Mental Health Clinician - Safe Options Support (SOS) Team

Endeavor Health Services is hiring a Mental Health Clinician for our SOS Team (Safe Options Support).  The Licensed Mental Health Professional will play a pivotal role on one of Governor’s innovative Safe Options Support (SOS) teams, that will provide comprehensive care to street homeless, shelters or other places not meant for human habitation. The team will support program participants in the community through the application of the highly acclaimed, Critical Time Intervention, evidence-based, model of care. $5,000 SIGN-ON BONUS!

The Mental Health Clinician’s role will involve community outreach on the streets and homeless shelters, coordinating participants needs before and after their move from homelessness, enhancing their daily living skills, providing supportive counseling, and advocating on their behalf when faced with discrimination or healthcare inequities. Member choice, harm reduction, non-coercion, flexibility, and person-centered core elements are essential to this team.

The SOS teams will continue to follow participants for several months after housing placement to ensure their stability, independence, and wellbeing in their new community. The role will require field-based work, periodic on-call coverage, and a willingness to work flexible hours.

This is an exciting opportunity for a clinician who is looking to transform community healthcare in WNY and making long lasting positive changes in the lives of homeless Western New Yorkers.

Job Responsibilities:

• Persistent and assertive outreach and engagement using strength-based approaches beginning either at known “hang-outs” or “hot spots” within the homeless services system or during an inpatient hospital admission or emergency department visit;
• Partnering and collaborating with current street outreach teams, local police departments, local hospitals, the NFTA, the Homeless alliance of Western NY 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 assessments tools for those identified as being at high risk;
• Work in collaboration with the established referral Hub to identify available housing and to support participants through the process. Tasks may include completing a SPOA application or other housing made available, prepping for interviews, follow up with housing providers, and assistance with moving in (day of move) with obtaining housing supplies and learning the neighborhood;
• Participate in hospital discharge planning meetings to identify the best community resources for returning participants;
• Provide short term therapeutic counseling and support to participants pre and post housing ;
• Supervise case managers and peers on the SOS team;
• Collects and reports 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 that are impacting on the participant’s ability to manage, and retain supportive housing;
• Foster relationship with community providers to ensure that 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;
• Facilitating crisis interventions, referrals, and hospitalizations as appropriate
• Review documentation and conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments to determine the 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.

Qualifications:

• Licensed master’s degree or higher in social work, mental health counseling, nursing or psychology required
• Knowledge of counseling principles and methods for mental illness and substance use disorders 
• Knowledge of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs as they relate to recipient/residents, families, and staff
• Knowledge of techniques for identifying, assessing, and preventing potentially violent behavior, including crisis management and de-escalation techniques
• Ability to develop, evaluate, implement, and modify treatment intervention to meet the needs of individual recipients
• Experience working with homeless and/or precariously housed populations preferred but not required
• Knowledge of homeless resources, WNY shelter systems, and NFTA transit systems a plus
• Ability to prepare accurate and timely reports
• Computer proficiency in Health Information Technology and Microsoft applications such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint

We offer competitive salaries and an array of employee benefits, including medical, dental, company paid vision, company paid life, AD&D, and Long Term Disability, voluntary life, AD&D, and Short Term Disability, 401 (K) retirement savings plan with company contribution, 10 paid holiday, generous paid vacation, paid sick time, discounted pet insurance and an Employee Assistance Program. Eligible employer for college loan repayment through the PSLF program and other student loan forgiveness opportunities.  All employees receive personalized supervision opportunities to pursue advanced licensure and specialized training. 

Salary $55,276.65 - 68,776/year depending on education, credential and experience. 

Endeavor Health Services is an equal opportunity employer committed to championing the principles of fairness and respect. We welcome prospective employees from various cultures and backgrounds, for all positions, who will uphold our values and contribute to our mission. We aim to have a leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities with which we work in partnership.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.