Social Worker - 7695-203-N

STATEMENT OF THE JOB 

The Social Worker works as an integral member of on-site support team providing safe affordable housing for tenants who live in Senior Housing properties managed by POP Management, the housing office of Catholic Charities, Brooklyn & Queens. The Social Worker is responsible for providing a range of on-site services that meet health, psychological or social needs of tenants living independently within the building. 

The Social Worker will be responsible for developing and implementing appropriate and effective communal and individual opportunities that support tenants as they age in place. Targeted support services for those tenants in crisis or need will be developed to support tenants to maintain permanent affordable housing or, where appropriate, are transitioned to more appropriate housing. The Social Worker will play an integral role ensuring that social services are well woven into the building. The Social Worker will provide supervision and oversight for volunteer projects in the building and will create opportunities where possible for connections with the neighborhood community to take place.

As a member of an on-site team, the Social Worker works closely with property management staff, including the Recertification Specialist and maintenance staff.  The Social Worker will assist with training and education for staff to help with collective expanded knowledge of issues related to aging in place.

The Social Worker ensures that the Agency Mission and Best Practices are upheld and modeled for other staff, while promoted to tenants and the broader community in which our buildings work. The Social Worker reports directly to the Regional Property Manager for day to day operations and to the Clinical Manager for social service interventions.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure the development of appropriate educational and social programming is consistently taking place throughout the year.
• Facilitate coordinated care for targeted critical/high need tenant cases.
• Work through team approach in partnership with building property management and maintenance staff to identify and respond to tenants in need.
• Provide information and referral services to all tenants in need of such services
• Counsel’s tenants on the completion of application, recertification, entitlement and social service related applications and documents.
• Advocate with tenant to community service providers as needed
• Complete Agency and HUD forms in timely manner.
• Document contact notes as appropriate.
• Refer and link tenants to service providers in the local community.
• Establish and maintain contacts with families and health facilities when tenants are in hospitals and rehab facilities.
• Conduct apartment visits as requested and for targeted high need cases.
• Respond to emergency situations.
• Maintain contact and follow-up with service providers put in place for tenants such as APS and/or outpatient treatment services.
• Work through a team approach with the POPM Enhance social service team to ensure tenants needs are being met.
• Strictly adhere to and enforce all the Agency policies regarding Confidentiality and Corporate Compliance regulations and maintains compliance with HIPAA regulations.

• Attend staff meetings and trainings as required
• Work through a team approach in a partnership with the Social Worker, Property Manager, Building Superintendent and Housing Coordinator to serve the greater good of all tenants.
• Participate in the development and facilitation of staff training and in-services for social service, property management staff on relevant social service topics

• Mentor and provide resource information to other Social Service Housing staff.
• Supervise Bachelor’s Degree staff and MSW interns
• Overseeing volunteers and summer youth workers.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION

• Master’s Degree in Social Work from a nationally accredited institution required.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

• Excellent time management, organizational and computer skills.
• Ability to appropriately evaluate and intervene in crisis situations
• Experience with older adult population
• Excellent oral and written communication skills required.
• SIFI Certification or eligibility preferred
• Bilingual preferred (Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish)

SPECIFICATION FOR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Regularly required to talk, hear, walk, stand, and sit. 
• Able to climb stairs.
• Able to operate a computer keyboard, mouse & office equipment.
• Ability to read printed materials and computer screens.
• Ability to work flexible hours (evenings/weekends) as assigned.
• Able to travel throughout the five boroughs as needed.
• Ability to lift up to 10lbs.
• May be required to meet with tenants and / or staff throughout facilities.
• Frequently sitting to write reports and when meeting with tenants.