Health Division working in the Wellness Center. Preference will be given to consumers of mental health services who bring life experience to the provision of para professional services.
Examples of Duties

HHS Specialist I: Under direct supervision, the HHS Specialist I may interpret and explain regulations and policy to clients; assist with a limited caseload; provide assistance to clinicians, social workers, nurses and/or other professional staff with such things as transportation of clients, collecting client documentation and coordinating communication with clients; work with other local agencies in obtaining necessary documentation for casework; provide support to professional staff, including: maintaining records and inputting data on computer, attending meetings and recording minutes, composing letters, completing reports, collecting and synthesizing data, and maintaining files, listings, and records; performs other related duties as assigned.

HHS Specialist II: Under general supervision and in addition to the tasks listed above, the HHS Specialist II may provide education on and/or referrals for child abuse prevention, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, health services, child care licensing requirements, and other human services topics; assist with the development of community and client needs assessments; and may present program information to individuals or groups in the community.

HHS Specialist III: Under general supervision and in addition to the tasks listed above, the HHS Specialist III maintains a routine caseload of non-complex cases; provides support and case management to clients, such as individual case coordination, individual or group counseling, and skill building as part of a team serving children and families, transitional age youth, adults, and/or older adults; conducts ongoing client needs assessments and verifies needs by contacting other service providers; presents client assessments to professional staff for approval; completes narrative reports regarding a client's condition and services provided and/or recommended; enters data regarding case and client information and contacts into automated system(s); makes client referrals to County and/or community resources, including medical services, mental health services, and social services; provides direct training and counseling to mentally ill and developmentally disabled clients on topics such as parenting, household management, nutritional meal preparation, budgeting, and household care; monitors the medical and psychological care of clients; supervises visits between parents and children and reports observations to social workers; provides emergency child care; transports or accompanies clients to appointments for service or interviews; may testify in court hearings; acts as a liaison between clients and professional staff, individuals, and groups in the community served; directly assists families in using and learning about the resources of society, particularly medical, legal, and employment services; draws from experience and uses independent judgment to answer questions and provide education relating to various human services programs; maintains appropriate client service standards in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations; maintains appropriate and timely records and documentation, as required; performs related duties as assigned; may be required to participate in the after-hours on call rotation, as assigned.

HHS Specialist IV: Under general supervision and in addition to the tasks listed above, the HHS Specialist IV performs duties comparable to an HHS Specialist III, but works with more independence, performs a wider range of duties, and works with the more complex client situations including crisis assessment, management and intervention; and independently assesses client needs and develops individual client case plans. Both the HHS Specialist III and IV may be required to participate in the after-hours on call rotation, as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

HHS Specialist I: Either a high school graduate or equivalent with one year of full-time experience performing paraprofessional1 or clerical duties; OR relevant volunteer experience with the County of Inyo performing paraprofessional or clerical duties may be substituted for all or part of the work experience requirement.

HHS Specialist II: Either one year of full-time experience as a Health and Human Services Specialist I;

OR High school graduate or equivalent with two years of experience performing paraprofessional or clerical duties. Education beyond high school may be substituted for one year of the required work experience on the basis of one year of full-time education equivalent to one year of experience.

HHS Specialist III: Either two years of full-time experience performing paraprofessional duties comparable to a Health and Human Services Specialist II; OR Two years of full time experience in a public or private Health or Human Services agency providing services to disadvantaged adults and/or children; OR Equivalent to completion of two years of college, including 15 semester or 22 quarter units in social welfare, social/human service, psychology, sociology, or other social or behavioral science or related field.

HHS Specialist IV: Either one year of experience performing duties comparable to the HHS Specialist III; AND Equivalent to completion of two years of college, including 15 semester or 22 quarter units in social welfare, social/human service, psychology, sociology, or other social or behavioral science or related field; OR a bachelor's degree in a closely related field.

1Paraprofessional is defined as a person trained to assist a professional (including but not limited to social workers, therapists, doctors, teachers, and lawyers), but is not licensed to independently practice in the profession.

Knowledge of:

Entry/training level: Appropriate professional interpersonal skills; correct English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; IBM-compatible computers and software; some Internet familiarity; use of media as a communication tool.

Journey level: In addition to the requirements listed above for the entry level positions: Basic processes, systems, and regulations relevant to the division to which this position is assigned (e.g. Behavioral Health, Social Services, Public Health, First 5); basic community resources useful to clients served; basic methods and attitudes involved in the care and support of the target client population; rapport building techniques; effective counseling and intervention techniques.

Ability to:

Entry/training level: Compose basic business letters and professional correspondence; provide professional telephone and in-person responses to members of the public; operate office equipment such as photocopy machine, facsimile machine, typewriter, computer; make public presentations occasionally; balance and prioritize multiple tasks at the same time; prepare accurate and timely reports; think quickly and respond appropriately to unexpected client behavior; establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers, outside organizations, and the public; perform detailed procedures with accuracy and efficiency, and maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations

Journey level: In addition to the requirements listed above for the entry level positions: Assess people for physical and/or mental health needs and related issues; recognize and report specific indications of need for medical, social, or behavioral health services; interview persons to obtain a variety of information applicable to the provision of health and human services; understand and accept differences in human behavior resulting from cultural, economic or other forms of deprivation; effectively instruct children, adults, and older adults, including those with physical and mental disabilities in basic life skills, including parenting and household skills; deal with physically and sexually abused children.
Typical Physical Requirements: While performing the essential functions of this job class, the employee is regularly required to: use hands and fingers to operate a vehicle and a variety of office equipment; possess flexibility and endurance to sit, stand, walk, bend, squat, climb stairs, kneel, twist, and reach; occasionally walk on uneven ground; talk and hear clearly and concisely to communicate with general public, clients, supervisors, and fellow employees on a continuous basis; regularly lift and/or carry and/or move objects weighing up to 10 pounds . click apply for full job details