Bilingual Family Navigator

Turn your experience into a mental health career!

Do you have lived experience supporting a Family Member or a Loved one through Mental health challenges, incarceration, reentry, navigating complex systems such as the criminal legal, behavioral health, or social service systems? Do you want to use your lived experience to help others families navigate these challenges?.

The Mental Health Association of Alameda County (MHAAC) is a well-established non-profit organization with long term staff that assists and advocates for people with mental illness and their family members through programs including the Family Education Resource Center, the Family Partnership Program, the African American Family Outreach Project, and the Patients' Rights Advocacy Program. Together, these programs assist thousands of people with serious mental illness and their family members every year. We envision a world without stigma where people with mental health challenges and their family members are free to live their best lives. MHAAC's current budget is around $5 million.

We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Eligible for first pay increase after successful completion of 3-month introductory period
• Some position eligible for Bilingual Pay Differential for fluency in an Alameda County

threshold language

• 100% paid medical and dental coverage for the employee
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous time-off benefits: 14 paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Years Day
• Vacation leave 2 weeks per year, increases to 4 weeks by year 4 of employment
• Mileage reimbursement for work related travel
• Paid volunteer time-off
• Tuition reimbursement
• On the job training

The Family Education and Resource Center (FERC) is a family-centered program that provides free advocacy, support and education to family caregivers of a loved one living with a mental health condition. We support and advocate for the family's wellbeing assuring that they are not alone in their caregiving experience. We are expanding our services to include supporting family caregivers who have a loved one living with a mental health condition and who is in the reentry transition from jail or prison back into the community . We serve families from all regions of Alameda County and our office is located in the Pleasanton Dublin area.

What makes the FERC Reentry Program unique is that all staff members care for a loved one with a mental health condition or Serious Mental Illness (SMI) who has experienced the reentry transition.

FERC programmatic components include: a warmline; education, training, and support for family/ caregivers; a resource center; assistance with AB 1424 Historical Information forms; support for the development of family leadership; and collaboration with other BHSA funded programs.

The FERC Bilingual Family Navigator reports to the Reentry Program Supervisor. Family Navigators partner with the Family to improve their Loved One's reentry, setting them up for success. Family Navigators provide guidance, explain the services that are available, help navigate through resources and facilitate linkages. Family Navigators help overcome the impacts of past discrimination and inequality. They support the family when their loved one appears to be experiencing unjust preclusion from employment opportunities, education, housing, family reunification, financial assistance and other public systems. From supporting Families in advocating for their child's rights at school, supporting families as they strengthen relationships during reunification and re-connection with their children, navigating the judicial system, understanding a mental health diagnosis, our Family Navigators are prepared to partner with and support each family on their reentry journey.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities (5-7 bullet points from Essential Functions of job description)

• Assist families in navigating and linking to support services, public assistance systems, the Alameda County Forensic system, ACCESS and the behavioral health care system, county health care system, legal system, substance use recovery rehabilitation, and other resources
• Provide strengths-based individualized support, advocacy, and guidance to individuals and families as they care for their Loved One's reentry. Support clients by phone, by virtual meetings, by in-person consultation, by attending resource service meetings and service team meetings.
• Participate in reentry outreach. Coordinate and collaborate in outreach events, partner with FERC, AAFOP and community partners (e.g. table at health fairs, other public venues, etc.)
• Help remove obstacles to reentry through coordinating linkages, providing warm connections to services, scheduling appointments, coordinating other aspects of a family's needed supports to facilitate their Loved One's safe and successful landing in their home and community.
• Facilitate support groups, workshops, educational presentations, and community discussions focused on mental health awareness, reentry, family support, and resource navigation
• Participate in the Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for police officers
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential client records, service documentation, and program data in accordance with agency and funding requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Lived experience as the primary caregiver and/or direct family member of a loved one diagnosed with a mental health condition and/or substance use condition who has reentered their community, navigated support systems and utilized reentry assistance supports
• HS Diploma or GED
• Bilingual in Spanish
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience navigating the Alameda County behavioral health care system, justice, reentry, educational, healthcare, or other social service system
• Demonstrated excellence in service-oriented communication and teamwork
• Must successfully pass a fingerprint background check by CADOJ and FBI
• Have proficiency in Microsoft Office: Outlook (email/calendar); Word (documents)
• Some positions require a valid CA Drivers License, daily access to a working motor vehicle, maintain legally required vehicle liability insurance and have an acceptable motor vehicle report as determined by MHAAC's insurance broker

Preferred Qualifications

• Associates or Bachelors Degree
• Certification as a Family Partner, Peer Support Specialist, or related credential
• Experience facilitating support groups, psycho educational workshops, or community presentations
• Experience working with underserved communities and diverse populations
• Experience working as an advocate or case manager
• Experience working in behavioral health Forensic, or Diversion and Reentry Services
• Experience delivering services using video-based platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams

HOURS OF WORK: Mon - Fri: 8AM-5:30PM. May require some evening and weekend work on occasion.

WORK LOCATION: 5776 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Pleasanton, CA 94588

SALARY: $31.69 per hour (approx. $59,324 annually).

The Mental Health Association of Alameda County is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and/or physical), those who exercise the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender identity/expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy), childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions, and sexual orientation.

We are committed to offering an inclusive and accessible experience for all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. Our goal is to foster an inclusive and accountable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be successful. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply for a position or participate in the interview process, then please connect with us and describe the specific accommodation requested for your disability-related limitations.