Senior Community Wellness Manager (Clinical Supervisor)

Organization Overview

United Friends of the Children empowers current and former foster/justice involved youth on their journey to self-sufficiency through service-enriched programs, advocacy, and consistent relationships with a community of people who care.

Founded over 40 years ago, United Friends’ is a leading provider of youth development services to current and former foster youth in Los Angeles County. Through its housing and education programs, the organization has helped thousands of young people imagine and actualize their own dreams and futures. United Friends’ programs focus on commitment, trauma-informed care, and empowerment by prioritizing a whole-person-development approach. Through a Social Justice Positive Youth Development (SJPYD) model, we center building relationships with youth over an extended period to achieve greater outcomes. Around those relationships, United Friends wraps an array of supportive services to help youth successfully transition to adulthood.As a result of services, United Friends alumni have greater housing and economic stability, higher educational attainment and a stronger sense of community and emotional wellbeing.

Position Overview

Pathways is a low-barrier to entry housing program that provides intensive case management and support services to transitional aged-youth (TAY), ages 18-24. The Pathways program utilizes the Housing First Approach in which, assertive engagement with our youth is essential to ensure youth are aware of and participate in a myriad of resources and supportive services offered by the program. Reporting to the Director of Housing, the Senior Community Wellness Manager (SCWM) will be responsible for cultivating strategic partnerships and integrating a range of activities that support the holistic wellbeing of young adults who are experiencing housing instability.

As a leader in the housing department, the Senior Community Wellness Manager will be responsible for overseeing intake, alumni, and the clinical components of the housing program. The SCWM will provide staff with clinical group supervision and trainings to ensure staff are equipped to support youth experiencing complex trauma. This position involves implementing and supporting the delivery of engaging workshops and events designed to provide meaningful and creative alternatives to conventional clinical care.

The ideal candidate will have a keen understanding of best practice service models, such as trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and social justice positive youth development. Specific knowledge related to transitional aged youth experiencing housing instability is a plus.

United Friends currently implements a hybrid work environment – schedule is determined at the discretion of management and the needs of the program and/or agency. This position will work full-time hours, Monday-Friday and on weekends and evenings as necessary. The Senior Community Wellness Manager is a part of the after-hours rotation schedule where they are required to respond to youth-related crises and emergencies. SCWM will be required to work on-site between the housing sites at least 3 days per week and once a week out of the DTLA office. Location and days may change based on agency and program needs. United Friends’ downtown office will serve as a hybrid work location for administrative and meeting purposes (as specified). Travel between United Friends’ housing sites across Los Angeles County is required. The ideal candidate will be a visionary leader who brings critical thinking, creativity, initiative, good judgment, integrity, and a deep commitment to social justice and equity – along with a sense of humor – to the work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Collaborate with the housing director and managers to implement high quality services and to build a strong staff culture and resident community.
• Lead the intake, clinical and alumni services.
• Develop policies and procedures that are consistent with best practices and provide training to ensure effective implementation within the team.
• Oversee timely reporting, data management and contract compliance as they pertain to intake, clinical and alumni services.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships that enhance intake, expand resources for program alumni, and improve mental health services.
• Oversee and manage the clinical budget and other budget line items related to intake and alumni services.

Clinical Services

• Oversee the provision of therapy to UFC youth by managing referral process, recruiting and maintaining team of contracted therapists, and ensuring coordination between therapists and counselors.
• Provide weekly clinical group supervision to counselors in housing program and monthly supervision for counselors in the education program.
• Guide counselors in navigating crises and other challenging situations that require clinical insight or intervention and be on-call to respond virtually or in person to crises as needed.
• Review all clinical documentation and maintain and uphold ethical practices especially as it pertains to confidential concerns.
• Provide supervision to staff who seek clinical licensure as needed.
• Oversee development and implementation of annual wellness programing, including arts and creative therapies, for residents.
• Provide or coordinate staff training related to mental health, wellness, or trauma.

Intake & Alumni Services

• Oversee intake and assessment practices, ensuring the implementation of a high-quality, trauma-informed approach and the maintenance of a high occupancy rate.
• Ensure best practice in delivery of aftercare services and strategize with the Intake & Outreach Manager to identify opportunities for outreach and engagement of program alumni.

Supervision and Support

• Provide coaching and professional development to direct supervisees and assess performance.
• Promote team member adherence to agency standards and departmental goals.
• Support leadership and management functions across department as assigned.

Other

• Other duties as assigned.

General United Friends Responsibilities

• Act as a role model within the organization to uphold and implement United Friends’ organizational values:
  • Embrace program evaluation that leads to excellence and impact.
  • Build effective and empowering partnerships with the youth, community, and each other.
  • Create a fun and exciting environment that inspires learning and innovation.
  • Communicate openly, honestly and with humility across all groups.
  • Work together as one organization
• Staff hold a commitment to:
  • A culturally responsive Trauma-Informed Approach to our population and client centered advocacy.
  • Strong knowledge of the communities served and centralize this cultural understanding into the work.
  • Support in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI).
  • Evaluating the completeness, accuracy and relevance of data to determine information value and improve client services.

Direct reports

• Clinician
• Subcontracted Therapists
• Intake and Outreach Manager

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, or Professional Counseling from an accredited university.
• Must be 2 years post licensure and completed approved Clinical Supervision continuing education course to provide clinical supervision to staff pursuing licensure.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Minimum of 3 years managing programs and supervising teams.
• Excellent knowledge of mental health issues, and trauma-informed care.
• Strong commitment and adherence to a clinical professional Code of Ethics, especially confidentiality requirements.
• Experience working with vulnerable youth populations.
• Ability to cultivate respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and as a part of a multi-disciplinary service team.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, and crisis intervention skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• High level of accountability in independent work and team settings.
• Effective communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Available to be on-call for staff consultation during crisis events.
• Regular travel to United Friends’ housing locations, events, and community meetings within L.A. County.
• Must have valid California Driver’s License and an insured and reliable vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with transitional aged youth in residential settings.
• An understanding of the unique issues experienced by youth with systems involvement.
• Knowledge of the resources available to transitional age youth in Los Angeles County.