Job Description

Job Title: Mental Health Counselor (Filipino/Tagalog Speaking)

Program: Mental Health Programs

Employment Status: Full-time, Exempt

Compensation: $66,560-$70,376, plus the 5% bilingual fluency premium.

Reports to: Clinical Program Manager- Mental Health

Position Summary:

SIPA is looking for a Mental Health Counselor who has as passion in working with Filipino-American and Latino low-income families. The Mental Health Counselor will be providing both clinical services and community-based programs rooting in healing and psychoeducation to promote understanding and destigmatization of mental health for Filipino Americans and communities of color. This is a full-time position, estimated at 40 hours per week, may require travel across SIPA’s offices in LA’s Historic Filipinotown and client locations. They will report to the Clinical Program Manager.

To Apply:

Submit cover letter and resume via Indeed.

SIPA is an equal opportunity employer.

Key Responsibilities

60% Clinical Direct Services

• Provide psychiatric evaluation to children and adults who experience mental illness and/or are socially isolated, have previous experience to trauma, and are at risk of mental illness including assessments, psychosocial intakes, emergency/crisis evaluations
• Conduct short-term counseling and long-term counseling as needed as part of Prevention and Early Intervention, Stop the Hate, and Mental Health Services Act scopes of work
• Provide psychotherapeutic services to individuals and groups including care plan services and specialized topics such as Filipino and youth
• Provide in-field and office based preventative counseling sessions including problem solving, empathetic listening, crisis intervention and stabilization.
• Participate in the inter-disciplinary team in the development of individual treatment and termination plans for clients
• Provide risk management for clients, and triage with referrals (i.e., with special attention to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health partners) and provide technical assistance for staff with case management clients.
• As needed, provide 24/7 crisis intervention support
• Provide clinical consultation to agencies and constituents of the community as appropriate
• Participate in regularly scheduled clinical supervision (group & individual) provided by a licensed clinical staff
• Responsible for communicating effectively (verbal & written) with clients, family members, service providers, co-workers, children/adult protective services workers, local, state, and federal departments
• Coordinate with outpatient clinics, and various publics and private community health, mental health, and social services agencies to ensure quality care services

25% Service and Program Administration

• Adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations with client records, notes, and all documentation (i.e., Ensure completion of documentation in a timely manner, maintain security of confidentiality, and ethical usage of program databases)
• Provide reporting on program data, evaluation and impact as requested
• Establish and clearly communicate guidelines expectations to clients, consultants, volunteers and all people interacting in program settings
• Uphold ethical guidelines and professional standards as written in the NASW Code of Ethics.
• Ensure that program services are provided in accordance with quality assurance standards of SIPA, State, and accrediting organization by participating in utilization review and quality assurance activities.
• Serve as field instructor/preceptor for BSW and MSW interns, and serve as an organizational liaison with partner universities and colleges, providing constructive and open feedback and identifying opportunities for learning and growth
• Conduct weekly check ins with interns giving constructive and open feedback and identifying opportunities for learning and growth
• Proactively support a culture within the Mental Health Programs team and interns that reflect SIPA’s values and promote a healthy organizational culture
• Procure vendors and purchase supplies and ensure spending is within budget as needed
• With Director of Operations and Clinical Program Manager, approve and deliver payments to consultants, vendors, and stipends to interns as needed

10% Community Programs Development and Implementation

• Deliver and facilitate psychoeducational programs and trainings as needed, while working in collaboration with other mental health practitioners and volunteers to also deliver programs on specific subject matter content, including but not limited to Healing and Movement, Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid Training, and Walang Hiya
• Support efforts to expand Mental Health First Aid Training and response efforts including delivering specifically adult, youth and teen trainings
• Establish a culturally relevant and holistic mental health and wellness approach that includes Filipino cultural and indigenous practices and modalities
• Develop responsive programming/ offerings by consistently engaging and obtaining feedback and input from youth
• Integrate trauma informed, and restorative practices into relational aspects of program, providing generative responses to conflict to allow for learning while holding accountability
• Participate as needed in SIPA outreach efforts at schools, community events and organizational events
• Cultivate and maintain relationships including those with youth clients, families, community members, organizational partners, school administrators, educators and staff, and funders
• Proactively seek opportunities for growth, partnership, youth agency within SIPA’s Mental Health Programs
• Serve as the organizational representative, or delegate representation to other staff, at coalitions specifically related to Mental Health and/or Health and Human Services

5% Other Responsibilities

• Support the efforts SIPA fundraising efforts to diversify funding sources
• Collaborate with staff from different departments to align programmatic and organizational goals
• Participate in and support in community and fundraising events
• Uphold SIPA’s Equity Strategy with particular focus on the programmatic implementation as it relates to Mental Health Programs
• Advise as needed on the launch of SIPA’s HiFi Well-Being Center in early 2024

Skills & Experience

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Masters in Social Work, or other related Social Science field (MFT, Psychology or related field)
• Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience in the mental health field servicing isolated and/or under resourced communities (i.e. including, but not limited to newly arrived immigrants, low wage workers, youth at-risk, LGBTQ+, or displaced populations) and in a community-based organization
• Minimum 1-2 years experience in psychosocial clinical assessment
• Strong abilities and experience with crisis management
• Highly team oriented and comfortable with working in a cross-cultural environment
• Openness towards traditional healing and a mind/body/spirit orientation
• Understands social justice orientation that recognizes the oppression of marginalized groups and the importance of movement-building aimed at promoting systemic change
• Excellent organizational, time management and leadership abilities for team management
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills interaction with stakeholders including youth, parents, seniors, community members, residents and organizations
• Able to assess, identify, and report child abuse/neglect, elder abuse, and dependent adult abuse based organizational, state, and local policies.
• Proficient in MS Office and various business software
• Fluency in Filipino/Tagalog is required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• The ideal candidate will have the professional credentials as well as the awareness of multi-cultural nuances, with the goal of supporting children, their parents/caretakers and families in a safe and healthy environment.
• Experience working with Filipino and/or other immigrant/ethnic communities

OTHER REQUIRMENTS

• Must have valid California Driver’s license and insurance
• Be able to pass a Background check, finger-printing, and other testing/clearances