Description

Title: Social Worker, Buprenorphine Program

Department: Harm Reduction 

Reports To: Clinical Nurse Manager

Location: 166 Port Richmond Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10302

Position Status: Full Time FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay Rate: $55,000-60,000 annually, commensurate with experience; excellent benefits package including generous paid time off benefits (4 weeks of vacation plus paid holidays, personal, sick time), medical, dental, and vision plan options, employer provided basic life insurance and employee assistance programs, tuition reimbursement and fitness reimbursement after 1 year of employment, a retirement plan that includes employer matching, and more!

Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI) drives dramatic improvements in the health of New Yorkers by feeding people who are hungry, healing families broken apart by violence, and bridging the gaps between people and the compassionate health care they deserve. CHASI serves the most vulnerable individuals, families, and communities with critical services and programs. CHASI provides outreach, education, prevention, and direct support services for populations most affected by health disparities – the poor and working poor, low-income people with chronic illnesses, persons with criminal justice involvement, substance users, domestic violence survivors, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.

POSITION SUMMARY:

CHASI’s Buprenorphine Program, affectionately known as “Bupe”, is a key feature of our Harm Reduction Health HUB and offers low threshold, client centered Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) to those with opioid use disorders. MAT incorporates the use of medications, counseling, and behavioral therapies to provide a “whole-patient” approach. The Buprenorphine Program’s Social Worker is responsible for providing an array of harm reduction services to individuals with opioid use disorders utilizing a network of internal and external providers. Using a client-centered harm reduction approach, the Social Worker assists participants to identify their strengths, their needs, and the barriers to accessing services to make positive change. The Social Worker facilitates access to services and the creation of plans to address participants’ needs as well as help them develop self-efficacy by connecting them to opportunities to identify, influence, and change the policies that affect their lives. This position requires a comprehensive understanding of the spectrum of services provided by CHASI, the roles and availability of agency staff, and the flow of participants through CHASI’s structure.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Represent the agency to all individuals seeking services at office and at mobile-based sites. 
• Recruit potential participants through outreach, low-threshold risk reduction education, networking, and targeted marketing. 
• In a manner consistent with Harm Reduction principles, provide substance use and sexual risk assessments and discuss individualized risk reduction strategies, including safer injection practices, safer sex practices, overdose prevention, HIV, HCV, buprenorphine and other relevant topics.
• Work with participants to identify their needs, collaboratively develop goals, create plans to meet those goals, and identify linkages to help them address their needs and reach their goals.
• Provide concrete case management services, including referrals to public assistance, food/shelter needs, medical, transportation, mental health, and substance use assistance.
• Serve as advocate and educator for participants in the effective use of community services. Escort participants as necessary.
• Monitor and coordinate participants’ progress through CHASI’s programs as well as external programs and help with the development of ongoing action plans. Track participants to document outcomes and ensure they receive proper support.
• Facilitate participant-centered interventions, workshops, and groups, including crisis management, risk reduction, treatment readiness, overdose prevention, HIV health and medication management, and other support and educational groups.
• Monitor the drop-in center. Welcome participants and ensure satisfaction with services, answer and respond to calls, replenish supplies as needed, and provide clerical support as necessary.
• Continually and proactively educate yourself about new developments in the field and work with colleagues to share information and best practices.
• Identify and participate in events that will increase CHASI’s activism profile and connection to the community. Educate participants about the role of activism in social justice gains and motivate them to get involved in advocating for themselves and demanding rights for themselves and their communities.
• Work with program leadership to establish and maintain active and positive linkages with other community agencies. Solicit and track feedback from participants to ensure that the agencies to which we refer are effective and treat participants in a manner consistent with CHASI’s philosophies.
• Maintain an updated resource directory for referrals to service providers, including information regarding accessing such services.
• Collect, compile, and submit data required for program evaluation and grant reporting under multiple contracts. Maintain accurate and detailed participant records.
• Engage in program evaluation activities, including ongoing dialogue with participants and other stakeholders to continually improve the location and delivery of our services. Actively participate in regular case conferencing and supervision.
• Perform all functions in alignment with CHASI’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

 QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Social Work or counseling with experience in counseling individuals with substance use disorder (2 years minimum) required; LMSW or LMHC preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience with trauma informed care and knowledge of medications used to treat opioid addiction. 
• Ability to work in a team setting and use effective leadership and communication skills. 
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from internal/external sources as well as the ability to relate effectively to clients, front line staff, middle, and executive management. 
• Skill with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint.
• Uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession. Respect the privacy of clients in accordance with HIPAA and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service. 

CHASI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to hiring and supporting a diverse staff. People of color, LGBTQ, women, and people with disabilities strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, disability or marital status.