Mental Health Patients' Rights Advocate - Alameda County

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 African American Family Outreach Program, the Family Partnership Program, 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.

The Patients' Rights Advocacy Program of Alameda County (PRA) works to ensure that people with mental illness receive quality treatment from facilities and providers of mental health treatment that is in compliance with the codes and regulations governing their treatment.

Advocates protect the rights of individuals receiving mental health treatment in Alameda County by: informing patients about their rights; responding to complaints; conducting investigations; monitoring facilities for statutory compliance with laws governing mental health treatment; representing patients during hearings; and educating facility employees, family members and the general public on laws governing patients' rights.

• →Provide representation to patients residing in LPS-designated facilities county-wide
• →Provide representation to patients/residents in certification review hearings (for people facing up to 14 days involuntary detention) and in capacity hearings (for those facing involuntary treatment with psychotropic medications)
• →Provide support to adolescents in the Independent Clinical Review process
• →Conducts interviews in preparation for hearings
• →Completes thorough and timely documentation of all assigned hearings
• →Investigate allegations of rights violations, including possible abuse or neglect
• →Monitor facilities, services, and programs for compliance with patients' rights statutes and regulations governing mental health treatment
• →Respond to complaints received by mental health consumers/facility residents, family members and concerned individuals
• →Educates patients/residents about their rights and the hearing process
• →Respond to inquiries regarding laws and procedures on voluntary and involuntary mental health treatment

• High School Diploma or equivalency
• Ability to work professionally and effectively with people with mental illness and to champion patients' ability to be self-determining
• Ability to conduct efficient informal investigations by quickly determining the relevant facts
• Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and follow MHAAC guidelines regarding document transport and storage
• Must be able to pass background check including review of State and Federal exclusion lists and livescan fingerprinting
• Possess a valid California driver's license, motor vehicle available for daily use, required auto insurance and have an acceptable driving record, as determined by MHAAC's insurance broker (Position requires local travel up to 300 miles per month.)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 - Outlook (email) and Word (documents)

• Bachelor's degree
• Prior work as a Patients' Rights Advocate and/or Certification Review Hearing Representative
• Knowledge of California mental health law - especially provisions governing involuntary treatment
• Experience representing clients at non-judicial hearings (e.g. Social Security Disability Appeals hearings)
• Familiarity with mental health service system in Alameda County
• Bilingual - English plus Spanish
• Experience delivering services using video-based platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• May occasionally need to work on legal holiday
• Hybrid schedule after successful completion of 3-mos introductory period

• High school or equivalent (Required)

• Spanish (Preferred)

Work Location: One location