Mental Health Social Practitioner

Fountain House•New York, NY

About The Position

Fountain House is seeking a Social Practitioner to help foster relationships and community connections for adults with mental illness. Staff work side by side with members in the clubhouse and in community settings, supporting recovery and members’ personal, social, employment, and educational goals. The role requires a strengths-based, relationship-oriented approach, optimism, flexibility, resilience, professional curiosity, and a willingness to take creative risks and persist in finding solutions. The Social Practitioner supports members through engagement, advocacy, counseling, vocational training, and assistance accessing housing, benefits, employment, education, and other community resources. The position also helps build a therapeutic clubhouse community in line with Social Practice and the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs, and completes timely documentation and required compliance tasks. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends. The role may also involve holidays, periodic overnight travel to High Point Farm, and flexibility to stay late or arrive early when needed. Compensation is $30.58 per hour. A cover letter is required with the application.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Ability to effectively manage and respond to member concerns and behaviors.
Proven experience managing mental health crises by supporting and counseling members experiencing emotional distress.
Ability to meet the physical requirements of the job and perform essential duties satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree or equivalent.
Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness and/or hands-on experience in a community setting; the posting gives differing preferred ranges of 1–3+ years and 1–2 years.
One to two years of coaching and counseling experience.
One to two years of vocational rehabilitation, training, or employment specialist experience.

Responsibilities

Engage members, develop relationships, assess needs, and provide therapeutic interventions and support in transitional environments.
Support and develop a therapeutic community based on Social Practice and the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs.
Use the clubhouse community to address barriers such as social isolation, low self-esteem, anxiety, symptom management, and poverty.
Create access to community environments, including employment, education, and housing settings, and provide on-site support in those settings.
Build relationships with members and community partners to support positive change, risk-taking, meaningful connections, and access to opportunities.
Shape environments and social interactions to promote therapeutic outcomes and an accessible, positive community.
Observe and assess member experiences in naturalistic environments and develop specific rehabilitation interventions.
Provide daily advocacy, engagement, guidance, and problem-solving support to members; counsel individuals and groups as appropriate.
Provide vocational training support for transitional employment and maintain relationships with employers to develop job opportunities.
Support members in transitional employment opportunities and provide coverage when needed.
Assist members with entitlements and benefits, including food stamps, SSI/SSDI, Medicaid/Medicare, Ticket to Work, ACE, Access VR, Supplemental Needs Trusts, and ADA accommodations.
Facilitate supported housing and Single Point of Access applications, help find appropriate housing, and assist members with physical moves.
Advocate for members’ well-being, safety, and livelihood, including support related to clinical, legal, housing, appointment, medication, and independent-living needs.
Learn the skills and tasks of the assigned unit, including applicable safety protocols, health guidelines, inventory lists, and guides.
Complete documentation, including progress notes and outreach documentation, on time.
Maintain compliance with government agency requirements and company policies and procedures.
Maintain confidentiality of records relating to members’ progress.
Travel periodically overnight to High Point Farm and work some holidays, weekends, and evenings as needed.
Remain flexible to arrive early or stay late to meet unit or member needs and work interchangeably with other staff on the unit.
Perform related duties as assigned by the supervisor.