Family Specialist (LMSW/LMHC)/Bilingual Spanish/English- Assertive Community Engagement & Success (ACES)- Bronx

CASES keeps people out of jail and prison by engaging them in effective services that help them achieve success in the community. We specialize in serving youth and young adults in criminal justice and neighborhood-based programs. CASES seeks a Family Specialist licensed clinician to join a multidisciplinary team for a new innovative South Bronx and Harlem neighborhood-based program for young people who need support to overcome threatening environments and system-involvement to find the path to education achievement, vocational training and employment. These young people will be engaged in high-risk behaviors.

CASES seeks a Family Specialist committed to advancing programming for these youth and young adults. The Family Specialist has the primary responsibility for engaging very high-risk youth/young adults by developing authentic and trusting relationships and effective programming. Working as a member of a multidisciplinary team you will tap into the assets of these young people and their families during long-term multiple-year relationships. You will meet the young people where they are (literally, through engagement in the community)—and gradually engage participants to open new opportunities. We are looking for skilled youth clinicians who can envision a model based on the theory that young people regardless of roadblocks—violence, trauma, racism, gangs, incarceration, truancy and unemployment—can engage in positive relationships to change behaviors and acquire life, education and employment skills. Our approach is focused on youth otherwise likely to “fail” to stay engaged throughout this normal developmental process, with a program that is assertive, agile and effective in promoting youth success. You will deliver services with an equity and justice lens.

Reports to: Team Leader

• Incessant and assertive outreach to engage and build trusting relationships with young people eligible for ACES with an emphasis on the younger youth (16-18) who reside within East Harlem or South Bronx;
• Accept prospective participants’ rejection as a normal aspect of the engagement and behavioral change process and commit to relentless outreach and the slow and gradual engagement of the population of focus
• Establish transformational relationships with program participants by pacing engagement strategies based on participant stage of readiness
• Promote the program’s no-drop policy (this program adopts the philosophy that participants are never considered to have "dropped out" of ACES)
• Establish advanced competence in motivational interviewing, positive youth development, engagement, and trauma-informed care to deliver effective services
• Work collaboratively with members of the ACES multidisciplinary team—community outreach specialist, criminal justice specialist, youth worker, tutors, work readiness instructor, employment specialist, enrichment specialist, health specialist therapist, job developer, and work crew supervisor to deliver programming consistent with participant need
• Assess participant needs across several domains during the two-month determining eligibility phase to identify needs, strengths, barriers and risks
• Ensure appropriate levels and types of programming to meet participants’ assessed needs and multi-year program retention timelines
• Lead the team’s work in family intervention strategies, life skills parenting and cognitive behavioral techniques supporting participant interpersonal relationships
• Deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) workgroups, informal individual CBT skills programming and healing services
• Monitor participant progress using ACES target benchmarks and outcomes
• Commit to cohesive team functioning to enable the highest-level of performance and ACES to achieve program goals
• Support team members addressing complex and risk management situations and assist with response to safety and crisis situations
• Manage the stress related to the intensity of the work by adopting self-care strategies, effectively utilizing supervision and team meetings, and participating in team-building and team stress reduction activities
• Engage in ongoing personal and professional development to increase capacity, skill and enjoyment serving high-risk young people
• Develop a pool of treatment resources able to effectively serve ACES participants in need of outpatient mental health treatment and/or substance abuse treatment
• Effectively use program database to track work and ensure program performance is effectively measured
• Escort participants to appointments as needed;
• Assist in family mediation and provide referrals to additional services;
• Provide culturally competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practices;
• Perform other duties as required by the Team Leader and Director of ACES;

• Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
• At least one year of experience post degree or relevant internship experience working with justice-involved youth and families
• Knowledge of and comfort with traveling within East Harlem and/or South Bronx neighborhoods, with preference to candidates with an innate understanding and personal knowledge of one of these communities
• A belief and interest in working collaboratively with East Harlem and South Bronx communities, youth and families
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
• Ability to be creative and flexible
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral

Salary: Competitive compensation, commensurate with experience

Full-time 35-hour week with excellent benefits

Benefits: Here at CASES we offer benefits that will assist you in making the most of your career and your life. Our programs include health and wellness insurance which is offered through Aetna. A retirement 403(b) plan is held with Principal, education, and training. Additionally, our portable ancillary benefits are offered through Aflac, Legal Shield, and ADP Flexible spending account; which is then deducted through payroll along with commuter benefits, additional short-term disability, cancer, additional income protection, hospitalization coverage, and identity theft protection.

Additional information:

In one document, attach your cover letter and resume in PDF or Word format. No phone calls please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal justice system.