A Mental or Behavioral Health Counselor works with patients to treat mental health problems. Assesses patients and assists with diagnosis, counseling and crisis intervention. Consults with nurses, doctors and psychiatrists. May work with specific populations, such as youth, senior citizens or substance abusers, in group settings, facilities or hospitals.
About the Position The Clinical Case Manager and Wellness Counselor position will provide wrap-around case management, therapeutic services, and other holistic wellness services to Asian and Pacific Islander children, youths, family and seniors in Alameda County. Given the rise in anti-Asian hate, bullying and post-COVID impact on the Asian community, this is a unique opportunity to provide culturally- responsive wrap-around case management and mental health services in an organizational environment that provides holistic and wrap-around support including social services, immigration, wellness and community empowerment.
Therapeutic services which may include:
CBT, EMDR, DBT, Trauma-informed CBT, EFT or other culturally responsive holistic healing practices within diverse communities, with a particular focus on limited English proficient communities and their families as needed. Work setting will be home, schools, with some office or community-center spaces.
Responsibilities:
Provide comprehensive clinical case management, social services follow up and wellness counseling support to Chinese and other immigrant and refugee children, youth, families, adults and seniors; Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments and intakes with development and implementation of individualized wellness plans with assigned clients; Provide clinical therapy using trauma-informed and/or evidence-based practices (ie., CBT, EMDR, DBT, Trauma-informed CBT) and/or holistic healing practices (i.e., art therapy, somatic therapy, music therapy, tapping); Conduct psycho-education, cultural wellness workshops/support groups and training to child and/or youth to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and increase access to health and wellness services; Collaborate and navigate with school based-partners Coordinate student care with school administrators, educators, and family members Conduct outreach and in-reach, including prevention and wellness visits, to assess or recruit program participants and build connections with community-based partners (e.g. community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, etc.) for capacity building; Educate clients to community services and help navigate resources on-site and in the community; Ensure client-level data be entered into Alameda County Behavioral Health Services and/or Social Services Agency EHR and/or state-level and federal-level systems; Maintain client files in accordance with legal and grant requirements, and complete all documentation in a timely manner; Maintain client a minimum of 25-30 caseload per fiscal year; Assist other MARU programs as needed as directed by the Program Director.
Qualifications:
Education and work experience: ASW with 2 years + of direct practice working with diverse immigrant and refugee communities; in particular Chinese immigrant community
Preferred Certification:
EMDR, DBT, and/or CBT and/or other holistic therapeutic practices (art therapy, music therapy, somatic therapy, energy psychology); Strong experience working Asian youth, families, and seniors at various community settings to provide wrap-around counseling services; Have lived experience with immigrant and refugee communities (immigrant/refugees, cultural practices, mental health and family of mental health struggles, intergenerational, historical or complex traumas etc.) Previous work experience in culturally responsive community mental health settings with a deep understanding of the needs of immigrant and refugee populations with limited English proficiency with a social justice and equity lens; Have clinical experience in providing mental health counseling, case management services, and support groups in Cantonese; Experience with Medi-Cal billing, claims, and reimbursement processes is highly desirable. Experience in governmental systems including Behavioral Health Care Agency, Social Services Agency, Department of Health Care Services, SAMHSA highly desired; Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for MARU's mission; Must be a dynamic self-starter with initiative, ability to work well in a team with a sense of inspiration, collaboration, and humor, demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other organizational managers and partner organizations and communities; Strong communication skills, including diplomacy and ability to ensure confidence; Strong experience of mental health, substance abuse, and other culturally related issues, especially as these impact un and underserved AAPI communities; Strong knowledge of traditional health and wellness practices and perspectives within API communities; Fluent in Cantonese (verbal and written) required; Computer and database literacy required; Valid California Driver's License, clean driving record, and insurable highly desired.
Compensation and benefits:
Salary range: $75,000 to $80,000 depending on training and years of relevant experience. Full time. 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance. 401K. Application Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to pysay@maru.center. Please include the position title in the subject line of your e-mail application. References should be available upon request. About MARU (formerly Korean Community Center of the East Bay) Since 1977, MARU (formerly Korean Community Center of the East Bay) has been uniquely positioned to serve the Asian community in the Bay Area. After the 1965 Immigration Act which allowed for an influx of immigrants from Asia, MARU was one of five Bay Area organizations developed in the 1970s to support the resettlement and community health of Asian immigrants and refugees. MARU has evolved into a unique entry point for Asian and other immigrant/refugee communities including children, youth, adults, families, and seniors who have nowhere else to turn to for their essential support, including health access, safety net services, case management, mental health, health and wellness programs. MARU Programs MARU comprises three divisions namely the Community Wellness Program, the Community Health Access Program, and Community Advocacy. The Community Wellness Program addresses the mental health and substance use prevention needs of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Alameda County, with a focus on monolingual low-income communities. The program raises mental health awareness, reduces mental health stigma with attention to a practice towards holistic healing and culturally-responsive trauma-informed services. We offer counseling, health promotion classes, wellness workshops, leadership classes and meal delivery service. The Community Health Access Program creates access to affordable health care and safety net services including healthcare enrollment and literacy education, social service support, case management and health promotion to seniors, a Korean and Chinese language information and referral service. The Advocacy Program builds community and engages members to engage civically to shape the future. Our communities learn and speak about issues that impact them including mental health, language equity, food security, and community safety. We are a leader across health equity initiatives and collaboratives lifting up the voices of Asian immigrants and refugees at the local and state levels.
Pay:
$75,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Flexible schedule Flexible spending account Health insurance Life insurance Mileage reimbursement Paid time off Parental leave Professional development assistance Vision insurance
Language:
Cantonese (Required) Mandarin (Preferred) Ability to
Relocate:
San Leandro, CA 94577: Relocate before starting work (Required)
