Mental Health Social Practitioner: Young Adult Housing presso Fountain House

Description

About Fountain House

Fountain House has a new Young Adult Community Housing Team (YACHT) that supports 25 Young Adults (YA 18-25 years old) living in scattered-site, individual apartments in the Bronx. We offer two different program types: Community Apartment Program and Supported Apartment Program.  Each program provides in-home support for YA residents living on their own along with supporting goals aligned with a service plan.  Our program is run alongside our Clubhouse programs in Manhattan, the Bronx and in Harlem – we offer membership to our Clubhouse and community programming for residents to build skills and socialize. There is an extensive and broad range of services provided to residents that include but are not limited to the improvement of daily living skills, managing finances, maintaining safe and living conditions,  furthering one’s education, obtaining employment, achieving personal recovery and/or resilience, improving interpersonal relationships, preventing social isolation, connecting with effective and comprehensive behavioral health and primary care, and full community integration.  Our emphasis on cultivating and nurturing community among YACHT residents is critical to our work and the YACHT Mental Health Social Practitioner will use group dinners as well as outings and events to engage and bring residents together.   

This position requires interest in community, creativity, and flexibility - along with an interest in working with Young Adults, many of whom are living independently for the first time.  There will be no typical day at YACHT, but if you could see yourself fostering relationships and connections to community for adults with mental illness by cooking group dinners, taking a group to the movies, assisting someone to learn how to do their laundry at the local laundromat, advocating at a social service provider, or helping one of your members to apply to a job in the community then this could be the position for you. 

The YACHT Mental Health Social Practitioner will be based at our offices in our Bronx and Midtown Clubhouses and in the field at our scattered site apartments.   

Shift: This is a full-time, in-person position, Monday to Friday.  Typically, 9 am to 5 pm (3 days /week) and 11 am to 7 pm (2 days/week).   

Salary: $30.58 per hour 

Please include a cover letter

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Requirements

Key Responsibilities 

• Support a member list of 12-13 individuals living with severe and persistent mental illness to achieve their goals, avoid isolation, and connect to work, school and community.  
• Provide one-on-one support with individuals living in YACHT housing, including weekly & monthly in-person  meetings and apartment visits. 
• Ensure that the apartment passes necessary health and safety checks for maintenance, cleanliness, and perform monthly fire drills.  
• Help residents develop skills for maintaining their housing, such as budgeting, meal planning, and household management.
• Find the positive goals that members have, and engage with them to pursue school, work, and social activity. 
• Work in partnership with community providers to resolve challenges impacting residents’ ability to manage and retain supportive housing 
• Escort clients to appointments as needed (i.e. medical, psychiatric, Social Security Administration, Public Assistance, and Emergency Room, etc.)
• Aid with resident move-ins and move-outs, support discharge planning both for when members move out, but also for when members desire to transition their apartment from this program to a more independent level of support.   

Community Engagement:  

• Plan and facilitate community activities (eg cooking dinner) and social outings or events to encourage skill building as well as connection among YACHT residents? 
• Help individuals connect with peer and community support networks 
• Provide support outside the apartment in the community so that members feel comfortable at their local laundromat, grocery store, pharmacy, etc. and engage the members in social events in the community.   
• Develop strong relationships with building management to advocate for members to maintain safe and dignified apartments. 

Administrative Duties 

• Maintain and update files according to New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) guidelines 
• Correspond and collaborate regularly with various benefit organizations such as Social Security, HRA, SNAP, Medicaid as well as with hospitals and care managers that support our members. 
• Create Individualized Service Plans and Service Plan Reviews regularly 
• Complete tasks and special projects as assigned supervisor related to the ongoing growth and evolution of our new housing program.

What You Bring 

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience required. 
• Graduate degree or equivalent preferred. 
• 1-3+ years’ experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and or/hands on experience working in a community setting preferred. 
• 1-2 years coaching and counseling experience preferred.  
• 1-2 years of vocational rehabilitation, training or employment specialist experience preferred. 
• Ability to effectively manage and handle member concerns and behaviors. 
• Proven experience with mental health crisis management by supporting and counseling members under emotional distress. 
• Driver’s License and the ability to drive a van preferred. 

Why Join Fountain House?  

• Empower Marginalized Communities – Elevate the voices of individuals with lived experience and drive real systemic change.
• Innovate in Mental Health Advocacy – Join a mission-driven team at the forefront of mental health reform. 
• Professional Growth & Leadership – Access mentorship, training, and career development opportunities in a rapidly evolving field.? 

Join Us & Make an Impact!  

Be part of a movement that is transforming mental health care through research, advocacy, and community.? 

Fountain House, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer  

At this time Fountain House, Inc. is not able to sponsor visas?