Mental Health Social Practitioner - Community Apartment Program

Apply Description About the Community Apartment Program Join Fountain House’s Community Apartment Program (CAP). The CAP Mental Health Social Practitioner works to help the members of the apartment program live their lives to the fullest and develop independent living skills and social connections. We use community as our tool to do this, and the CAP Mental Health Social Practitioner will use group dinners as well as outings into the neighborhood to engage the 3-4 roommates in each apartment. The group will grow their social connections, hopefully become friends, and use consensus decision making to figure out how they want their apartment set-up. We want our members to have dignified homes and to feel comfortable in their apartment and to connect with the neighborhood. This position requires interest in community, creativity, and flexibility. There will be no typical day in CAP, but if you could see yourself fostering relationships and connections to community for adults with mental illness by cooking group dinners, taking a group to the movies, assisting someone to learn how to do their laundry at the local laundromat, advocating at a social service provider, or helping one of your members to apply to a job in the community then this could be the position for you. The CAP Mental Health Social Practitioner will be based at our clubhouse in Hell’s Kitchen and in the field at our scattered site apartments. They will work 9 am to 5 pm three days a week and 11 am to 7 pm twice each week. The evening shifts will allow them to cook dinner with their members. During the dinner they will assess the apartment for repairs, engage with the members and support their increase in socialization, social networks, and decrease loneliness and isolation. Staff at Fountain House embody the values of the clubhouse model, demonstrating what we call our HERO characteristics: fierce optimism, professional curiosity, and a deeply communitarian approach to partnerships, leadership, and engagement. Find us on Instagram Requirements ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Member Support & Advocacy Perform member engagement, social design, relationship development, continuous assessment and therapeutic intervention and management of transitional environments with the Fountain House membershipSupport and develop a therapeutic community based on Social Practice and the International Standards for Clubhouse ProgramsUtilize the community to design positive interventions to deal with common barriers such as social isolation, poor self-esteem, anxiety, symptom management, and povertyCreate access to environments outside of Fountain House not traditionally therapeutically oriented, to build general skills, a sense of confidence, and to support members’ self-efficacy. This includes the provision of on-site support in employment, education, and housing environments outside of Fountain HouseDevelop relationships with Fountain House members and the community that can be leveraged to provide support for positive change and risk-taking, combat social isolation and increase meaningful connections, and introduce members to new opportunities Engineer various environments and social interactions to create therapeutic results and develop an accessible positive communityObserve and assess experiences with members in a variety of naturalistic environments in order to create specific interventions for individuals’ rehabilitationProvide daily advocacy and engagement with Clubhouse members to help gain self-worth, purpose of confidence, while offering guidance for appropriate problem-solving techniquesProvide counsel for members, individually and in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes Training Support & Entitlements Provide training support (vocational training) for transitional employment opportunities and maintain strong relationships with employers for job opportunity developmentsSupport and fill-in for members in their Transitional Employment (TE) opportunities, if/when neededAssist members with entitlements and benefits; food stamps, SSI/SSDI, Medicaid/Medicare and ticket to Work/ACE/Access VR, Supplemental Need Trusts, & ADA accommodationsFacilitates supported housing applications (2010E), Single Point of Access applications and work to find appropriate housing; assist members with physical moves into housing unitsAdvocates for members well-being, safety, and livelihood with supports around clinical, legal, housing, appointments, medications, and independent living opportunitiesAcquire proficiency in skills and tasks of the (unit) you are assigned. This may include safety protocols, health guidelines, inventory lists, how to guides, etc.Complete all documentation including but not limited to progress notes and reach out documentation on timeMaintain compliance with all government agency requirements, company policies and proceduresPeriodic overnight travel to High Point Farm, work some holidays including Thanksgiving, some weekend and evening hoursFlexibility with staying late or arriving early, if necessary, to fulfill unit or member needs, and interchangeability with other staff on the unit.Maintain confidentiality of records relating to members’ progressPerform related duties as assigned by supervisor Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience requiredGraduate degree or equivalent preferred1-3+ years’ experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and or/hands on experience working in a community setting preferred1-2 years coaching and counseling experience preferred1-2 years of vocational rehabilitation, training or employment specialist experience preferredAbility to effectively manage and handle member concerns and behaviorsProven experience with mental health crisis management by supporting and counseling members under emotional distress Required And Preferred Education, Experience, And Credentials Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience requiredGraduate degree or equivalent preferred1-2 years’ experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and or/hands on experience working in a community setting preferred Why Join Fountain House? Empower Marginalized Communities – Elevate the voices of individuals with lived experience and drive real systemic change. Innovate in Mental Health Advocacy – Join a mission-driven team at the forefront of mental health reform. Professional Growth & Leadership – Access mentorship, training, and career development opportunities in a rapidly evolving field. Join Us & Make an Impact! Be part of a movement that is transforming mental health care through research, advocacy, and community. Salary Description 30.58