Reentry Outreach Specialist (CSP-JI)

Casa Esperanza•Boston, MA

60d•$22 - $23

About The Position

Casa Esperanza is currently seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Reentry Outreach Specialist who is passionate about public health and supporting individuals returning from incarceration to join our Reentry Program. The purpose of Casa’s “Transcend: Empowerment, Recovery, and Reentry” Program is to reduce relapse and recidivism amongst Latine reentering citizens living with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (CODs) by expanding access to integrated, bilingual/bicultural services that provide a bridge to help individuals prevent homelessness, unemployment, and relapse. The Reentry Outreach Specialist will be responsible for connecting with correctional facilities to support in the transition of participants from corrections to a recovery-oriented continuum of care. The Reentry Outreach Specialist will conduct intensive outreach activities to educate justice-involved individuals about community-based addiction, mental health, employment, and housing services both within Casa Esperanza’s continuum and across our provider network. The Outreach Specialist will also complete Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) assessments with currently incarcerated individuals to identify reentry and behavioral health treatment needs, design a reentry plan that will support sustained recovery and access to essential services and support including: health insurance, health services, housing, and employment. The Reentry Outreach Specialist will be a guide and coach who builds pathways to essential resources, provides motivation for sustained engagement and change, and facilitates meaningful participation in the community for both current inmates and reentering citizens. S/he will support clients at court, advocating for their needs and promoting Casa’s continuum of care to the justice system to ensure effective communication and collaboration with Community Corrections, Courts, and Law Enforcement to support the successful reentry of returning citizens. The Reentry Outreach Specialist will also help recruit justice involved individuals for participation in, and ongoing development of, Casa’s PAR (Programa de Pares Apoyando Recuperacion) curriculum in partnership with the Clinical/Curriculum Coach. They will also support the completion of program benchmarks, timelines, goals, and objectives and report to payers and regulators as required. As part of the Casa Esperanza Inc. team, you will provide services in a fully integrated, holistic, and collaborative manner using a team-treatment approach to ensure the coordination of all client services, both across Casa programs and with external providers. Flexing duties and responsibilities in team-based care involves sharing patient-care responsibilities among members of a team, leading to improved efficiency, access, quality of care, and satisfaction for all involved. This integrated model aims to facilitate clear communication amongst all providers and eliminate duplication of efforts or conflicting approaches to care, detail necessary follow-up and assignments, and ensure wraparoundsupport services are in place to maximize treatment effectiveness and clinical outcomes.

Requirements

Bilingual Spanish/English required.
Ability to obtain clearance for, and willing to travel to, correctional facilities
Experience doing outreach to individuals at risk for SUD, addiction, mental illness, trauma, violence and or individuals involved in the criminal justice system
Able to work weekends and evenings, as needed
Familiar with social, health and cultural issues specific to the Latine population
Ability to work as a team member & independently
Understanding of harm reduction techniques
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Strong interpersonal skills and crisis management skills
Minimum associate degree required in related field required
Computer skills, minimum Microsoft Word
Valid Massachusetts Driver’s License
Must be or willing to become CAC certified within the first 30 days of employment
Must receive their Human Subjects Certification within the first 30 days of employment

Responsibilities

Work with Project Manager and other Recovery Support Services staff to implement outreach and community mapping strategy for identifying and reaching Latines at high risk for substance use, criminal justice involved and recidivism
Work with the Reentry Program Coordinator to develop, schedule and facilitate support groups and reentry clinics, virtually and in-person, as needed
Participate in Reentry Panels to provide education and resources to incarcerated individuals
Conduct assertive outreach to correctional facilities, specialty courts, parole/probation boards, and other organizations working with returning citizens
Conduct LS/CMI assessments to incarcerated individuals to identify strengths, needs, abilities and preferences of returning citizens
Provide health insurance and benefits counseling, and reentry planning, in preparation for release
Use Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change strategies to support engagement and build/sustain motivation for change
Assertively engage or reengage patients in appropriate behavioral health services including but not limited to individual, group, and family therapy; psychiatry and other medication assisted treatment; community-based case management; and peer and self-help supports
Ensure referrals to primary care, dental, financial, legal, education, training, and employment services and supports
Provide transportation assistance to and from correctional, treatment, and support services
Conduct regular outreach within the community to reach returning citizens that have disengaged from behavioral health services
Provide advocacy support to clients during their court appointments and hearings
Provide ongoing health promotion regarding substance use, mental health, STD/STIs, HIV, HCV, nutrition, exercise and chronic conditions management to clients and their family members
Represent the agency by providing community education and advocacy
Maintain ongoing engagement to support locating participants for grant follow up interviews and reengagement as appropriate
Work with Marketing and Communications to ensure an up-to-date list of community partners is continuously developed to strengthen our network of care
Work with the Marketing and Communications to request, develop, and maintain outreach materials that effectively educate patients, families, and partners about Casa services and policy
Other duties as assigned
Work with the Marketing and Communications Team and Director of Outpatient Services, guided by Casa’s Community Relations Plan to build strategic community partnerships that support a multi-agency approach to criminal justice reform and the improvement of diversion and reentry services
Work closely with members of our Patient Access team (intake) to ensure all new program participants are provided with information about our reentry program services
Collaborate closely with Casa’s Community Support Program to ensure access to ongoing community-based case management services, psychoeducational groups, and care coordination
Work closely with the Multidisciplinary Team to engage and retain clients in care
Work with project staff to help clients build engagement in prosocial activities, strengthen connections to a community of recovery, and participate in recreational activities in a substance free environment
Document all client encounters and other data as required and maintain up-to-date client records in electronic health record including LS/CMI Assessments
Ensure data collection requirements are completed within specified time frames
Attend bi-weekly supervision
Support with all reporting as required by Program funding sources in a timely manner
Support in facilitating Recovery Support Services group such as Thinking for a Change and document group notes in electronic health record
Attend all relevant case conferences and staff meetings including MDT, OBAT, RSS meetings
Other duties as assigned