Sr. Community Resource Specialist

Beth Israel Lahey Health•Boston, MA

52d•$30 - $40

About The Position

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you're making a difference in people's lives.Under the direction of the manager or supervising clinician, the Community Resource Specialist II practices resource specialist work at an advanced level. Provides leadership to the Community Resource team in administration, program development, training, and oversight. Collaborates with social work and/or medical staff to obtain community resources for Medical Center patients and families. Within developed area of expertise, provides orientation and ongoing training related to community resources to staff, students, medical professionals, patients and families.The Community Resource Specialist will be an active member of the Center for Violence Prevention and Recovery (CVPR) and will be a contributor to Team Meetings and the Community Resource Specialist (CRS) group. The CRS will function as the primary person aware of resources for survivors of interpersonal violence and disseminate information to the rest of the team or to the Social Work Department, as appropriate.The Community Resource Specialist's (CRS) primary responsibility will be to respond to patient and staff referrals related to domestic, sexual, and community violence as well as referrals from the Adelante Project, a program attending to human trafficking survivors. They will be available to the CVPR staff and patients during office hours for consultation. They will provide community and medical center resources to survivors of violence. They will provide accompaniment, to medical appointments and /or other external services as their schedule allows.

Requirements

Experience in advocating for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of interpersonal violence
Extensive knowledge of domestic violence and sexual assault, including area resources
Ability to work with survivors from a wide range of cultural, racial, religious backgrounds, and sexual orientations
Flexibility and creativity
Ability to develop positive working relationships with patients, staff, and supervisors
Ability to work independently, as well as be an active part of a team
High School diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree in Social Work or Human Services field preferred.
Licensed Social Worker preferred.
2 years related work experience required if Bachelor's degree obtained. 3 or more years of related work experience required without a related Bachelor's degree.
Experience with computer systems required, including web-based applications and some Microsoft Office applications which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access.

Nice To Haves

Licensed Social Worker (LSW) is preferred
Bilingual and/or bicultural candidates that reflect the communities that we serve would be welcomed

Responsibilities

Provides sensitive, culturally relevant responses to survivors referred to the CVPR
Identifies the particular needs of each person and sees that appropriate referrals and services are located. Encourages and assists patients in making use of available services, e.g. Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), Department of Transitional Assistance, health, mental health, and legal services
Advocates for patients in meetings with providers in the medical center and in other agencies
Assists in program development, particularly as related to resource need and systems response to that need
Outreach to meet evolving needs of patients who seek help at the medical center
Participates in outreach events throughout the medical center, affiliated providers, and community groups, as indicated
Co-facilitates support group for the CVPR (days or evenings) with other CVPR staff
Participates in community-based coalitions and roundtables, as indicated
Develops optimum liaisons with community and governmental agency personnel to facilitate negotiation of complex systems. Visits agencies when indicated to broaden knowledge and relationships with the agencies.
Maintains a caseload with multiple patient contacts per day, including phone calls, paperwork and face-to-face contacts. Functions as the primary health care contact for psychosocially complex patients when needed. Provides timely and appropriate documentation in patients' medical records (paper and electronic).
Determines the resources that would optimally meet patients' and families' needs independently and/or in conjunction with clinicians. Uses knowledge of local and state resources to develop a multifaceted service plan to meet patients' complex needs. Makes independent decisions about what services to recommend to a patient/family.
Participates in medical center and community task force groups regarding patient care and programs. Represents Community Resource staff in departmental planning and administration. Keeps staff informed of procedural requirements and changes required by state and local agencies.
Advocates on patients' behalf in written and verbal communication. Assists patients and families with such tasks as accessing entitlement programs. Provides appropriate medical information as requested by external facilities or agencies and in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
Facilitates orientation and ongoing training for new and/or less experienced community resource specialists; provides ongoing training related to community resources to social work staff, students, and medical professionals. Coordinates the maintenance of current resource information for use and dissemination among social work staff.
Provides timely and appropriate documentation in patient's medical record. Documents and advises supervisory and clinical staff and of obstacles to obtaining service that require social action.