Licensed Mental Health Professional

Hope the Mission Statement 

The mission of Hope the Mission (HTM) is to prevent, reduce, and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions. 

Position Purpose and Summary:

The Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) fulfills this mission by providing advanced mental health services, leadership, and support to individuals and families at the Pathway Home Lancaster site.

The LMHP oversees and provides crisis intervention, mental health assessments, psychoeducation, and coordination of services for participants while supervising the Mental Health Professional (MHP). Additionally, the LMHP collaborates with key program staff and external partners to ensure seamless delivery of trauma-informed, harm-reduction, housing-first services tailored to the unique needs of participants, and leads the Mental Health efforts at the site.

As a leadership role, the LMHP provides guidance, support and supervision to the Mental Health Professional (MHP). This position requires strong clinical expertise, organizational skills, and the ability to foster teamwork in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities 

• Mental Health Services:

  • Deliver individualized mental health services, including crisis intervention, risk assessment, and psychoeducation.

  • Facilitate psychoeducational groups to promote participant mental health and well-being.

  • Conduct suicide risk assessments, develop safety plans, and coordinate emergency services as needed.

  • Provide direct clinical support to high-acuity participants, addressing their immediate mental health and behavioral needs.

• Leadership and Collaboration:

  • Supervise and support the Mental Health Professional (MHP), offering guidance on participant care and documentation.

  • Collaborate with shelter staff, case managers, and external agencies to coordinate comprehensive care plans for participants.

  • Participate in interdisciplinary meetings to ensure alignment of services and adherence to program goals.

• Documentation and Compliance:

  • Maintain accurate and timely records of all services in accordance with program guidelines and organizational policies.

  • Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations related to mental health services and confidentiality.

  • Monitor and meet performance outcomes set by program funders.

• Training and Development:

  • Provide training and consultation to staff on trauma-informed care, deescalation, and mental health best practices.

  • Engage in regular supervision, case consultations, and professional development opportunities.

Required Skills and Core Competencies 

• Experience with mental health, substance abuse, suicidal threats, behavioral distress, conflict resolution, and welfare checks is required. 

• Self-starter, independent therapist with the ability to adapt to change in a fast-working environment. 

• Strong clinical, written, and communication skills. 

• Ability to relate effectively and professionally with children, families, adults, supervisors, co-workers, and staff. 

• Strong computer skills, Google Suite (e.g., GMail, Google Sheets, Google Forms), Microsoft Office (e.g., Excel, Word), and Electronic Health Record software (Exym). 

• Well-organized, detail-oriented, and skilled with time/task management, able to adapt to frequent changes. 

• Strong problem-solving skills. 

• Deescalation interventions. 

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively. 

Qualifications and Mandatory Requirements 

• Education and Licensure:

  • Active California license in one of the following disciplines: LMFT, LCSW, LPCC required with at least two years experience.

• Experience:

  • Minimum of two years of experience in behavioral health or mental health services, preferably with individuals experiencing homelessness or co-occurring disorders.

  • Experience with mobile crisis response teams and providing trauma-informed care is preferred.

• Skills:

  • Strong clinical and crisis intervention skills, including deescalation techniques and safety planning.

  • Proficiency in documentation systems (e.g., HMIS) and Microsoft Office/Google Suite tools.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team.

  • Ability to adapt to a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining professionalism and attention to detail.

• Additional Requirements:

  • Valid California driver’s license and reliable transportation.

  • Ability to pass a background check and drug screening.

  • Commitment to the mission and values of HTM, including a focus on harm-reduction and housing-first principles.

Employment Classification:

• FLSA Status: Exempt 

• Payroll Status: Salary 

• Work Schedule: Full-time 

◊ Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The employee is required to: walk and climb stairs; stand, bend,  squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis; grasp, push, pull objects such as  files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead; handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; reach with  hands and arms; be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; repeat various motions with  the wrists, hands, and fingers; be able to perform visual activities for (including, but not limited to) administrative  and clerical tasks; ability to lift up to 25 lbs.; communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of  the spoken and written word; drive vehicles in and around Los Angeles County; be able to enter various buildings  that may require climbing stairs; be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. The employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals; use a desktop and/or laptop computer; copy, postage, and fax machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing. 

Work Environment: 

The employee may be in contact with individuals and families in crisis who may be ill, using alcohol and drugs, and who may not be attentive to basic personal hygiene, health and safety practices. The employee may experience a number of unpleasant sensory demands associated with the participants’ use of alcohol and drugs, and lack of personal hygiene. The employee must be ready to respond quickly and effectively to many types of situations, including crisis situations and potentially hostile situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate in an office setting. Sometimes work may become stressful when working under pressure. 

◊ EEO: HTM (Hope the Mission) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, HTM complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

◊ HTM will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if HTM is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s Fair Chance Act webpage.