Mental Health America of Los Angeles (MHALA) has been a pioneer in mental health service, advocacy, innovation, and training for nearly a century, working to ensure that people with mental health needs achieve meaningful, healthy lives in their communities.
MHALA is among the largest and most comprehensive nonprofit mental health agencies in Los Angeles County. The agency supports over 19,000 low-income and no-income individuals annually with integrated services. MHALA achieves impact in the areas of mental and physical healthcare, homelessness and housing, supported employment, and wellness and financial services, with special programs for Veterans and transition-age youth.
MHALA also provides training programs for individuals joining the behavioral health workforce and for the larger community around mental health issues.
MHALA works to ensure that its employees are just as cared for as its members. Communication, collaboration, transparency and a healthy work/life balance are core components of the agency culture. Employees are encouraged to engage in self-care and can enjoy a 35-hour workweek.
MHALA fosters diversity at all levels of the organization. The agency promotes a team-oriented culture that offers opportunities for growth. We are proud to offer a competitive salary and full benefits package, including an employee assistance program, and generous paid time off.
Administrative Assistant
35 hours per week / $24.00 per hour
(The actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.)
Summary: Under the direct supervision of Director, answers telephone lines and directs calls, greets and directs visitors and vendors and provides clerical and administrative support to general office functioning.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: This is not an exhaustive task list, and other duties may be assigned as deemed appropriate or necessary by the supervisor or program director. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to any qualified person with a medical or psychiatric disability, providing it will not change the essential nature of the position, nor cause undue hardship to the Agency’s operations. MHALA is an equal employer opportunity and service provider. The agency will consider individuals with a criminal history in accordance with both the Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers (FCO) and the California Fair Chance Act (FCA).
- Answer incoming phone lines, screen and route calls as necessary. Creates welcoming environment, and greets, directs and assists visitors. Give information to callers, takes messages, retrieves, records, and delivers messages from after-hours answering machine. Arrange and connect conference/video calls.
- Provides coverage for answering phones for other MHALA departments as needed.
- Provides administrative support assisting with running reports, updating spreadsheets, and tracking data as assigned.
- Serves as administrative support to Nurse Practitioners with scheduling appointments, managing voice and email messages, requests for report writing, etc.
- Facilitates records requests under the supervision and with approval of the Director.
- Sort and route incoming mail, prepare outgoing mail, arrange for special mail services (i.e., FedEx or UPS). Monitor and distribute incoming faxes.
- Operates with understanding of responsibility to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) regulations and complies with these regulations when answering calls, emails, faxes, etc.
- Takes minutes for Wellness Center team meeting and distributes to staff.
- Order and distribute supplies, order routine printing for office staff; provide light typing, filing, faxing, sorting/collating, envelope stuffing, photocopying and other similar tasks as needed or requested, and keeps office areas clean and organized.
- Maintain office and program calendars. Prepares conference and meeting rooms; opens/locks up office, and performs other similar routine clerical and light administrative support tasks.
- Assists with creating and ordering of business cards for staff.
- Maintain the appearance of the front office, and keeps the kitchen clean and organized.
- Responsible for being aware of team plans for service delivery with members, and creates and maintains boundaries as needed to support services provided to members.
- Attends and participates in staff meetings and other aspects of the day-to-day operations and community life of the program site.
- Works cooperatively with other staff to assure the smooth and seamless delivery of comprehensive administrative services to the Agency and its members.
Other Position Requirements
- High school diploma or GED and 2 years experience working as an office clerical, office assistant, data entry clerk, billing clerk or other similar position.
- Or, Associate degree or certificate in data entry, medical billing, secretarial science, office management or similar without experience
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
- Must function well in a team-oriented approach to member services.
- Must have good listening and communication skills, and the ability to empathize and relate positively to a wide variety of people, including co-workers, members, family members and community partners.
- Must demonstrate the ability to maintain empathy for the dilemma of individuals in severe need, as well as ability to set appropriate boundaries. Must have a tolerance for frustration and delayed gratification, and able to juggle creatively and successfully around a variety of barriers to support members.
- Accurate typing of no less than 35 wpm.
- Must be thoroughly familiar with computers and related applications (such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams Outlook, Zoom, etc.), and have demonstrated expertise in data entry functions.
- Driving with current class C driver’s license, a vehicle for transportation, proof of valid automobile insurance, the ability to be insured by MHALA liability insurance are conditions of employment
- TB clearance and re-testing every year are conditions of employment
- COVID-19 vaccinations or booster shots are not currently required, however this may become a requirement in the future. Failure to abide by any agency policy, including those relating to a vaccine or booster shot may result in termination of employment
- Employment verification directly from three (3) past employers within the most recent 7-year period
