School Social Worker (Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor)

YouthBuild Philly • Philadelphia, PA

17h • Onsite

About The Position

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School is seeking a School Social Worker (Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor) for a full-time, 10-month position. This role is crucial in supporting students aged 17-20 who have been pushed out of traditional schools. The school fosters a warm, loving culture with a restorative-justice approach, community meetings, and service projects. Students work towards their high school diploma and vocational certifications with unconditional staff support, aiming to disrupt poverty and achieve post-secondary success. The School Social Worker will utilize their unique training to address social-emotional challenges impacting student development and success, providing preventative services and removing barriers through individual and group counseling, appraisal, and advice. The goal is to promote a positive, culturally responsive, restorative justice environment that enhances students' ability to manage social-emotional demands.

Requirements

• Master of Social Work degree from an accredited college or university and a LSW or LCSW.
• PA Department of Education’s School Social Worker certificate (CSPG 20), strongly preferred.
• Pennsylvania Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC), Certified Associate Addictions Counselor (CAAC), or other recognized Pennsylvania drug and alcohol counseling certification strongly preferred.
• Three to five years’ experience in school social work (preferred) and/or case-management, utilizing appropriate principles and techniques.
• Extensive knowledge of local services, supports and community resources available to Philadelphia Youth.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, highly flexible work—often highly intense—work environment.
• Strong commitment to helping young adults succeed in reorienting their lives, nurturing their leadership skills, and enabling them to make a difference in their community.

Nice To Haves

• PA Department of Education’s School Social Worker certificate (CSPG 20)
• Pennsylvania Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC), Certified Associate Addictions Counselor (CAAC), or other recognized Pennsylvania drug and alcohol counseling certification
• Experience in school social work

Responsibilities

• Provide individual counseling services to students experiencing social-emotional, behavioral, academic, family, or mental health challenges.
• Facilitate individual and group counseling sessions to address students’ social, emotional and behavioral concerns and provide group guidance and social skills activities for students related to topics such as self-awareness, bullying prevention, reproductive health, and social awareness for a caseload of students.
• Provide crisis intervention and crisis counseling services for students experiencing mental health, behavioral, substance use, family, or social service emergencies.
• Serve as the lead support provider for students experiencing substance use concerns, including assessment, intervention, referral, monitoring, and coordination with external treatment providers.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records, case notes, reports, and documentation related to student services and interventions.
• Serve as an active member of the Student Assistance Program (SAP) Team, supporting the identification, intervention, referral, and monitoring of students experiencing behavioral health, substance use, mental health, attendance, and other barriers to success.
• Collaborate with school teams to implement Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III social-emotional, behavioral, attendance, and mental health interventions.
• Partner with advisors, teachers, administrators, and support staff to develop and implement comprehensive intervention plans for students experiencing significant barriers to success.
• Provide consultation and recommendations regarding behavior management, de-escalation, and intervention strategies that support student success and classroom learning.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with families to support student well-being, attendance, engagement, and successful school participation.
• Conduct home visits and community-based outreach as necessary to assess and address barriers impacting student success.
• Connect students and families to appropriate community resources and support services, including mental health, housing, healthcare, food assistance, transportation, childcare, and other basic needs supports.
• Facilitate referrals to external agencies and monitor service utilization and effectiveness.
• Facilitate mandated reporting responsibilities, including supporting mandated reporting requirements and coordinating communication with Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services and related agencies.
• Facilitate student and family support groups and resource workshops as needed.
• Participate as a member of the IEP Team and contribute to the development, implementation, and monitoring of student support plans.
• Collaborate with special education staff, related service providers, and families to address students' social-emotional, behavioral, attendance, and mental health needs.
• Provide behavioral, social-emotional, and mental health insights to support student success within special education programming.
• Design and facilitate school-wide social-emotional learning (SEL), wellness, prevention, and mental health awareness initiatives.
• Support the implementation of restorative practices and contribute to creating a safe, inclusive, trauma-informed, and supportive school culture.
• Serve as a champion for trauma-informed practices by helping staff understand and respond effectively to the impact of trauma on student learning, behavior, and engagement.
• Provide professional development, consultation, and coaching to staff regarding trauma-informed practices, mental health awareness, de-escalation strategies, behavior support, and student wellness.
• Collaborate with school leaders and staff to identify and address school-wide social-emotional, behavioral, attendance, and mental health trends.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of programs that strengthen student belonging, resilience, engagement, and persistence.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Student Success.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) savings plan with an employer match
• Employer paid parental leave, life insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability
• Educational assistance and professional development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level