Lead Patient Advocate, Patient Advocacy

Position Title: Lead Patient Advocate 

Organization: Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department:  Patient Advocacy Program

Position Type: Full-Time (37.5+ hours/week), Non-Exempt

Work Setting: Fully Onsite

Reports To: Program Director

Pay Range: $30.00-$32.00/hour

Total Compensation:  

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
• Generous employer 401(k) contributions
• Employer-covered life insurance

Time Away from Work:

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Paid vacation time and sick leave
• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness

Position Overview:

JFS is looking for a compassionate, mission-driven individual to join the Patient Advocacy team as a Patient Advocate Lead.  In this role, you have the opportunity to use your leadership skills and advocacy experience to make a meaningful difference in your community and help change lives across San Diego. The Patient Advocate Lead plays an integral role on the team and supports the entire agency by adhering to the Jewish values. This position reports directly to the Program Director and works closely with the other Patient Advocate lead and the rest of the Patient Advocacy team.

Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Patient Advocacy Program
• Assist with oversight of primary program calendar (daily schedule for entire team covering assigned court hearings, trainings, meetings presentations, facility site visits, etc.) when Program Manager is unavailable
• Conduct grievance investigations
• Review some teammates’ resolution letters and provide feedback and guidance on next steps
• Represent clients at due process hearings
• Present in-service trainings for clients, staff members, and the behavioral health community
• Take the lead on the review of grievance/appeal/complaint files in anticipation of county audit
• Maintain and distribute list of files due
• Maintain all CEU binders and records to ensure program is audit ready
• Complete all CEU vendorization renewal forms and reports
• Oversee and develop new program materials as assigned
• General support of team members, Program Manager, and Senior Director
• Participate in hiring, training and supporting qualified staff and volunteers, and continually assist with the development of a team focused on collaboration, productivity, efficiency, and passion
• Follow up with new hires to ensure timely completion of requirements
• Assist Program Manager with the completion of quarterly and annual status reports
• Build and maintain relationships and collaborate effectively with a wide range of community partners, including professionals, facility administrators, law enforcement, fellow advocates across the state, as well as advocacy groups such as NAMI
• Assist with the review of goals and objectives of program on a quarterly basis and revise programming according to evaluation findings mid quarter
• Leverage individual staff strengths to continually improve program needs and objectives
• Attend and participate in community meetings, committees, and events relevant to the provision of behavioral health services in private and publicly funded treatment and residential facilities
• Maintain an awareness of current community resources relevant to the populations served
• Respond to questions from the behavioral health community

Skills/Experience/Abilities That Are a Must-Have:

• Must have good writing skills and excellent communications skills
• Experience in behavioral health preferred
• Must have experience providing presentations and trainings
• Must be able to pass a background check
• Bilingual is a plus
• Must have a valid California Drivers’ License, reliable transportation, insurance and be able to travel throughout the county

Physical Requirements:

• Sit or stand for long periods of time
• Type on a keyboard and read a computer screen

Important Notice:

I