Assistant Health Program Coordinator, CBEST (C44 and C41) (Personal Services)

Salary Range: $23.00-$30.06

SUMMARY

Housing for Health (HFH) is a program office within Community Programs, a division under the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) for the County of Los Angeles. HFH was created to support people experiencing homelessness with complex clinical needs. We support people in obtaining housing, improving their health and thriving in their communities. HFH is a core component of Los Angeles County's effort to respond to the homeless emergency. Where appropriate to the job function, a hybrid work schedule may be available, with employees working both remotely and from the office, as needed.   

The County-wide Benefits Entitlement Services Team (CBEST) is a program under  HFH and provides targeted benefit advocacy services to assist individuals, who are homeless or at risk of being homeless (e.g., individuals, families, children, Veterans, etc.) who have complex health and/or behavior health conditions, high utilizers of public services in obtaining sustainable income through government programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Assistant Health Program Coordinator position (also referred to as “position”) is assigned to one of the CBEST Teams (also referred to as “team” and/or “teams”) as below:

• Outreach and Referral Team (OAR)
• Records Retrieval (RR)

 OAR:  OAR is responsible for outreach, engagement, referrals, intakes and enrollment of clients for the CBEST program. This includes establishing and maintaining relationships with referral partners, providing education and training to referring partners, coordinating the receiving/processing of CBEST client referrals (also referred to as “clients” and/or “referrals”), supporting client's navigating through the various steps of the CBEST program, conducting in-person and/or virtual intakes with vulnerable clients, determining eligibility for CBEST services,  enrolling eligible clients and coordinating staff intake schedules. As a member of the OAR team, staff may be assigned duties under the RR team as needed.

RR:  RR provides an array of administrative, technical assistance, and specialized duties for CBEST's CARES Clinical Team and the OAR team as needed. Specific tasks may include coordinating and following up on records retrieval requests with medical providers, tracking and scanning medical records to client files, uploading records into the DHS client database (CHAMP) and managing the storage and destruction of sensitive patient records. As part of the OAR team, RR staff may be assigned additional duties described for the OAR team as needed.

The position will report to a HFH supervisory, management, and/or executive leadership personnel (also referred to as “HFH personnel”).  The position will be responsible for providing an array of programmatic, clerical, administrative as well as client-based services that support and contribute to the processing of a client's application for SSI, SSDI and CAPI. The position may require frequent travel to all eight Los Angeles County Service Planning Areas to meet with and engage service providers, community-based organizations, stakeholders and partners, and other healthcare, mental health, public social services, etc. leaders/staff, attend various meetings with HFH personnel and/or HFH community/contracted agencies, and/or attend/participate (or present, speak, etc.)  at off-site HFH related meetings, conferences, etc. as applicable. OAR team AHPC's may be assigned to work full-time or part-time in an LA County Dept. of Public Social Services (DPSS) office location.

Functions of the position include, but is not limited to the following:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

 OAR:

• Facilitates relations between the agency and the community by communicating agency policies and programs to clients, patients, family members, and community residents
• Interview applicants or participants of public assistance to obtain financial and other eligibility data.
• Interviews patients or their relatives and/or representatives to obtain identifying information, financial and other eligibility data; enters and accesses data by utilizing various local and web-based information systems and databases to determine a patient's eligibility.
• Travels to applicable appointment locations (e.g., County buildings, service provider field offices, or other locations most convenient/desirable to the client).
• Receives service referrals from social workers, eligibility workers, and Medical Case Workers to assist welfare recipients and/or undeserved in a variety of ways such as obtaining food stamps and housing, medical, mental health, or substance use care.
• Prepare the forms necessary for entering participant's financial and biographical data into the computer system; reviews computer generated data reports to verify and ensure data entered is accurate.
• Communicates with patients, responsible relatives and/or representatives, attorneys, employers, medical facilities, and contracted agencies to explain County policies and to obtain, verify, or clarify information required to complete standardized forms.
• Serves as an advocate for client/patient access to departmental and resources.
• Assists applicants or participants in completing the necessary documents, including required State and County forms
• Assists clients and/or their representative family members and caregivers in obtaining and completing application forms for benefits and services.
• Explain provisions of the various public assistance programs, applicable Federal and State regulations, County's policies, and legal rights and responsibilities of applicants or participants in public assistance programs.
• Greets and registers patients in person or over the phone. Obtains demographics, emergency contact and insurance information.  Enrolls patient using electronic system.  Provides forms to patients and completes paperwork for requested services.  Determines when language interpretation is needed.
• Takes medical, mental health, family, social, and employment histories and assists clients and patients in completing necessary forms.
• Review and analyze financial and eligibility information to determine initial or continuing eligibility for one or more public assistance programs, such as CalWORKs, General Relief, CalFresh, Medi-Cal, Foster Care, or other public assistance programs.
• Initiates and/or processes applications and/or documents.
• Assists in projects by monitoring the completion of questionnaires, conducting interviews, and collecting basic data.
• Contact individuals, agencies, insurance companies, schools, and other relevant institutions to verify or clarify information provided by the applicants or participants to resolve discrepancies.
• Search various income and eligibility-related computer databases to ascertain whether the applicants or participants are receiving income from other sources of public assistance aids or programs, and to further assess eligibility status.
• Conducts patient outreach by phone and/or mail, explains program options, refers the patient to member services as needed, and cancels appointments.
• Checks-in patient for appointment to explain program, obtains signatures, collects client demographic, medical, financial/income, and work history information, and keeps records of insurance and patient identification.
• Organize, monitor, and prioritize assigned cases to ensure necessary case records and documents are properly filed, processed, verified, and updated within specific time limits established by legislation and regulations.
• Make preliminary assessment of applicants or program participants' social situation to determine potential problems which would require making referrals to social services staff.
• May make home calls or site visits to interview participants to clarify or verify eligibility or other information.
• Performs other related duties, as necessary.      

 RR:

• Supports the process of applying for and securing public benefits by requesting and retrieving medical records from public and private health and behavioral health treatment providers.
• Manages follow-up on record requests, documents receipt of records, distributes and stores records to authorized parties.
• Supports the disability assessment process by ensuring all reported medical records are received, complete and made available for efficient medial review by appropriate staff.
• Ensures sensitive patient medical records are received, stored and destroyed in compliance with federal, state, county and departmental policies.
• Checks operating reports and maintains or supervises the maintenance of administrative records.
• Serves as an advocate for client/patient access to departmental resources.
• Coordinates transfer of medical records to the CBEST legal vendors.
• Actively engage and participate in team meetings and capacity building trainings.
• Additional duties as outlined in OAR.

 JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent customer service; able to work well with individuals experiencing and/or at risk of homelessness.
• Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, fosters teamwork; has excellent boundaries and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, good at multitasking; works in a collaborative manner across the organization to achieve departmental and overall organizational goals.
• Ability to make thoughtful decisions and exercise sound judgment; be self-directed, assertive, resourceful, and creative in problem solving.
• Ability to be a thoughtful listener and adept at capturing feedback; give and receive constructive criticism; use diplomacy in all aspects of the role.

Desirable Job Qualifications

• Ability to multitask within a fast and changing environment associated with competing and time sensitive due dates and/or timelines.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally in other languages, e.g., Spanish.

Education/Experience

Training and Experience:  A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university -OR- Two years of experience in organizing, planning, or implementing a community health program.

Certificates/Licenses/Clearances

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Successful clearing through the Live Scan and the Health Clearance process with the County of Los Angeles.

Other Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Highly proficient skill set in using an array of Microsoft Office Suite software programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Reader, Teams, One Note, Outlook, Publisher, etc. as well as Adobe Pro.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Stand: Frequently

Walk: Frequently

Sit: Frequently

Reach Outward: Occasionally

Reach Above Shoulder: Occasionally

Climb, Crawl, Kneel, Bend: Occasionally

Lift / Carry: Occasionally - Up to 15 lbs.

Push/Pull: Occasionally - Up to 15 lbs.

See: Constantly

Taste/ Smell: Not Applicable

Not Applicable = Not required for essential functions

Occasionally = (0 - 2 hrs./day)

Frequently = (2 - 5 hrs./day)

Constantly = (5+ hrs./day)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

General Office Setting, Indoors Temperature Controlled

EEOC STATEMENT

It is the policy of Heluna Health to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants, without regard to age (40 and over), national origin or ancestry, race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, reproductive health decision making, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or a record or history of cancer), AIDS or HIV, genetic information or characteristics, veteran status or military service.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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