Barrier Free Living (BFL) is dedicated to helping New Yorkers with disabilities live independently in the community. Through its various programs, BFL provides a broad range of residential and non-residential services to disabled survivors of domestic violence, to the disabled homeless, and support to physically disabled individuals with mental health and/or chemical addiction issues.

BFL Apartments (BFLA) is a NY/NY III type supportive housing program. BFLA offers services to vulnerable and needy populations who are survivors of domestic violence, specifically, homeless disabled adults and disabled veterans and families. This program’s facility is located in the South Bronx. There are two buildings: a 70-unit studio apartment building for single adult (SPMI-chronic homeless population A) and a 50-unit apartment building for families (SPMI/MICA-chronic homeless population G).

Responsibilities:

• Hold a case load of 10-15 SPMI/MICA tenants
• Complete program Intake/Assessment of new tenants
• Develop, monitor and update service plans that are mutually developed with each tenant
• Follow up meetings with tenant including home visits to discuss related service plan goals and benchmarks
• Provide individual supportive counseling with tenants to assist in developing skills to stabilize their medical, psychosocial and behavioral health status
• Provide crisis intervention and other services to assist tenants to develop better-coping skills
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to obtain strategies to assist tenants in achieving identified goals to maintain stability
• Accompany tenants to Family/Criminal/Housing Court hearings and advocate for the tenant as needed
• Provide referrals for legal assistance and any other service provider within the community as needed
• Assist tenant with any ACS or Prevention services requirements
• Complete ongoing apartment inspections, tobacco assessment, and vocational assessments as required by DOHMH contract
• Monitor tenants ability to pay rent and utility bills to ensure housing stability
• Participate in staff/case conference meetings, supervision and required trainings
• Ensuring timely and accurate entry of progress notes in AWARDS
• Comply with all agency and program policies and procedures

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, or related field
• Experience in supportive counseling, harm reduction stages of change model, motivational interviewing, and trauma informed care.
• Experience working with mental illness, substance users, domestic violence and familiarity with disability issues a must
• Excellent computer skills (PC)
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, NY/NY III supportive housing environment a must.
• Excellent language skills in American Sign Language or bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Valid NYS drivers license a plus.

Start Date: ASAP

Hourly Rate: $30.02 Hours: 35 hours per week, in office 3 days, remote 2 days, work one Saturday, on-call social worker one week per month (flexible)

Benefits Package: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Retirement Plan, Paid vacation, Sick days, Personal days, Paid National Holidays and more.

Public Assistant Recipient is encouraged to apply.