Social Worker

Title: Social Worker

Unit: RISE (Transitional Services)

Reports to: Assistant Director of Community Services

Status: Full-Time; Regular; Exempt

Salary Range: $70,000 to $75,000 annually

Location: Long Island City and New York City Jails


Days/Hours: 35 hours per week (various shifts)

This position is represented by OPEIU Local 153

Organization Overview:

The Fortune Society, Inc. (Fortune) has been working for over 57 years in service to our mission: to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. The organization has evolved into one of the nation's preeminent reentry and justice-informed service organizations, providing formerly incarcerated people with the skills and wrap-around services needed to break the cycle of crime and incarceration and to build productive lives in their communities.


Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency with over $90 million in annual budget with approximately 600 staff. We anticipate that we will keep growing, both in size and depth of service. Fortune has a dual mission: both advocacy and service. The advocacy portion of our mission focuses on building a more just criminal legal system and reducing the barriers to reentry into society. The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs that started with employment and education and now includes a robust array of services, among them: alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, court advocacy, discharge planning within correctional facilities, licensed substance use and mental health treatment, a housing continuum ranging from emergency and transitional through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a food and nutrition program, and an arts program. Each service we provide is informed by the needs of the population we serve. Fortune currently serves approximately 18,000 people a year. Our program models are recognized, both nationally and internationally, for their quality and innovation. We have locations in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

Position Summary:

The Social Worker hired for this role will support The Fortune Society's Pre and Post-Release Transitional Services Program. The Social Worker will engage with the Transitional Services Program team and participants enrolled in the program with the goal of destigmatizing mental health and substance use treatment through the use of psychoeducation, brief clinical intervention, and assistance with referrals to additional support. The Social Worker will support the Transitional Service staff by consulting about the needs of specific high-risk participants. Additionally, the Social Worker will be responsible for facilitating wellness groups both in the community and in Rikers Island for people returning home from New York City Jails to heal, create community, and provide a supportive environment.


Core Competencies:

Mission and Fit : Embodies Fortune's mission and values and will be an effective member of the team in furthering both. The candidate should exhibit compassion and understanding for our participants (wherever they are in their re-entry process) and embrace Fortune's core value that none of us should be measured against the worst things we have done.

Client Engagement: The successful candidate will be able to complete required screening tools to build comprehensive psychosocial evaluations. While engaging in services with clients, the successful candidate will be able to practice multiple theoretical frameworks and tailor their therapeutic approach to the client based on ongoing assessment and clinical need. The person will also demonstrate positive attitude with flexibility of schedule in rolling with the changes that a person newly entering therapeutic services demonstrate.

Time Management & Personal Organization: This person will demonstrate excellent time management skills including making, keeping and/or rescheduling appointments on their own personal calendar as well as psychiatric appointments for clients on their caseload. Successful candidate will be excellent at maintaining personal organization in pursuing numerous tasks in parallel, managing his/her/their time to maximize efficiency, and will be good at completing paperwork accurately and in timely manner. All of this requires good computer navigation skills as well as effective typing speed.

Basic Office Skills: This person will have to record their client interactions into Fortune Society's databases, and therefore have competency using a computer (knowledge of MS Office and electronic health record systems) and use of other tools such as cell phones and Microsoft Teams.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Interview participants in the RISE program in Rikers Island and the Community; coordinates and plans program activities to meet their social and emotional needs after their release;
• Collaborate with RISE and Department of Correction (DOC) staff to identify high needs and high-risk participants;
• Assist with external or internal referrals for substance use and mental health services as needed;
• Provide brief interventions and short-term support for participants in need;
• Provide crisis intervention when necessary;
• Initiate/facilitate inter-agency collaboration including identifying the need for case conferences about shared clients and to ensure providers are not duplicating services;
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with other staff members in the RISE department and within Fortune to understand participant trends and needs;
• Participate in RISE department weekly staff meetings to inform staff of observations from participant interactions;

• As needed, maintain ongoing communication and follow up with other parties involved in participant's success (e.g. Transition Coordinators/Mentors, Employment Specialists, referrals sources, partner agencies);
• When appropriate, offer referrals to appropriate community-based organizations, advocacy firms, and governmental agencies who can provide support;
• Maintain accurate records and logs and complete all required reporting information;

• Perform other duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational goals.

Qualifications:

• Masters in Social Work Required;
• Conduct behavioral services using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help address patterns of risk, violence and trauma.
• At least 2 years of experience working with justice-involved clients;
• At least 2 years of experience facilitating groups and individual sessions;
• Familiar with barriers that previously incarcerated individuals face in reentry and how to navigate them;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office computer applications, especially Word, Outlook and Excel;
• Strong verbal, writing, listening and negotiating skills;
• Ability to take initiative, be dependable, resourceful and able to pay keen attention to detail;
• Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple priorities at the same time in a time-sensitive manner;
• Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency preferred;
• Ability to obtain and maintain NYC Department of Correction Volunteer Services Clearance;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and serving individuals impacted by the criminal legal system;
• Ability to maintain professionalism, sound judgment, and composure in fast-paced and high-pressure environments;

We seek talented, dedicated individuals from all walks of life who possess a strong commitment to this mission. Relevant personal experience is a plus.

Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.


Travel Requirements : Travel within the five boroughs of NYC by train and or bus, including to NYC jails. Driver's license a plus.


The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.
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