Community Access was founded in 1974 to provide housing and support for people being discharged from psychiatric institutions. Today, we are one of the leading providers of supportive and affordable housing in New York City, and the originators of an integrated housing model which has become a best practice nationally: affordable housing where families live alongside people living with mental health concerns. Our staff work daily to support thousands of New Yorkers through supportive and affordable housing, peer-driven residential crisis support programs, training, advocacy, supported education, mobile treatment and other healing-focused services.
Program/Department Description
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based, mobile practice model designed to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services to individuals living with a serious mental health condition and whose needs have not been effectively met by traditional mental health services.
Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) is an innovative, creative, trauma-informed mobile practice model designed to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services to individuals whose needs have not been met by traditional services. IMT participants interact with homeless services, criminal justice, and behavioral health service systems. IMT teams are hired, trained and funded to maximize flexibility and continuity of care for persons who historically have been poorly served.
Community Access’ mobile teams will serve individuals with mental health conditions who are experiencing homelessness in the Bronx, and in other boroughs. Team members will work collaboratively with shelter staff and use assertive engagement strategies to proactively engage individuals in services. Mobile team members share responsibility for the people they serve, helping individuals attain housing and other personal goals that may be of a health, social, work or education nature.
ACT and IMT teams are multi-disciplinary and include psychiatry, nursing, social work, peer specialists and other staff members offering rehabilitation, treatment and recovery support services. The team provides expertise in the areas of housing, substance use and harm reduction, family support, employment, and wellness self-management. Based on their area of expertise, team members collaborate to deliver comprehensive, integrated and flexible services that are responsive to a participant’s choices, needs and goals. With a small staff to participant ratio, services are brought to the participant and offered in natural settings, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Internship Outcome
Intern will participate in on-the-job training that will assist in gaining the skills relevant to work in social services with individuals who have histories of homelessness, substance use, incarceration, hospitalization, and complex medical and psychiatric diagnoses. The intern will learn the skills necessary to:
Provide recovery-oriented treatment and case management services to complex adult populations within the frameworks of self-determination, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care.
Complete Medicaid-billable documentation, including but not limited to progress notes and treatment plans
Complete comprehensive assessments to evaluate needs, strengths, and risk factors
Collaborate with multidisciplinary staff, including prescribers, nurses, Peers, and other mental health providers
Collaborate with collateral providers in a variety of settings, including hospitals, the criminal justice system, supportive housing, and shelter system.
At the mid-semester point and conclusion of internship, the student will receive an assessment highlighting learning goals and progress, areas of strength, and areas of growth.
Core Principles
- The job responsibilities of all staff extend to understanding and incorporating certain principles into their work and into their relationships with their colleagues. Underlying these principles and competencies is a commitment to understanding and furtherance of the work of CA, as it relates to their roles and to center the impact of that work to those we serve
- These principles are:
- Accountability
- Inclusion
- Direct Communication
- Racial Equity
- Quality Work: Mission Alignment & Documentation
Internship Qualifications
Have an understanding, appreciation, and commitment to the philosophy and mission of Community Access.
Commitment to person-centered treatment strategies, upholding participants’ rights, and self-determination in service provision.
Current enrollment in an educational program through which internship hours are required for graduation
Excellent oral, writing, and listening skills.
Computer proficiency, Microsoft Word, Excel. Comfort with learning new systems and paperless record keeping.
Bilingual Spanish-speaking strongly preferred.
Ability to utilize public transportation for travel throughout the boroughs.
Must be fingerprinted and cleared by the New York State Justice Center.
This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.
