Patient Advocacy Attorney

Position Title:
Patient Advocate Attorney

Organization:
Jewish Family Service of San Diego

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

Work Setting: Fully Onsite

Reports To: Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Housing Services

Pay Range: $80,000 - $84,500/year

Total Compensation:

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

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
• 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:

Do you hate injustice? Do you like fighting for the underdog? Would you like to be part of the most dynamic and dedicated team of advocates who travel the county representing behavioral health clients and ensuring that their rights are upheld?

We are looking for an outstanding and dedicated individual who loves challenges, hard work, and gets satisfaction from helping vulnerable individuals in need.

The person hired for this position will provide legal advisements and represent minors in publicly funded psychiatric facilities, will conduct legal research on relevant topics, assist behavioral health clients at certification review hearings for involuntary holds in psychiatric hospitals, and provide assistance to the Senior Director and Director.

Key Talents: You are proud of your communication skills, both written and oral. You create and implement multiple strategies for problem resolution. You demonstrate great compassion for others and have a deep sense of responsibility and accountability. You also have a well-developed sense of humor and like to make your work fun.

Responsibilities :

• Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Patient Advocacy Program
• Perform Roger S advisements and represent publicly funded minor clients at Roger S hearings
• Review primary program calendar (daily schedule for entire team covering assigned court hearings, trainings, meetings, presentations, and facility visits, etc.) when Program Manager is unavailable
• Conduct grievance investigations
• Represent clients at due process hearings
• Present in-service training for clients, staff members, and the behavioral health community
• Oversee and develop new program materials, as assigned
• Conduct grievance investigations
• Present in-service training for clients, staff members, and the behavioral health community
• Review grievance files in anticipation of county audit
• Participate in training and supporting qualified staff and volunteers, and continually assist with the development of a team focused on collaboration, productivity, efficiency, and passion
• Review some teammates grievance letters and provide feedback and guidance on the next steps as necessary
• Leverage individual staff strengths to continually improve program needs and objectives
• Provide regular Article 14 training to all staff and volunteers, and update materials as needed
• Maintain records of staff and volunteers’ attendance at Article 14 training and their signed declarations
• Review teammates’ emails that contain PHI to ensure confidentiality requirements when Program Manager is unavailable
• Perform legal research for Patient Advocacy team as needed
• Build 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
• Maintain an awareness of current resources relevant to the populations served
• 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
• Represent the program and the agency with awareness of political issues and community concerns

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

• Licensed attorney required
• Must have…