Director of Social Work

The Urban Justice Center Mental Health Project (MHP) seeks a passionate full-time Director of Social Work.

Who We Are:

MHP is a dedicated team of attorneys, social workers, advocates, and peer specialists. Our mission is to disrupt and dismantle cycles of hospitalization, homelessness, and incarceration that traps low-income New Yorkers with serious mental health concerns. We intervene at all parts of the system. We work to: secure financial and medical benefits to prevent homelessness and hospitalization; provide peer advocacy and social work support to empower clients in the community; collaborate on impact litigation; ensure proper discharge planning occurs prior to release from jail and psychiatric hospitals; connect people to the appropriate organizations through advice and referrals; and host community workshops to educate people about their rights and how to advocate for themselves and others.

Job Summary:

The Director oversees MHP’s direct advocacy service practice areas that include Social Security disability applications, discharge planning advocacy from psychiatric hospitals, public benefits, supportive housing applications, placement in supportive housing programs, and advocacy for people living in homeless shelters. The Director ensures the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive services for MHP’s clients. The Director also oversees MHP’s in-house and external community education, outreach, and programming.

Responsibilities Include:

Social Work Program Coordination and Development

• Provide and ensure advocacy services and/or workshops for people with mental health concerns and history of incarceration that align with MHP’s mission and evidence-based practices
• Create systems for efficient and effective client intake
• Monitor and review client satisfaction
• Develop strategies to better inform the mental health community about MHP’s work
• Oversee and participate in MHP’s Community Advisory Board

Staff and Intern Supervision and Development

• Supervise and support social worker, peer specialist, disability advocate, intake coordinator, and other staff, as necessary
• Recruit and supervise MSW graduate students
• Support staff navigating challenges with clients
• Provide trainings on suicidal ideation and other topics as needed for staff and interns

Direct Work

• Maintain a small caseload of clients in need of advocacy services and/or social work support
• Provide assessments for suicidal ideation and crisis interventions for clients
• Oversee and attend MHP’s monthly Open Mic Night for clients (this will require working one evening, every 4th Thursday per month)
• Develop and facilitate trainings and workshops in the community on various topics related to mental health, including reentry into the community from the criminal legal system

Grant Management

• Oversee the advocacy team’s compliance with relevant grants
• Field and address funder inquiries
• Support grant deliverable and funding reports to funders
• Assist with audits and lead funder site visits

Qualifications Include:

• NYS Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI) Certification or ability to obtain Certification by six (6) months of hire
• Five years post-MSW degree experience providing advocacy, in-depth needs assessments, crisis intervention, and comprehensive case management
• Experience providing supervision on comprehensive case management, advocacy, crisis intervention, and program development and management
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team and in a fast-paced environment
• Experience working with individuals with serious mental health concerns and individuals who have been impacted by the criminal legal system
• Strong anti-oppression, anti-racist, and social justice analysis and lens
• Familiarity with SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) model is useful, but not required

The Mental Health Project is currently on a hybrid working schedule. This position requires in office work for client walk-ins (currently held on Wednesdays). The work schedule may change depending on the Project’s needs.