Outreach Clinician

Location: Newburgh, NY

Salary: $80,000 annually

Hours - Tue to Sat 11 am to 7 pm

LMSW/LMHC/LMFT/LCSW

$5000 Pay to Stay Bonus

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Under the general supervision of the Director for the Safe Options Support (SOS) Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Team, the Behavioral Health Clinician (BHC) will provide comprehensive care to street homeless individuals. The Mental Health Clinician’s role will involve community outreach via van or foot patrols to identify, engage and assist homeless persons who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, living on the street, in encampments, abandoned buildings, or other unsheltered situations (will include outreach to homeless persons with mental illness or substance use disorders), coordinating participants needs before and after their move from street to home, enhancing their daily living skills, accompaniment to appointments, and advocating on their behalf when faced with discrimination or healthcare inequities. Member choice, harm reduction, non-coercion, flexibility, and person-centered care are essential elements of the SOS program model and should be front and center of the care delivered by the BHC. Street outreach duties encompass outreach attempts, contact, engagement, enrollment, navigation, warm-handoff, and re-engagement, crisis intervention, provision of basic needs, facilitation to access emergency shelter, transportation, and service linkage. This position works as part of a collaborative team to coordinate outreach services and housing placement for persons who are on the streets or homeless within the shelter systems. The SOS teams will continue to follow participants for several months after housing placement to ensure their stability, independence, and wellbeing in their new community. The role will require field-based work throughout Orange and Dutchess Counties and must be flexible with schedule to meet the needs of the program / regulatory requirements and the clients, which will include evenings and weekends and periodic on-call coverage. The SOS team will be located in Newburgh.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POSITION :

(Not the Individuals Qualifications)

1. Licensed Master’s degree or higher in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy or Psychology. RN with experience working with MH and SUD will be considered.

2. Experience working with homeless and/or precariously housed populations preferred but not required.

3. Experience managing and supervising program staff in a community mental health setting.

4. Knowledge of homeless resources, Orange and/or Dutchess County shelter systems, a plus.

5. Knowledge of counseling principles and methods for mental illness and substance use disorders.

6. Knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs as they relate to recipient/residents, families, and staff.

7. Knowledge of techniques for identifying, assessing, and preventing potentially violent behavior, including crisis management and de-escalation techniques.

8. Ability to develop, evaluate, implement, and modify treatment intervention to meet the needs of individual recipients.

9. Detail-oriented and have excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills (friendly, courteous, helpful, ability to work as part of a team).

10. Ability to work in a high-risk setting, outdoors and in crisis situations.

11. Must have and maintain a valid NYS driver’s license.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

1. Persistently and assertively outreaches and engages “unsheltered” homeless individuals using strength-based approaches beginning at known encampments, “hangouts” or “Hot spots” throughout Orange and Dutchess Counties or during an inpatient hospital admission or emergency department visit.

2. Continuously assesses the health and social needs of participants through SOS’s conversational and observational assessments and formalized risk assessment tools for those identified as being at high risk.

3. Uses evidence-based practices in service delivery such as Critical Time Intervention (CTI), Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma Informed Care practices.

4. As part of the collaborative team, identifies available housing and supports participants through the process. Tasks may include completing, applying for housing, prepping for interviews, follow up with housing providers, and assistance with moving in (day of move) with obtaining housing supplies and learning the neighborhood.

5. Participates in hospital discharge planning meetings to identify the best community resources for returning patients.

6. Collects and reports data, as required and works with SOS Director, other SOS teams to use data to inform future care delivery.

7. Once housed works with participants and their housing providers to resolve clinical issues that are impacting on the participant’s ability manage and retain supportive housing.

8. Fosters relationships with community providers to ensure that recipients are connected with appropriate services as they transition back into the community.

9. Assists with appointment navigation including accompaniment to appointments, travel training, reengagement in community care, and addressing barriers to care.

10. Facilitating crisis interventions, referrals and hospitalizations as appropriate.

11. Reviews documentation and conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments to determine the medical, psychiatric, housing and other social needs in the community.

12. Obtains historical information from multiple sources to support participants behavioral and physical health needs.

13. Monitors, evaluates and records participants’ progress with respect to care plan goals and records information in electronic health records IAW policy and procedures.

14. Maintains current, timely (within 72 hours) and accurate documentation of encounters with and services provided to clients in Electronic Health Record including but not limited to weekly progress notes and contacts with community-based providers, schools, landlords, DSS, etc.

15. Attends and participates in team meetings and supervisory sessions.

16. Maintains performance measures in accordance with NYS OMH contract.

17. Attends in-service and/or training sessions, team meetings as well as any other related activities as required.

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions and the essential requirements for the performance of this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties,

ALL POSITIONS ARE SUBJECT TO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, FINGERPRINTING AND MOTOR VEHICLE REPORT CHECK. The Agency is a smoke free workplace and offers smoke free campuses for our employees, visitors, clients, and interns.

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