BETTER LIVING CENTER - Social Worker

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title:Social Worker
Unit:Behavioral Health Services
Reports to: Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services
Status:Full-Time; Regular; Non-Exempt
Job Code:TBD
Location:Long Island City
Days/Hours:Monday – Friday, generally 9AM-5PM, 4 days on site and 1 day remote, with 1-2 days 12PM-8PM
Date Prepared: May 5, 2022

Position Summary:

The Social Worker is a member of the Better Living Center, an Article 31 Office of Mental Health Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. The Social Worker is responsible for providing therapy to clients with histories of criminal justice involvement. The role may include providing services through Fortune’s OASAS-licensed 822 substance use clinic, depending on client volume. The position may involve some delivery of telehealth services from a home location, and will also involve on-site work at Fortune Society’s Long Island City location.

Core Competencies:

Mission Fit

This person shall demonstrate an interest in, and talent for, working with persons with criminal justice system involvement.The successful candidate will have an understanding of the impacts exposure to the criminal justice system may have on clients and will demonstrate commitment to helping them overcome these difficulties. The successful candidate will also have demonstrated a commitment to using respectful, constructive means of communication when interacting with clients and colleagues.The individual will utilize a strengths-based, person-centered model and endorse the concept of looking for the best in people, rather than judging them by their worst decision(s).

Client Engagement

The successful candidate will be able to practice multiple theoretical frameworks and tailor their therapeutic approach to the client based on ongoing assessment and clinical need. The person will also demonstrate positive attitude with flexibility of schedule in rolling with the changes that a person entering treatment may demonstrate.

Time Management & Personal Organization

This person shall demonstrate excellent time management skills including making, keeping and/or rescheduling appointments on their own personal calendar as well as psychiatric appointments for clients on their caseload.Successful candidate will be excellent at maintaining personal organization in pursuing numerous tasks in parallel, managing his/her/their time to maximize efficiency, and will be good at completing paperwork accurately and in timely manner.All of this requires good computer navigation skills as well as effective typing speed.

Basic Office Skills

This person shall have to record their client interactions into Fortune Society’s databases, and therefore have competency using a computer (knowledge of MS Office and electronic health record systems) and use of other tools such as cell phones and Zoom.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct initial client assessments, including a psychosocial assessment;
• Develop a therapeutic alliance with clients;
• Provide ongoing individual counseling and weekly group counseling
• Write and update individual client-based, goal-oriented treatment plans following agency guidelines and time frames;
• Maintain proper case records, with all service documentation completed within 48 hours of interaction.
• Maintain on-going clinical communication with supervisor;
• Communicate with other Fortune staff members in the same and other programs/locations that share common client(s);
• Provide linkages to outside agencies for additional services;
• Participate in case conferences and clinical supervision meetings;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• LMSW, LCSW, MHC-LP, LMHC, or LCAT required;
• CASAC credential is a plus;
• Minimum of one year overall clinical experience required;
• Experience in dealing with either psychiatric issues, trauma or incarceration desired;
• Ability, on some days, to work remotely via Zoom in a quiet, private home-office location required;
• Excellent client-engagement and counseling skills;
• Excellent clinical documentation and time management skills;
• Strong computer skills, particularly in electronic health records;
• Bilingual Spanish-speaking is a plus;
• SIFI certification is a plus;
• Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized vaccine (or approved for an exemption as a reasonable accommodation due to a qualified disability or sincerely held religious belief or other legal basis). Applicants should not provide medical or genetic information in their applications; and
• We seek talented, dedicated individuals from all walks of life who possess a strong commitment to this mission. Relevant personal experience is a plus.

Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.