SCHEDULE: 40 hours, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION: 6 Hartford St. Dorchester, MA. However, travel is required to other locations within Greater Boston.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:
Pine Street Inn provides comprehensive, intensive clinical support to chronically homeless individuals with histories of substance abuse and mental illness using the Housing First model promoting long-term stability in housing with a mission to end of homelessness in Boston. The Clinical Specialist will provide guidance across the organization to help homeless individuals to overcome barriers and obtain and retain housing or obtain alternative housing placements when necessary. The Clinical Specialist is responsible for arranging/coordinating and providing consultation for an array of services that include: medical; emergency; mental health, financial (representative payee), guardianship, family consultation, skilled nursing and assisted living placements, and navigating court systems to help meet daily needs, optimize stability, and enhance upon their functional abilities despite high risk behavior. In addition, the Clinical Specialist collaborates with leadership in Emergency Shelter and in Housing departments, developing and maintaining positive relationships with partner agencies, stakeholders that contribute to the overall success of the Behavioral Health Department. The Clinical Specialist will need to be a team player, with great organizational, and time management skills, and a communicator/collaborator who can work well with other teams/departments.
REQUIREMENTS:
QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION/TRAINING:
REQUIRED:
- Master’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Sociology or a related field
- LCSW, LICSW, LMHC or other qualified licensure or the ability to obtain licensure within 1 year of hire
- Currently certified in, or have ability to achieve CPR and First Aid certification within 3 months of hire
- Advanced training in DBT or current DBT Certification, or ability to obtain advanced training and/or certification in DBT within 1 year of hire.
PREFERRED
- Advanced training in hoarding or Current Hoarding Certification, or ability to obtain advanced training within 1 year of hire.
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:
REQUIRED:
- Access to a personal vehicle
- At least 5 years’ experience providing services to adults who experience mental illness, substance use disorders and may have symptoms related to traumatic brain injury and/or experiences of trauma
- At least 1 year of experience working with homeless populations
- Understanding and knowledge of community resources for anyone over 18, navigating the criminal court system, elder services, DMH; substance use treatment centers, knowledge of accessing medical, substance use and mental health services is a must.
- Versed/working knowledge of multiple systems – forensic, veterans, mental health, substance use, legal, medical etc
- Strong planning and organizational skills, and ability to work well with managers, peers, subordinates and internal and external partners
- Strong time management skills, and ability to work independently and manage time independently
- Strong computer skills for data gathering, documentation and reporting
- Experience coordinating alternative housing placements
- Familiarity with management information systems / database programs and Electronic Health Records
- Strong commitment to the right of each person with mental health/substance use and medical complex challenges to live in community residences, to work in market jobs, and to have access to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services of their own choosing
- Experience utilizing harm reduction techniques
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Solid understanding of and strong commitment to the Housing First
- Solid understanding of and strong commitment to the Harm Reduction
PREFERRED:
- Bilingual candidates encouraged to apply, pay differential offered for candidates with fluency in certain essential languages
- Bi-lingual – Spanish/English
- 5 years of clinical experience or equivalent combination of skills and experience in the substance abuse/mental health field
- Experience in therapeutic modalities such as motivational interviewing, solution-focused brief therapy, harm reduction, crisis intervention, general supportive counseling
- Experience working with chronically homeless individuals in Housing First programs
- Experience working with individuals in varied community-based residential settings
- Experience in working and collaborating with medical and behavioral health staff in inpatient and respite settings
- Experience working in an inpatient/outpatient medical, crisis response setting
- Prior experience with guardianship, billing, coordinating medical care, nursing home placements
- Demonstrated understanding of complex clinical concepts.
- Demonstrated skill in de-escalation, crisis assessment and crisis management
- Professional writing and verbal communications skills.
- Ability to utilize effective crisis intervention techniques
PHYSICAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:
REQUIRED:
- Ability to access different building locations and program sites
- Ability to climb several flights of stairs
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds of weight
- Ability to sit for long periods of time and use computer, calculator, fax, copier and other office equipment
- Flexibility to work or be available according to program demands
MENTAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:
REQUIRED:
- Highly developed organizational skills, excellent verbal/written communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing, including the ability to successfully represent the organization in various forums
- Strong interpersonal, conflict resolution and crisis management skills
- Ability to prioritize and manage different roles and tasks, with attention to deadlines
- Ability to multitask and demonstrate flexibility as necessary
- Ability to take initiative, plan and work independently
- Must have highly developed professional ethics to maintain appropriate boundaries and sets limits fairly and consistently
- Contributes to the overall integration and success of the department by being a team player, accepting and offering guidance as appropriate, participating in PSI activities and trainings as requested and promoting organizational integration based on the mission, vision and values
JOB RESULTS:
The Clinical Specialist is responsible for contributing to the following agency outcomes:
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
- Provide on-going clinical support to participants and staff in specialized programs as needed, providing on-going staff support using modalities such as MI, TIC, CBT, hoarding, solution-focused, harm reduction.
- Identify clinical challenges present in programs, and offer clinical insight, ideas and advice to support and empower staff in working with clinically vulnerable tenants. As needed, conduct group clinical consultations to discuss clinically challenging situations with particular residents for which they need consultation.
- Develop and maintain positive working relationships with referral partners that serve individuals with complex needs as well as other external organizations, governmental agencies and funding entities.
- Serve as a content expert and a resource to the entire organization regarding alternative housing placements. Conduct trainings on subjects of interest or concern for staff and tenants. Assist programs/teams in development and implementation of a training curriculum.
- Coordinate with program to assess need for appropriate level of care and then apply for Department of Mental Health services and/or work on finding appropriate Nursing Home placements
- Navigate probation/incarceration and court system when tenants are involved in these systems etc. Serve as a content expert and a resource Serve as a content expert and a resource
- Assist and provide consultations to staff and tenants/clients to applying for benefits such as DTA and SSI/SSDI. Serve as a content expert and a resource in this area.
- Work closely with Directors, Associate Directors and Supervisors in Housing, Specialized Housing and Emergency Shelter Department to identify needs of person served and staff skill/knowledge gaps and implement training as needed; attend programmatic and team meetings to integrate and improve collaboration and communication.
- Collaborate with the Director to lead a Behavioral Health Division’s strategic planning effort for new initiatives and expansion efforts.
- Complete and remain current with all forms of electronic and paper documentation as required for tenant records, data collection and billing.
- Prepare and initiate clinical documentation when requested and needed for guardianships, nursing home placements, payees on behalf of PSI etc.
- Collaborate with Care Coordination Entities and other providers to ensure access to appropriate medical, clinical, mental health, legal, self-help, and peer modalities during times of crisis, care transitions, other life transitions and changes in health status.
- Attend all mandatory trainings and other trainings that will enhance ability to assist tenants in maintaining and enhancing their quality of life.
- Uphold the rights of all tenants. Be continually aware of these rights and act in accordance with these rights. Interact with tenants in ways, which establish a climate of respect for human dignity.
- Work cooperatively with representatives of all PSI departments, including but not limited to development and external affairs, finance, human resources.
- Represent PSI in a professional manner in all contacts with neighbors and representatives of other agencies.
- Due to emergency or unforeseen program needs, staff may be temporarily or permanently reassigned to another PSI Housing program at any given time.
- Ability to adapt and manage programmatic changes overtime. Ability to supervise direct reports as the program grows, funding permitting.
- Perform additional duties as required.
INTERNAL CANDIDATES, IF INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITIION, PLEASE SUBMIT A PROMOTION/TRANSFER APPLICATION TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF POSTING.
Pine Street Inn is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
