Mental Health Care Access Program Coordinator

Organizational Overview:

CASA-NYC is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization that provides advocacy for children and youth involved in New York City child welfare proceedings. Our mission is to ensure children and youth involved in the child welfare system have their needs met and rights protected, and children in foster care move into safe and permanent homes as quickly as possible. The children, youth and families we serve have been impacted by intergenerational trauma, structural racism and chronic poverty. We are actively working to fully integrate trauma-informed, anti-racist principles into our work. We partner with family members and their allies to support them in overcoming barriers to safety, stability and family reunification and achieving equitable outcomes.

We strongly encourage candidates fluent in multiple languages and candidates from groups that have historically experienced oppression to apply. We are committed to advancing racial justice and civil rights in our advocacy, and we value the dynamism and perspective that staff diversity, equity, and inclusion bring to the work and culture of our organization. We strive to promote behaviors, attitudes and policies that enable us to work inclusively and effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, and community partners. We actively recruit and seek to grow and maintain a staff that is diverse along many axes, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, and national origin; disability; socioeconomic background; and sexual orientation and gender identity; and to develop a pathway to leadership opportunities for people from historically oppressed populations.

Position Description:

CASA-NYC’s Mental Health Care Access Program (MHCAP) Coordinator is responsible for supervising a team of 15-20 volunteer Advocates and providing training, consultation and resource development on mental health issues and services.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise a team of trained CASA volunteer Advocates who provide advocacy and one-on-one support to high risk children and youth in NYC foster care, and their families.
• Guide volunteers in developing case assessments, case plans and advocacy strategies to ensure that children have their needs met while in foster care and move out of foster care as quickly as possible.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive and current database of mental health providers and resources.
• Provide initial training for all new volunteers and staff (typically four volunteer classes annually) plus at least four additional in-service trainings annually for the continuing education of volunteer Advocates and staff on more in-depth topics ranging from the impacts of trauma on adolescence, mental health care coordination for children and adults, suicide assessment and crisis interventions, psychiatric care settings, supporting parents with mental health needs, and more.
• Facilitate group supervision sessions with staff/volunteers on clinical and mental health related issues.
• Provide direct case management and advocacy as needed, in collaboration with volunteers and supervisors, and if/when volunteers are not available, and/or on cases a requiring higher level of support.
• Advocate or guide volunteers in advocating for children and youth in court proceedings and field meetings related to child’s developmental, educational, health and mental health needs, family supports, and other needs.
• Work with or guide volunteers in work with parents of children in foster care to establish safe and stable homes required for their children’s return; and with youth aging out of foster care to assist them in preparing to live independently.
• Meet with each volunteer Advocate a minimum of once monthly for in-person supervision and maintain regular contact with volunteers by phone and email.
• Write concise, effective, fact-based court reports that include holistic descriptions of the needs and life circumstances of each CASA child or youth, or provide guidance to volunteers in writing such court reports.
• Participate in court proceedings and case related conferences and meetings.
• Orient new volunteers to CASA-NYC policies and the court process. Match volunteers with appropriate case assignments.
• Guide clients through various systems, such as NYCHA, Medicaid, TANF, and special education.
• Participate in court-based committees and workgroups in order to ensure effective coordination of services with partner organizations.
• Foster a feedback-rich culture of learning, appreciation and improvement.
• Help create and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and learning environment.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

• LCSW preferred. LMSW, LMHC, LCAT, or equivalent will also be considered.
• Two to eight years of relevant postgraduate professional experience is required.
• Working knowledge of mental health providers in New York City.
• Supervision experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of child welfare and the provision of mental health care for children, young adults, and adults.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English or other) strongly preferred.
• For social workers, SIFI preferred, or ability to obtain SIFI certification in the first year of employment.
• Excellent written and oral advocacy skills.
• Strong public speaking/training skills
• Professional maturity and ability to foster positive relationships with a diverse array of individuals and professionals.
• Ability to work both independently, with strong initiative, as well as collaboratively with a small team.
• Training and experience working with people impacted by trauma, structural racism and other forms of oppression.
• Demonstrated anti-oppressive supervision skills and commitment to anti-racist practice principles.
• Ability to work effectively with an ethnically, culturally, and socially diverse participant population.
• Insight into, and understanding of, how issues of culture, race, language, and religious/spiritual difference, as well as gender identity, expression and sexual orientation, impact all stakeholders, including participants, donors, volunteers, and staff.

CASA-NYC is an equal opportunity employer and encourages people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ-identified and differently-abled candidates to apply.