Social Worker

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.D


• 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.