Vocational Specialist-ACT Team

Community Access was founded in 1974 to provide housing and support for people being discharged from psychiatric institutions. Today, we are one of the leading providers of supportive and affordable housing in New York City, and the originators of an integrated housing model which has become a best practice nationally: affordable housing where families live alongside people living with mental health concerns. Our staff work daily to support thousands of New Yorkers through supportive and affordable housing, peer-driven residential crisis support programs, training, advocacy, supported education, mobile treatment and other healing-focused services.  

Program/Department Description

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based, mobile practice model designed to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services to individuals living with a serious mental health condition and whose needs have not been effectively met by traditional mental health services.  

Community Access’ Bronx Shelter ACT Team will serve individuals with mental health conditions who are experiencing homelessness in the Bronx, and in other boroughs. Team members will work collaboratively with shelter staff and use assertive engagement strategies to proactively engage individuals in services. ACT team members share responsibility for the people they serve, helping individuals attain housing and other personal goals that may be of a health, social, work or education nature.   

ACT teams are multi-disciplinary and include psychiatry, nursing, social work, peer specialists and other staff members offering rehabilitation, treatment and recovery support services. The team provides expertise in the areas of housing, substance use and harm reduction, family support, employment, and wellness self-management. Based on their area of expertise, team members collaborate to deliver comprehensive, integrated and flexible services that are responsive to a participant’s choices, needs and goals. With a small staff to participant ratio, services are brought to the participant and offered in natural settings, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. 

Overview

The ACT Team Vocational Specialist is responsible for meeting participants in the community and providing holistic recovery services tailored to the individual’s stated needs. The Vocational Specialist will be responsible for providing ongoing supportive counseling and service coordination for homeless adults living in Bronx mental health shelters, as well as individuals who have recently transitioned to supportive or independent housing. The Vocational Specialist is also responsible for integrating person-centered goals and services with the tasks of all ACT team members and for providing psycho-education individually and in groups. The Vocational Specialist works as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing the range of ACT services to assist participants in achieving their treatment, rehabilitation and recovery goals. They specialize in assisting people with honing vocational goals and finding schools, training, jobs or employment programs that will help them reach them.  

Key Performance Indicators

All key performance indicators below are expected to be met fully.  

• Complete assigned assessments and service plans on time  
• Complete progress notes for all contacts, collaterals, and attempts within two business days 

Job Qualifications 

• Have an understanding, appreciation, and commitment to the philosophy and mission of Community Access. 
• Commitment to person-centered treatment strategies, upholding participants’ rights, and self-determination in service provision. 
• Licensed Master of Social Work, Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Masters degree in similar field.  
• Knowledge of New York City and/or New York State vocational programs and services 
• Knowledge of entitlements systems 
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines. 
• Be creative and flexible. 
• Able to show initiative and be responsible for follow-through. 
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. 
• Be skilled in conflict mediation/negotiation and have an assertive approach to problem solving. 
• Excellent oral, writing, and listening skills.  
• Computer proficiency, Microsoft Word, Excel. Comfort with learning new systems and paperless record keeping. 
• Bilingual Spanish-speaking strongly preferred 
• Must be fingerprinted and cleared by the New York State Justice Center 
• Ability to utilize public transportation throughout the city for assigned tasks 

Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. 

Interested candidates should apply on www.communityaccess.org/jobs. 

Community Access is an Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.  

Women, People of Color and Members of the LGBT community are strongly encouraged to apply. 

We are dedicated to a workforce where at least 51% of our employees identify as 

having a personal experience using mental health services. www.communityaccess.org