Patient Advocacy Attorney

Position Title: Patient Advocate Attorney

Organization: Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department: Patient Advocacy Program

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
• 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: 

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 a valid CA driver's license, insurance, a reliable personal vehicle, and a willingness to travel off-site
• Successful completion and pass of Criminal History Background Check
• Commitment and ability to work with underrepresented communities, especially people living with mental health challenges, developmental disabilities, and people in substance use disorder treatment, clients of diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, clients who are unhoused, active drug users and members of the LGBTQ community
• Knowledge of patients’ rights law and/or willingness and ability to learn California State laws and San Diego County Policies and Procedures as they pertain to patients’ rights and behavioral health
• Perform Roger S advisements and represent publicly funded minor clients at Roger S hearings
• Knowledge of program reporting requirements or ability to learn it
• Patients’ rights or other closely related experience
• Detail-oriented
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• 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 community resources relevant to the populations served
• Adherence to professional ethics and maintaining strict confidentiality of clients, staff and the agency
• 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
• Ability to represent the program with awareness of political issues and community concerns
• Provide presentations to a number of different audiences on behavioral health

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk and listen. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands and arms to finger a keyboard, handle papers, and reach for the phone. The employee may need to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The noise level is moderate, so concentration and good hearing are required.

These are the job duties, and the approximate % of time spent on each: 

• Sitting (i.e., data entry at a computer or talking on the phone) 75%
• Standing (i.e., faxing, copying, filing) 15%
• Lifting (occasional moving of boxes) 10%     

Important Notice:

Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Please, no phone calls. Please, principals only. Please, local candidates only (relocation is not provided).

About Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community.  For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving.  At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency.  We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect.  Our goal is your success.  Come work at JFS and be our partner in Moving Forward Together.  To learn more about JFS, please visit jfssd.org. 

*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Salary : $80,000 - $84,500