Youth Counselor - CASES

Job Title: Youth Counselor

Job Summary: 

• CASES’ Nathaniel Clinic specializes in serving criminal legal system-involved youth ages 13 and above and adults. This clinical position will work in the Connection to Care: Building Resilience in Youth program with our partner the Police Athletic League. Through C2C: BRY, Police Athletic League will partner with CASES to provide adolescents and young adults, ages 13-21, engaged in PAL’s community youth programs with increased access to mental health treatment by building the knowledge and capacity of PAL’s front-line staff and embedding a CASES licensed social worker - this position - at a PAL community site to conduct screenings, assessment, brief interventions as needed, psychoeducation and training, and referrals to the Nathaniel Clinic or another appropriate NYC mental health treatment service. The Nathaniel Clinic seeks a licensed social worker to work four days at the offices of our partner PAL - 80% Youth Coach - and one day at our Harlem office - 20% Juvenille Counseler. Clinical hours are provided.

Salary: The salary for this role is $70,000 per year.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Conduct screening and assessment in accordance with the use of validated screening tools to screen and assess for mental illness, trauma, substance use, and risk and needs.
• Develop family-centered treatment plans and review in collaboration with client, collaterals, and consented stakeholders such as parents and guardians, significant others, criminal justice personnel, primary care health provider, care coordinator, and schools.
• Provide compassionate, developmentally-appropriate clinical treatment in accordance with the scope of practice and regulations governing Article 31 and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
• Conduct individual, family, group therapy as clinically indicated.
• Coordinate cases with CASES psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, peers, care managers, and administrative staff.
• Use evidence-based risk management protocols and clinical processes to appropriately manage and intervene to effectively serve clients at elevated risk including for violence.
• Provide crisis intervention services as deemed appropriate.
• Document all treatment services - assessment and progress notes - using collaborative/concurrent documentation.
• Maintain designated caseload and required weekly levels of service productivity.
• Use evidence-based approaches to treatment consistent with youth development principles; CASES’ organizational culture; health/mental health integration, rehabilitation, and recovery; a compassionate understanding of the effects of previous system involvement and challenges this brings to engagement; and responding to serious mental illness.
• Use cognitive behavioral approaches to treatment that will support behavioral changes to reduce risks associated with system involvement, including involvement in the criminal legal system.
• Deliver effective treatment responses to individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders and complete the Focus on Integrated online training modules and receive the Integrated Mental Health/Addictions Treatment Training Certificate.
• Co-facilitate group psychotherapy services to youth and families.
• Provide culturally competent services that are individualized to client needs and reflect the integration of race, ethnicity, culture, primary language, immigration status, developmental status, criminal legal system status, sexuality, age, and gender.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation using the Electronic Medical Record; document all services in accordance with CASES policies, NYS Office of Mental Health regulations and all relevant federal laws.
• Participate in Quality Improvement Measures and utilize dashboard data reports from the EHR to track client progress with symptom reduction, increased functioning, and use objective data to determine treatment needs and to support discharge planning.
• Attend and actively participate in supervision and weekly staff meetings.

Connections to Care

• Serve PAL participants onsite 2-3 days per week at PAL community site
• Respond to participant screening results to identify PAL participants for assessment, engagement, and outreach to address mental health treatment needs refer and support access to needed mental health treatment
• Participate in Connections to Care Building Resilience in Youth planning, implementation, and evaluation activities
• Any other duties as required by the senior clinician and PAL senior staff

What We Are Looking For: 

• New York State LCSW/LMSW/LMHC individuals with CASAC preferred
• 1-3 years of experience in a clinic setting or at least two years of work experience at a licensed mental health or substance use program
• Demonstrated expertise in recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, evidence-based practice
• Demonstrated experience with diverse young people receiving mental health treatment, including delivery of treatment to individuals with serious mental illness, functional impairments and psychosocial needs including involvement in the criminal justice system
• Therapist will be expected within six months of employment to receive the Integrated Mental Health/Addictions Treatment Training Certificate

Additional, skills we are looking for preferred but are not essential skills: 

• Experience working with youth and adolescents in a social service or behavioral health setting preferred
• Bilingual Spanish preferred

CASES Mission:

• The mission of the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services is to increase public safety through innovative services that reduce crime and incarceration, improve behavioral health, promote recovery and rehabilitation, and create opportunities for success in the community.

Employee Benefits:

CASES cares about employee wellbeing, and we offer a comprehensive benefits package to support you and your family, including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Vacation and Paid Time Off – starting at 25 days-off annually, plus an additional summer self-care day
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Retirement 403b Competitive matching up to 6%
• Employee Referral Program
• Visit www.cases.org/careers/ to learn more about benefits offered by the CASES

CASES introduces the Student Loan Repayment Program to help job seekers like you tackle their student loans while working in their preferred career field. Compensation provided is up to 30k in loan repayment over a three-year period. Funds are available on first come, first served basis for selected licensed positions located in the Clinic, ACT and FACT departments, a benefit from OMH that is available to full time clinical staff working in the capacity as a LMSW/LCSW/LMHC/LMFT/LCAT/licensed psychoanalyst/licensed psychologist within eligible OMH licensed community mental health programs in New York State.

Follow the attached to link to learn more about eligibility and resources related to the OMH CMHLRP:

https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/2023/cmhlrp/round-three/index.html

Although we would love to learn about the skills of every candidate, only selected candidates that are selected will receive a response. We encourage you to apply for any position you feel you are qualified for.  

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal legal system.