Acts as the primary liaison for the Children’s Crisis Residence, coordinating intakes, discharges, and ongoing care for youth in collaboration with families and government agencies. Develops person-centered individual support plans and maintains comprehensive case documentation in accordance with OMH guidelines.
Requirements summary
Requires a Bachelor's degree in social work or human services, or a high school diploma with two years of patient-facing experience. Must be able to travel within New York City and perform physical tasks associated with emergency interventions.
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Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities Serves as primary liaison for assigned Children’s Crisis Residence, regularly collaborating and communicating with government agencies, community organizations, external service providers and family members to exchange information, identify needs and coordinate activities, including intake and discharge of youth and to resolve concerns between parties.
Receives referrals and reviews application materials for potential intakes to Children’s Crisis Residence from external sources via phone and email, collecting information, contacting families or other stakeholders and coordinating necessary assessments with the clinical team.
Conducts on-site, in-person intake meetings with youth referred to the Children’s Crisis Residence and their families, which includes traveling to hospitals across New York City when needed and serves as the preliminary touchpoint with potential new admissions to learn more about their service needs and to determine additional needs or services from which they might benefit.
Develops professional, empathetic relationships with families and service providers, acting as a representative of the program, advocating for the youth we support and fostering communication between relevant supports to support effective interventions and successful outcomes for youth.
Facilitates admissions to Children’s Crisis Residence in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, families, external providers and case managers, developing written, person-centered, trauma-informed individual support (ISP) and crisis plans that address the youth’s needs in accordance with the agency philosophy and OMH guidelines and assisting with intake-related needs.
Requests required documents for assessment and intake of selected individuals, assisting with completion or submission when needed and creates case files for intakes, ensuring that all documents are obtained, added and updated accordingly from entry through discharge of each youth in assigned program.
Maintains regular contact with families of youth supported via phone or email to support continuity of care and youth’s needs, provide or receive notifications, updates or other information and assists with eligibility, scheduling intakes, visits or outings and discharge planning; ensures that information and documentation are kept current and that services are maximized for individuals based on eligibility.
Regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary team to ensure optimal care is provided to youth supported, remaining informed of progress, treatment plans and goals and liaising with all applicable parties to track and facilitate intakes, activities, updates and discharges, including coordinating scheduling to ensure timely discharges of youth and communicating updates to team and other stakeholders, in accordance with all applicable requirements.
Collects, completes and maintains all required documentation, reports, contract and other paperwork or records for youth supported in appropriate systems on a timely basis to support intakes and discharges and in accordance with all relevant laws, rules and/or regulations and established processes and appropriately documents all interactions with other departments and/or external entities regarding youth.
Leads discharge planning for youth supported in assigned residence, which includes researching and identifying appropriate referral sources and arranging for access to services post-discharge in collaboration with families of youth supported, providing information and updates to external providers and other stakeholders and conducts post-discharge follow-ups to support transitions in accordance with all applicable requirements.
Identifies, establishes and maintains linkages with community organizations and providers, creating partnerships to support discharge of youth through connection of families with resources and programs.
Regularly engages with Mental Health Clinician and Program Supervisor to provide necessary support based on day-to-day and programmatic needs and to communicate or receive information regarding youth supported, coordinate or schedule activities and to escalate concerns or follow-up items.
Complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and ensures cooperation with appropriate entities in any inspection, inquiry or investigation.
Performs all other duties, as assigned, including providing coverage for Therapeutic Youth Support Specialists and/or Shift Leads, as requested.
Minimum Qualification Requirements including education, experience, licensure/certification, etc. and essential physical capabilities (e.g. lifting, assisting lifting, standing, etc.) Must be at least 18 years of age.
Bachelor’s degree in social work or other health or human services field; or High School diploma or its educational equivalent and two (2) years of experience in a patient-facing human or social services role including coordinating connection to resources and/or facilitating intakes or discharges; or Satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training.
Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal and customer service skills, including the ability to represent YAI with external partners and providers and to build positive relationships with staff at all levels, youth supported and with external stakeholders.
Self-directed, highly organized with good time management, record-keeping and follow-up skills, including the ability to appropriately prioritize multiple tasks to meet prescribed timelines.
Ability to work independently and to work well in groups, including effectively collaborating with the multidisciplinary team, providers and other external entities to meet the needs of youth supported and applicable deadlines.
Exceptional problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve concerns or issues to secure eligibility in support of continuity of care.
Commitment to maintaining the highest levels of ethical standards and integrity, dedication to enhancing quality care and a desire to work with children.
Proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word and Outlook and ability to quickly learn electronic systems including Workday and electronic medical record/documentation systems to complete tasks.
Ability to work a flexible schedule including occasional evening and/or weekend hours if required by caseload or to meet programmatic needs.
Ability to report regularly to assigned Children’s Crisis Residence program(s) and to travel across New York City metropolitan area to conduct in-person intake meetings or visits as required by caseload and/or as requested.
Ability to meet essential physical demands of position including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling and reaching with hands and arms; use hands to handle, finger or feel objects, tools or controls; lifting and/or moving up to 10 pounds on occasion; having the physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions as per the person’s Individual Service Plan or crisis plan if/as needed, including lifting/moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance of equipment and/or other staff, which may include running.
Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above) Bachelor’s degree in social work, behavioral sciences or closely related field.
Familiarity with Federal, State, Local and/or NYS OMH regulations relating to services for children.
Experience working with children in crisis and/or with mental health needs and/or with mental health related community-based supports.
Verbal and/or written fluency in a second language.
Valid driver’s license.
Compensation $26.45 hourly All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran.
YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process.
Our Roots YAI was launched in February of 1957 out of a small school in Brooklyn, New York.
Initially staffed by Co-Founders Bert MacLeech and Pearl Maze MacLeech alone, their pilot program served just seven people.
According to Bert, from its very beginning YAI has been dedicated to providing innovative services for the I/DD (intellectual and/or developmental disabilities) community.
MacLeech envisioned a, “total life adjustment approach, emphasizing personal growth, social responsibility, employment goals, and the development of independence for the individual.” At a time when institutional living was the norm for people with I/DD, this vision was nothing short of revolutionary.
YAI Today Today, YAI has a team of over 4,000 employees and supports over 20,000 people in the I/DD community.
This extraordinary growth shows the ongoing need for these important services, and YAI’s success in offering them.
YAI supports people with autism, Down syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy, among others.
Operating throughout Downstate New York and Northern New Jersey, YAI now offers more than 300 programs for people of all ages.
Better Together At YAI, we are driven by our mission of living, loving, working, and learning.
This applies not only to the people we support, but to our staff as well.
Commitment and passion for the work continue to unite employees and drive the organization forward.
Empowering the people we support to reach their goals remains at the heart of our organization.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran.
YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
To ensure fairness, safeguard transparency, and promote an equitable workforce environment, YAI Network prohibits the practice of nepotism in the workforce and hiring process. http://www.yai.org/
