Social Worker

The Urban Justice Center Mental Health Project (MHP) seeks a social worker with strong advocacy skills to work with clients with mental health concerns on our interdisciplinary team.

Who Are We?

MHP is a team of attorneys, social workers, advocates, and peer specialists, dedicated to disrupting and dismantling the cycle of hospitalization, homelessness, and incarceration that traps low-income New Yorkers living with serious mental health concerns. We intervene at all parts of this cycle. We work to: secure financial and medical benefits to prevent homelessness and hospitalization; provide peer advocacy and social work support to empower clients in the community; collaborate on impact litigation; ensure proper discharge planning occurs prior to release from jail and psychiatric hospitals; connect people to the appropriate organizations through advice and referrals; and host community workshops to educate people about their rights and how to advocate for themselves and their peers.

Job Summary and Qualifications

The position will be part of an interdisciplinary team who provides advocacy services for adults with mental health concerns with low-income. MHP’s services currently include supportive housing applications, shelter advocacy, eviction prevention, discharge planning from psychiatric hospitals, and applications for government benefits. The Mental Health Project seeks a candidate with the following qualifications:

• Commitment to anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and other social justice work;
• Excellent advocacy skills;
• Strong time-management skills, detail oriented, and efficient in prioritizing tasks;
• Experience and commitment to providing client-centered and trauma-informed advocacy and case management services;
• An understanding and openness to using harm reduction approaches in client work;
• Great communication and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to be collaborative and work with a team;
• Strong writingand verbal skills;
• Proficiency in Spanish is preferred, but not required;
• Master of Social Work (MSW) required;
• At least two (2) years of post-MSW experience;
• Currently Licensed Master Social Work in New York State or able to obtain license within six (6) months from hire.

Responsibilities:

• Advocate for MHP’s clientsentering or in the sheltersystem, searching for housing, or in need of income;
• Conduct crisismanagement and suicidalideation assessments;
• Provide incomemaintenance through Food Stamps, PublicAssistance, Social Security, and/or other government benefits for which clients are eligible;
• Connect clients to mental health treatment providers and care management services via Health Homes
• Prevent evictionor stabilize new housing throughrental assistance and applying for supportive housing using the HRA 2010E application;
• Preserve the rights of psychiatrically admittedclients through advocating for a safe discharge from the hospital;
• Support in maintaining and managing community- led groups (e.g. Community Advisory Board);
• Facilitate presentations and trainings for clients and community-based providers;
• Maintain clientrecords in physical files and electronic databases;
• Other social work tasks as needed to serve the MHP.

The Mental Health Project is currently on a hybrid working schedule. This position requires a minimum in-office work for client walk-ins (on Wednesdays) and evenings (every 4th Thursday per month) for client Open Mic Nights. The work schedule will depend on and may change given the Project’s needs.

Very generous benefits, including 401(k) match, exceptional medical and dental insurance, 20 paid vacation days, 5 paid personal days, 12 paid sick days, 12 paid holidays, and additional paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s Day.