Mental Health Clinician, Safe Options Support (SOS)

About the role

Mental Health Clinician, Safe Options Support (SOS) – Community outreach on the streets and subways, coordinating participants' needs before and after their move from street to home, enhancing their daily living skills, providing supportive counselling, and advocating on their behalf when faced with discrimination or healthcare inequities.

Responsibilities

• Persistent and assertive outreach and engagement using strength‑based approaches beginning at known “hang‑outs” or “Hot spots” within the transit system or during an inpatient hospital admission or emergency department visit.
• Partnering and collaborating with current street outreach teams, local police precincts, local hospitals, the MTA, the Department of Homeless Services and family members/caregivers to identify those in most need of outreach and care.
• Continuously assess 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.
• Work in collaboration with the centralized SOR Hub to identify available housing and to support participants through the process (completing HRA 2010e, applying for housing, prepping for interviews, follow‑up with housing providers, assistance with moving in, obtaining housing supplies and learning the neighborhood).
• Participate in hospital discharge planning meetings to identify the best community resources for returning patients.
• Provide short‑term therapeutic counseling and support to participants pre and post housing.
• Supervise case managers and peers on the SOS team.
• Collect and report data as required and work with team leader, data analyst and other SOS teams to use data to inform future care delivery.
• Once housed, work with participants and their housing providers to resolve clinical issues impacting the participant’s ability to manage and retain supportive housing.
• Foster relationships with community providers to ensure recipients are connected with appropriate services as they transition back into the community.
• Appointment navigation including accompaniment to appointments, travel training, reengagement in community care, and addressing barriers to care.
• Facilitate crisis interventions, referrals and hospitalizations as appropriate.
• Review documentation and conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments to determine medical, psychiatric, housing and other social needs in the community.
• Obtain historical and collateral information from multiple sources to support participants' behavioral and physical health needs.
• Monitor, evaluate and record participant progress with respect to care plan goals.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and supervisory sessions.

Requirements

• Licensed master’s degree or higher in social work, mental health counseling, nursing or psychology.
• Ability to travel throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City.

Skills

• Knowledge of homeless resources, NYC shelter systems, and MTA transit systems (a plus).
• Knowledge of counseling principles and methods for mental illness and substance