Employment Specialist

TITLE: Employment Specialist

REPORTS TO: Work & Out Grant, Vocational Manager

FLSA CODE: Non-Exempt

PROGRAM: Kate Rothko Center for Recovery – 15 Hell Gate Circ. Ward’s Island, NY 10035

Our Mission:

Since 1967, Odyssey House has gone beyond helping individuals beat drugs and alcohol. We help rebuild lives. There’s more to recovery than just getting clean. We help individuals get healthy again, too, with medical and dental care, fitness programs, support for your mental health and more. Individuals can stay with their children while in treatment, while learning new life skills, so they can stay together and repair other broken relationships in their lives. We provide educational and work skill trainings, outpatient services and available housing assistance, so individuals can step back into real life with a real future.

If that sounds different than other treatment programs, you’re right. Because Odyssey is where recovery gets real.

In addition to competitive salaries, Odyssey House offers:

• A 35-hour work week (as opposed to a 40-hour work week)
• Vacation Plan and Holiday Schedule
• Life Insurance
• Medical Insurance (Two Plans)
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Additional Insurance Coverages (hospitalization, accidental, critical illness coverage)
• Long-Term & Short-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account/Health Reimbursement Account
• 403(b) Plan
• Corporate Counseling Associates (CCA) EAP benefit
• Ability Assist Counseling Services (through The Hartford)
• Commuter Benefits
• Educational Assistance Programs
• Special shopping discounts through ADP Marketplace and PlumBenefits
• RUFit?! Fitness Program
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Assistance
• Optum Financial Service through ConnectYourCare
• Benefit Advocacy Center through Gallagher

Description of Duties and Responsibilities.

The employment specialist serves as liaison between program participants, internship sites and potential employers.

The employment specialist develops and maintains relationships with employers in the fields of food services,

building maintenance, cleaning and disaster recovery, and commercial furniture installation, moving and storage.

• Engages participants and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community job settings with other workers who do not necessarily have disabilities.

• Assists participants in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment.

• Refers participants to benefits counseling, as needed.

• Helps participants report earnings, as needed.

• Assesses participants’ performance in internships on a continuing basis.

• Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the principles and procedures of IPS supported employment.

• Conducts a minimum of six employer contacts per week.

• Provides individualized follow-along support to assist participants in maintaining employment.

• Delivers services in accordance with evidence-based IPS.

• Provides education and support to employers.

• Provides outreach service as necessary to participants when they appear to disengage from the service.

• Participates in multidisciplinary case conferences

• Develops an Individual Plan of Employment (plan with participants, incorporates input from treatment team and family members, with permission).

• Participates in team meetings and clinical case conference.

• Documents delivery of services in clinical record.

• Participates in in-service training according to program requirements.

• Additional responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications for Position:

• Undergraduate degree in mental health, social services, or business required.

• One year experience as a provider of job development and employment services required.

• Experience in a residential drug treatment setting is preferred.

Skills and Knowledge Required:

• Basic competency with computer applications such as MS Outlook, MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint required.

• Ability to document in the electronic health record.

• Must be able to articulate an ethical framework for provision of employment-related services.

• Must demonstrate understanding of the unique needs of individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders relative to work and employment.

TRAVEL & SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Some local travel is required.

• Occasional out-of-state travel may be required.

Odyssey House is an equal opportunity employer maintaining a non-discriminatory policy on hiring of its personnel. Odyssey House, and its operational divisions, will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizen status in all employment decisions including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, training, rate of pay or other forms of compensation, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.