Legal Services Advocate – Transition Age Youth Medical-Legal Partnership

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. (MHAS) is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and advance the legal rights of low-income adults and children with mental health disabilities and empower them to assert those rights in order to maximize their autonomy, achieve equity, and secure the resources they need to thrive. MHAS assists both children and adults, with an emphasis on obtaining government benefits and services, protecting rights, and fighting discrimination. MHAS also serves as a resource to the community by providing training and technical assistance to attorneys, mental health professionals, consumer and family member groups, and other advocates. Finally, MHAS participates in impact litigation and policy work to improve the lives of people with mental health disabilities.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

MHAS seeks to hire a Legal Services Advocate to assist with providing free legal services to our transition age youth (TAY) clients. The Advocate will work collaboratively with Staff Attorneys and MHAS’s partner organizations to respond to referrals by MHAS’s partner organizations and to individuals requesting assistance through MHAS’s general intake line as needed. MHAS assists young adults with legal issues to ensure they have the resources and support needed to achieve a successful transition to adulthood. The ideal candidate will help provide quick response to intakes in a wide range of subject areas. The ideal candidate will also provide administrative support in direct services, administrative advocacy, and state court litigation.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:

1. Assist with client screening and intake;
2. Perform general administrative tasks, including data entry for timekeeping and case management and assisting with opening and closing files;
3. Under attorney supervision, provide limited service to clients;
4. Work in conjunction with Staff Attorneys in cases that involve mental health law, housing, government benefits, special education, tickets, criminal record expungements, and other issues;
5. Maintain well organized legal files and accurate case statistics;
6. Collect client data for grant reporting purposes;
7. Participate in clinics and other community outreach projects;
8. Provide other general administrative support as requested; and
9. Assist with other projects and tasks related to MHAS’s mission as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Four (4) year degree or Paralegal Certificate.
2. At least two (2) years relevant work experience providing assistance to people living in poverty, including experience in interviewing clients.
3. Excellent organizational skills.
4. Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time, and meet deadlines.
5. Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work well with diverse social, economic, and ethnic groups.
6. Ability to work effectively with staff, volunteers, students, attorneys, various government personnel, and community members.
7. Self-motivated, takes initiative, ability to learn quickly.
8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Knowledge of various areas of law such as housing, government benefits, special education, mental health law, and criminal record expungements preferred.
2. Spanish language fluency or proficiency helpful but not required. (Bilingual pay supplement of up to $100 per month, subject to language testing.)

FRINGE BENEFITS AND WORK CULTURE

On January 1, 2023, MHAS proudly and permanently adopted a four-day work week. After completing a six-month trial of a four-day work week in 2022, MHAS found what almost all other companies that have moved to a four day work week have found: the four-day work week improves organization productivity and employee health, reduces gender inequality, and creates a more sustainable work environment. All full-time MHAS employees, including this position, work four, eight-hour days per week. Candidates seeking part-time employment may also apply. The MHAS office is closed on Fridays.

Other benefits include paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave; employee health, dental, vision, long term disability, and life insurance; and parking/transit fare reimbursement.

MHAS is proud of its collegial, family-friendly culture that respects the work/life balance of its employees. To that end, MHAS is willing to consider flexible work schedules on a case-by-case basis. MHAS also provides employees with frequent wellness opportunities, including trainings on stress management and mindfulness, group meditations, and regular, informal staff gatherings.

MHAS attorneys and advocates work remotely with access to the MHAS headquarters office as needed. MHAS equips all employees working from home with needed technology and other office supplies. The Advocate will be required to live in the Los Angeles area, conduct in-person work at partner organization sites up to one day per week, and occasionally attend in-person meetings as needed.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Mental Health Advocacy Services seeks to fill all positions with people who share our values, including our organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage all interested individuals to apply - especially people of color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people experiencing mental health and/or physical disabilities; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary; immigrants; people who have been affected by mass incarceration; and people from other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe that the resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of fundamental human fairness.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Submit the following to info@mhas-la.org (please write “Employment Application” in the subject line):

1. Resume
2. Cover letter discussing any and/or all of the following:
   • Your motivation for seeking the position;
   • Your interest in working with transition age youth and/or people with mental health disabilities;
   • How you meet the minimum qualifications; and/or
   • How your personal background or experience, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. It is anticipated that interviews will begin in early January.

MHAS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, mental or physical disability, or any other basis protected by law.

FRINGE BENEFITS AND WORK CULTURE:

On January 1, 2023, MHAS proudly and permanently adopted a four-day work week. After completing a six-month trial of a four-day work week in 2022, MHAS found what almost all other companies that have moved to a four day work week have found: the four-day work week improves organization productivity and employee health, reduces gender inequality, and creates a more sustainable work environment. All full-time MHAS employees, including this position, work four, eight-hour days per week. Candidates seeking part-time employment may also apply. The MHAS office is closed on Fridays.

Other benefits include paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave; employee health, dental, vision, long term disability, and life insurance; and parking/transit fare reimbursement.

MHAS is proud of its collegial, family-friendly culture that respects the work/life balance of its employees. To that end, MHAS is willing to consider flexible work schedules on a case-by-case basis. MHAS also provides employees with frequent wellness opportunities, including trainings on stress management and mindfulness, group meditations, and regular, informal staff gatherings.

MHAS attorneys and advocates work remotely with access to the MHAS headquarters office as needed. MHAS equips all employees working from home with needed technology and other office supplies. The Advocate will be required to live in the Los Angeles area, conduct in-person work at partner organization sites up to one day per week, and occasionally attend in-person meetings as needed.

Spanish language fluency or proficiency helpful but not required. (Bilingual pay supplement of up to $100 per month, subject to language testing.)