Position Description

Responsible for the provision of supportive counseling with families residing in the New Broadway Family Shelter, the Licensed Social Worker will conduct comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments and other screenings of family members to inform the family’s Independent Living Plan. In addition, the Licensed Social Worker will work with high-need families and in particular family members struggling with taking actions to secure next step housing, pursuing vocational/educational opportunities, domestic violence, parenting, accessing entitlements, medical and mental health needs, using motivational interviewing techniques based on harm reduction principles. In addition, the Social Worker will do crisis intervention as needed and refer clients to the Housing Specialist for next-step housing needs and coordinate care with all other staff within the facility and other providers. The Licensed Social Worker will be responsible for ensuring compliance with contract services requirements, maintain regular contact with families, and ensure client and collaterals are active in program activities.

Essential Job Functions

The following duties are mandatory requirements of the job:

• Provide clinical assessments including bio-psychosocial assessments and other screenings of families on caseload (maximum of 25).
• Complete clinical assessments/reassessments to inform Independent Living Plans.
• Provide ongoing counseling to both the primary client and other family members individually and in group settings.
• Provide group facilitation in the areas of parenting skills, healthy relationships, treatment adherence, mental health, activities of daily living, substance abuse, and other topics as needed.
• Assess clients’ needs with particular attention to family dynamics, mental health, and overall aspect of their wellbeing.
• Conduct multi-disciplinary case conferences with other members of on-site case management team.
• Provide referrals to and care coordination with Housing Specialists and medical and other social service providers.
• Submission of timely monthly documentation.
• Provide crisis intervention as needed.

Other Responsibilities

• Attend divisional housing meetings, weekly staff meetings, quarterly agency meetings, and other internal staff meeting as required.
• Work closely with client’s to encourage compliance with program’s Code of Conduct.
• Appropriate and timely referrals on behalf of clients, provides client advocacy in negotiating systems and delivery of services.
• Attend and/or coordinate case conferences with other providers.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Certification

• LMSW required.
• MSW accepted, LMSW required in 90 days.
• A strong working knowledge/ background working with homeless families plus services rendered to the mentally ill and substance use populations.

Special Skills and Knowledge

In addition to the above-listed job responsibilities and educational requirements, the ideal candidate for this position possesses most or all of the following:

• Knowledge of DHS and entitlements for low income/homeless individuals in NYC
• Basic computer literacy (e.g., Microsoft Word, e-mail, internet browsing).
• Crisis management and de-escalation skills.
• Knowledgeable in the use of Motivational Interviewing and Harm Reduction.