Job Title: Social Work Specialist

About Organization: Wellness Together, a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, partners with schools statewide to increase access to mental health services for students and families. By collaborating with universities and graduate programs, Wellness Together provides cost-effective "turn-key" social-emotional interventions on school campuses across California.

We are committed to developing school-based mental health practices that go beyond traditional medical care and provide much needed social-emotional support at no cost to the student or their family. We advance school-based health by:

• 
  Advocating for state and national policies that support school-based mental health services

• Providing training to staff as well as the community on mental health

• Hosting the annual Student Mental Wellness Conference which partners with the CA Department of Education

• Cultivating new and existing partnerships to spread best practices and improve school-based mental health

Summary of Position:

Cultivating partnerships to increase awareness, advocacy, and access to student mental health supports.Under supervision, the Social Work Specialist provides case management support directly to students and their families. This position may act in a supplementary role as a Mental Health Specialist. The Social Work Specialist operates independently to determine the best course of action to support individual students and their families utilizing their developed clinical discretion.

The Social Work Specialist independently utilizes developed clinical discretion to collaborate with students and their families to determine appropriate plans of action to improve the overall welfare of the student and family.

Responsibilities:

The Social Work Specialist demonstrates knowledge and skills pertaining to the assessment and removal of barriers to learning such as emotional, familial, educational, institutional, and community-related factors.

The Social Work Specialist establishes communication systems and institutes case management procedures and measurement of outcomes.

The Social Work Specialist utilizes and maintains inter- and intra-agency collaboration and partnerships with education organizations, juvenile justice courts, law enforcement, general and mental health agencies, probation, and children and family services.

• The Social Work Specialist demonstrates knowledge and skills pertaining to the assessment and removal of barriers to learning such as emotional, familial, educational, institutional, and community-related factors.

• Engages in care coordination for student referrals and their families through assessment, treatment planning, goal implementation, monitoring of progress, and continued evaluation of needs.

• Collaborate with the student and family to identify and prioritize areas of need for each student.

• Assess all students referred for their appropriateness or suitability to participate in longer-term School-Based Therapy Program Support

• Works closely with MHS’s and Designated School Points of Contact to identify and remove real or perceived student barriers to appropriate and helpful levels of engagement at academic, social, and emotional levels.

• Assess students and families through a strength-based lens to collaboratively identify areas of need to guide the development of an individualized strength-based treatment plan.

• Specifically addresses low student engagement and/or poor attendance for students referred.

• The Social Work Specialist utilizes and maintains inter- and intra-agency collaboration and partnerships with education organizations, juvenile justice courts, law enforcement, general and mental health agencies, probation, and children and family services.

• Serves as a liaison to regional and community resources that provide services to students and parents in medical, psychiatric, therapeutic, and other needs

• Gathers and organizes information on community resources to be offered to families and students during and following engagement with the program as clinically appropriate.

• Shares community resources with MHS’s, students, and families throughout the program and after program services are discontinued.

• Collaborates with MHS’s and Program Team to identify and utilize community-based resources to meet the needs of the students and their families.

• Collaborates with referral services, parents, teachers, administrators, law enforcement, and student assistance team members to identify and manage student crisis situations. Participate in crisis response to events that occur on campus

• The Social Work Specialist establishes communication systems and institutes case management procedures and measurement of outcomes.

• Provides case management, crisis intervention, and risk assessments

• Develop and deliver student, parent, and staff training w/school site personnel

• Consult with school staff including administrators, counselors, and teachers to coordinate care for referred students

• Consult with Attendance Clerk to connect with students who have attendance concerns, including reaching out to the students and families

• Attend SSTs, Section 504 meetings, and related student meetings

• Participate in crisis response to events that occur on campus

• Document and store individual and group logs and notes of mental health treatment provided

• Participate in staff meetings and staff training

• Collaborates with referral services, parents, teachers, administrators, law enforcement, and student assistance team members to identify and manage student crisis situations

• Consults and participates with the student assistance team to evaluate at-risk students

• Participates with other school professionals to enhance student performance by applying psychological methods

• Plans, prepares, and conducts in-service education for other school professionals on various topics applying to students with potential drug use and behavioral/mental health needs

• Plans, prepares, and conducts groups with the purpose of improving social and emotional functioning and development

• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position

• Participate as a member of the IEP team as requested

• Develop and deliver student, parent, and staff training w/school site personnel

• Provide care coordination for referred students

• Consult with school staff including administrators, counselors, and teachers to coordinate care for referred students

• Attend SSTs, Section 504 meetings, and related student meetings, as appropriate and approved

• Document and store individual and group counseling logs and notes of mental health treatment provided

• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge of:

• Regulations of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V)

• Crisis management and crisis intervention techniques

• Effective verbal and written communication strategies

• Conflict resolution

• Community referrals and resources

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

• Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

• Mandated reporting policies and procedures (Child Abuse/Tarasoff)

• Confidentiality and Ethics requirements

• Correct use of English including grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation

Ability to:

• Refer students and families to community resources, support groups, and other social service agencies

• Read, interpret, apply and explain regulations, policies, and procedures

• Work independently and with discretion

• Analyze situations and develop an effective course of action

• Plan, develop, and deliver programs and services to meet student needs

• Operate various office equipment, computer, and software programs

• Maintain records and prepare reports

• Establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with others

• Maintain current knowledge of applicable rules, codes, laws, and regulations

• Define issues, collect and analyze data, determine facts and draw appropriate conclusions

Education and Experience:

• Experience working with “at-risk” youth preferred.

• Experience linking families/students with resources in the community.

• Master’s degree in Social Work or related field required

Work Environment: Classroom or office environment indoors. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform functions. The noise level in the work environment is low to moderate. Hazards can include contact with abusive or hostile individuals with unpredictable behaviors.

Physical Demands:

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate assigned equipment

• Hearing and speaking to listen and provide information by phone or in-person

• Seeing to observe and monitor student behavior and to read a variety of materials

• Kneeling, crouching, or bending at the waist to file materials

• Standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time

• Reaching above the shoulders, horizontally, and overhead

• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects up to 25 pounds.

Salary/Pay:

• $29/hr

• Up to 32 hours/week

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 403 (b) and EWP (Employee Wellness Program) eligibility

By signing, the employee understands the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the job position.

Employee Name: ______________________________________________________

Employee Signature:___________________________________________________

Date:________________________