Case Associate

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 Case Associate is the intermediate level of direct care staff working with residents of the Jewish Board supported housing programs in order to help residents live in the community as independently as possible.

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Resident Support

• May carry a caseload of residents
• Provides services to those residents within the scope of program regulations and agency mission.
• Evaluates and assesses independent living skills, and supports residents in meeting individual goals.
• Advocates on behalf of residents with other services providers.
• If carrying a caseload, links residents to community based treatment and collaborate with other service providers when coordinating services. 
• If carrying a caseload, practices person-centered and collaborative service planning with residents, 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.
• Supports residents toward the goal of medication management independence, including appropriate person-centered interventions. 
• Conducts monthly unit/apartment inspections.
• Provides resident escorts to appointments as needed.
• Assist residents with moving, carrying groceries, laundry, and other household items as needed.

Administrative Support and Coordination

• Participates in regular staff meetings and trainings.  May be asked to travel to some off-site meetings and trainings.
• Participates in planning and execution of special and holiday events.
• Completes regular and timely documentation of all resident interactions, including progress and informational notes.

• Insures progress notes meet monthly billing documentation requirements, if applicable.
• Files incident reports as appropriate.
• Facilitates monthly roommate meetings when appropriate.

CORE COMPETENCIES for the position include:

Knowledge and Attributes 

• 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:

• AA degree and two years of experience in a community mental health setting or
• HS/HSE degree and at least five (5) years of experience in a community mental health setting.

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite of products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Ability and willingness to learn new systems and application software.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL EFFORT

• Ability to travel to visit residents in apartments or to escort residents in the community. 
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to drive agency van preferred.
• Ability to lift 25 pounds to assist residents and to manage stairs in walk-up buildings as needed.