Social Worker (Licensed)

PURPOSE:

The Jewish Board’s Adult Residential Division supports adults with serious and persistent mental illness to live in the community with as much independence as possible. Using a non-judgmental, harm-reduction approach, staff model and guide residents to create and meet personalized recovery goals, develop independent living skills, and live in a healthy and secure manner. Our work is guided by principles that underscore the critical importance of stable housing, use a culturally competent and anti-racist lens, and respect the dignity and legitimacy of each individual’s journey. 

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Social Worker is responsible for supplying necessary clinical intervention within the realm of the program.  Provide cultural competent and sensitive services.  As part of a therapeutic team within the Agency, work closely with the divisions’ medical, psychiatric and psychology staff, to ensure the appropriate treatment interventions for the client. 

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Client Engagement

• Carries a caseload of residents, and provides services to those residents within the scope of program regulations and agency mission.
• Completes client assessments to include, intake assessments, overall client assessments, risk assessments
• Evaluates and assesses clients’ functioning, and supports clients in meeting individual goals.
• Practices person-centered and collaborative service planning with clients, also ensuring service plans are completed and signed by residents according to regulatory guidelines and standards.
• Interprets and explains agency policies and procedures to residents.
• Develop safety plans
• Provide individual and family counseling.
• Makes referrals and coordinates services for clients, including but not limited to, medical, mental health, substance abuse prevention and treatment
• Advocates on behalf of residents with other services providers.
• Links residents to community-based programs and collaborates with other services providers
• May run groups under supervision
• Participates in audit preparation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Team Process

• Participates in weekly case conference
• Participates in intake, assessment, discharge, and follow-up conferences.
• Participates in regular staff meetings and trainings.  May be asked to travel to offsite meetings and trainings.
• Participates in planning and execution of special and holiday events.

Documentation

• Files incident reports as appropriate.
• Completes regular and timely documentation of all resident interactions, including progress and informational notes.
• Facilitates monthly roommate meetings when appropriate.RE COMPETENCIES for the position include:
• Excellent engagement and assessment skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently as well as with a team

CORE COMPETENCIES for the position include:

Knowledge and Attributes 

• In-depth understanding of how mental illness, substance use disorders, or trauma can affect the lives of individuals in the community.
• Experience working with individuals living with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, or trauma required.
• Knowledge of local and state health and human service systems and their navigation.
• Understanding of the demanding processes of stabilization and recovery.
• Commitment to working with individuals with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, a history of trauma, and/or homelessness.
• Compassion and respect for vulnerable individuals.
• Openness to approaching the work through an anti-racist lens, engaging in continuous learning, and putting that learning into practice to support our diverse resident population.
• The ability to stay calm in a variety of situations, some of which may be stressful.
• Patience and empathy for individuals on their journey to recovery.

Skills

• Communication: Conveys information clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing; practices
• active listening; engages residents respectfully.
• Self-sufficiency and initiative: Assesses, initiates, and completes tasks independently; contributes to the organization’s mission and team’s goals; researches and pursues professional development opportunities.
• Interpersonal relations: Demonstrates cultural sensitivity, interacts with colleagues and residents professionally and respectfully.
• Problem-solving: Analyzes situations objectively, generates or researches solutions independently
• Quality assurance: Attends to detail, follows standard operating procedures, and consistently produces work of high quality.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with teams and models collaborative teamwork, takes appropriate action on constructive feedback. 
• Organizational skills: Manages time effectively; respects deadlines; prioritizes multiple, emerging, and complex demands; demonstrates flexibility.
• Crisis management: Identifies situations in the environment that can evolve into a crisis, maintains calm during a crisis, has solid crisis de-escalation skills or is willing to learn specific skills to de-escalate a crisis.
• Good judgement: Manages risk and ensures safety of residents independently recognizes and acts on situations requiring intervention by a supervisor or higher authority.

EDUCATIONAL / TRAINING REQUIRED:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, LMSW or LCSW certification preferred

• A minimum of 1-year experience in Human Services preferred

Additional Qualification needed:

• Willingness to work with individuals with experiences of mental illness, and substance use.
• Compassion and respect for vulnerable individuals.
• Patience and understanding for the sometimes-slow process of stabilization and recovery.

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED

•     Familiarity with working in Windows environment

•     Ability and willingness to learn new systems and application software

VISUAL AND MANUAL DEXTERITY:

• Able to read data and documents, including spreadsheets, reports and Electronic Health Records in printed form and on computer screens.
• Able to input data into relevant systems
• Limited applications of manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL EFFORT

•     Travel in the community.