Substance Abuse Social Worker

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, widely recognized as one of New York’s premier human services providers, is a settlement house founded in 1894 that provides an extensive array of effective and integrated services—social, educational, health, housing, mental health, nutritional and fitness—which significantly improves the lives of 16,000 people in need each year, ages 3 to 103, on the East Side of Manhattan. Our clients include older adults, unhoused and formerly unhoused adults, children and families, disabled persons, adult learners and more. For more information on Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, please visit lenoxhill.org and check us out on Facebook or Instagram .

Salary Range : $69,682 annually (LMSW/LMHC Level) and $88,400 annually (LCSW annually)

Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the historic mixed-used Park Avenue Armory, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House’s Women’s Mental Health Shelter is a 24-hour program that addresses the critical issues facing 80 homeless women, age 45 and over, who have histories of mental illness. Through a comprehensive continuum of care and programming that includes social work services, medical, nursing and psychiatric care, specialized peer support, housing placement, benefits assistance, arts and recreation and food and nutrition programs, our talented, multi-disciplinary team which includes social workers, mental health clinicians, nurses, psychiatric providers, peer advocates and program assistants, to help clients to transition from homelessness to permanent housing.

The Social Worker will be an integral member of our Women’s Mental Health Shelter team and will assist in our efforts to help clients to obtain long-term mental health stability and secure housing. Candidates must have a focus on community-based human services with a social justice lens and be dedicated to supporting our clients as they optimize their wellness and achieve permanent housing placements. Reporting directly to the Clinical Director and collaborating closely with the Senior Program Director and Housing Specialist, the entire Clinical and Operational Team the Social Worker will be responsible for providing comprehensive social services and case management, housing counseling, crisis intervention, and person-centered, trauma-informed support at our Women’s Mental Health Shelter.

The Social Worker will:

• Provide comprehensive social services and case management to an assigned caseload of clients, many of whom have diagnoses including Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Anxiety Disorders, and co-occurring substance use and medical complexities.
• Complete initial Independent Living Plans (ILPs), psychosocial assessments, intake needs assessments, and required mental health screenings within 24–48 hours of a client’s admission to the shelter , ensuring timely assessment of client needs, service planning, and regulatory compliance.
• Complete comprehensive assessments and required documentation, including psychosocial assessments, biweekly Independent Living Plans (ILPs), 2010E applications for supportive housing, CAPS surveys for assigned clients on their caseload.
• Assist clients in securing and maintaining government benefits (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, Access-A-Ride, Lifeline, EPIC, SSI/SSD, etc.) and connect clients to on-site and community-based mental health and medical services.
• Assist with treatment planning and implementation, case conferences, and weekly clinical staff meetings, while collaborating effectively with on-site psychiatric and medical providers.
• Support clients in developing substance use, harm reduction, cessation, and recovery goals through a person-centered and trauma-informed approach.
• Facilitate clinical, psychoeducational, and support groups/workshops that promote mental wellness, coping skills, and independent living.
• Provide crisis intervention, de-escalation, and conflict resolution to support clients in navigating crises in a safe, respectful, and person-centered manner.
• Provide client escorts to housing tours, medical and mental health appointments, public benefits appointments, and other community-based services as needed to support client engagement, service access, housing stability, and continuity of care.
• Provide ongoing aftercare support to clients transitioning to permanent housing, including weekly and monthly follow-ups to promote housing stability and connect clients to ongoing support services.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and comprehensive documentation of all services provided in appropriate databases and systems in accordance with agency and regulatory requirements.
• Interface daily with clients, providing excellent customer service, responding to questions, and addressing client needs in a respectful and compassionate manner.
• Support the day-to-day operations of the Women’s Mental Health Shelter and ensure services are delivered in accordance with agency standards, high-performance expectations, and government regulations.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary staff across departments at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, as well as external community-based organizations and service providers, to maximize resources and improve client outcomes.
• Complete all other responsibilities and duties as assigned by the Clinical Director

Qualifications:

The successful candidate for the Social Worker position must possess excellent interpersonal, engagement, and relationship-building skills to work effectively with our clients. The candidate will be compassionate, energetic, organized, and self-motivated. As part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team, the individual must communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders and demonstrate strong teamwork skills. The candidate will preferably have experience working directly with unhoused populations, individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), substance use, trauma, and/or residential or shelter-based services . Experience supporting women experiencing homelessness and co-occurring mental health and medical complexities is strongly preferred. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to effectively engage clients with complex behavioral health needs using a person-centered, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approach , while maintaining professionalism and appropriate boundaries in a fast-paced environment. Given our 24/7 operating schedule and the expansive needs of our clients, the Social Worker must be willing to work full-time, Sunday through Thursday, 9:00am–5:00pm , with one later shift day per week (11:00am–7:00pmor 12:00pm–8:00pm) to support client engagement and operational needs. Flexibility in schedule based on programmatic needs is preferred. Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credentials are required. Spanish fluency is strongly preferred. This is a 1199SEIU union position with a comprehensive benefits package.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health insurance choices for staff and their families- at no cost to staff
• Extensive paid time off – 25 days’ vacation and discretionary time; 13 holidays; and substantial sick time
• Pension plan(Defined Benefit) provided at no cost to employees plus other retirement savings plans
• Wonderful paid parental leave policy for all staff
• Professional Development Opportunities – conferences, trainings, lectures and more
• Free Life Insurance – 3x annual salary
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical, Dependent Care and Parking/Mass Transit
• Supplemental Insurance Coverage (Accident, Hospital and Critical Illness)
• We like to have fun! Monthly Film and Dinner nights, bowling parties, Mets and Yankee games, cruises, food trucks, holiday parties, parties on our two Green Roofs, chocolate event for Valentine’s Day and ice cream socials, and much more.
• State-of-the Art Fitness Center, Gym and Swimming Pool
• Staff yoga and boot camp classes (six a week), swimming lessons and lap swim for staff
• PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) Eligible Employer
• The best colleagues in New York!

All individuals, as a condition for employment by Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, are required to undergo a pre-employment background check. Certain positions require more extensive background checks to comply with applicable laws.

At Lenox Hill Neighborhood House we value respect, integrity, diversity and integrity. We are an equal opportunity employer. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Lenox Hill Neighborhood House conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. The policy of equal employment opportunity (EEO) and anti-discrimination applies to all aspects of the relationship between Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and its colleagues.

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House is a client-facing and essential community-serving organization. To keep our clients and our colleagues safe, and to comply with various governmental contractual requirements, all new employees must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (except where valid medical exemptions apply) and will be required to submit proof prior to the time of onboarding.

Compensation details: 69682-88400 Yearly Salary

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