CASAC Case Manager

Title: CASAC – Case Manager

Unit: Congregate Housing - Fortune Academy

Reports to: Associate Vice President - Congregate Housing

Status: Full Time; Regular; Non-Exempt

Location: Harlem and/or field work

Days/Hours: Mon-Fri, generally 9-5pm, with one late night per week

Salary Range: $32.97 - $35.71 per hour [Approximately $60,000 - $65,000 annually]

Organization Overview:

The Fortune Society, Inc. (Fortune) has been working for over 57 years in service to our mission: to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. The organization has evolved into one of the nation’s preeminent reentry and justice-informed service organizations, providing formerly incarcerated people with the skills and wrap-around services needed to break the cycle of crime and incarceration and to build productive lives in their communities.

Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency with close to $90 million in annual budget with just under 600 staff. We anticipate that we will keep growing, both in size and depth of service. Fortune has a dual mission: both advocacy and service. The advocacy portion of our mission focuses on building a more just criminal legal system and reducing the barriers to reentry into society. The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs that started with employment and education and now includes a robust array of services, among them: alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, court advocacy, discharge planning within correctional facilities, licensed substance use and mental health treatment, a housing continuum ranging from emergency and transitional through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a food and nutrition program, and an arts program. Each service we provide is informed by the needs of the population we serve. Fortune currently serves approximately 14,000 people a year. Our program models are recognized, both nationally and internationally, for their quality and innovation. We have locations in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens.

Position Summary:

Responsible for providing substance abuse and mental health counseling to clients with histories of criminal justice involvement in a Fortune Society managed transitional housing program. The role will provide counseling services through Fortune’s OASAS-licensed 822 substance use outpatient clinic and will support participants within the emergency/transitional housing programs. The position is located in Fortune’s Harlem residential facility, The Fortune Academy.

Core Competencies:

Mission and Fit

Embodies Fortune’s mission and values and will be an effective member of the team in furthering both. The candidate should exhibit compassion and understanding for our participants (wherever they are in their re-entry process) and embrace Fortune’s core value that none of us should be measured against the worst things we have done.

Treatment/Modality Experience

This person will demonstrate an understanding of the DSM-V’s major diagnostic categories as it relates to substance use disorders. The individual shall have some professional experience in evidence-based practices treating individuals with behavioral health disorders through individual and group therapy. The person shall be able to tolerate clients’ expression of emotional distress without seeking to retreat from the client.

Engagement & Productivity

This person shall demonstrate an ability to engage clients in treatment and build meaningful therapeutic relationships. This includes the ability to pursue reluctant clients with the aim of inviting them to establish regular attendance at appointments. The person will develop a stable caseload and produce billable activities equal or in excess to the productivity standards established for clinicians.

Time Management & Documentation

This position requires solid time management skills as the person must juggle making and keeping client schedules that can change on short notice, completing paperwork, and staying current with various ancillary tasks. The person will have good computer skills, familiarity with an electronic health record system, and a minimum of 30+ wpm typing skills to ensure the completion of documentation correctly and in a timely manner.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct initial client assessment and psychosocial interviews;

• Develop a therapeutic alliance with clients;

• Provide ongoing individual substance abuse counseling, occasional group counseling, and (or) mental health sessions.

• Write and update individual client-based, goal-orientated treatment plans following agency guidelines and timeframes;

• Maintain proper case records, with all case notes completed within 48 hours of interaction.

• Maintain on-going clinical communication with supervisor;

• Communicate with other Fortune staff members in the same and other programs/locations that share common client(s);

• Provide linkages to outside agencies for additional services;

• Participate in case conferences and clinical supervision meetings;

• Perform other duties as assigned.