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Family Support Specialist, Social Work

  1. DEPT OF HEALTH/MENTAL HYGIENE
Posted on: 12/14/2023
  1. Full-time

Location

MANHATTAN

  1. No exam required

Department

OCME - Office of the Chief

$59,116.00 – $91,768.00

Job Description

This vacancy has now expired.

The core values of the OCME are to put the mission of the agency first, to be truly dedicated, and to have integrity in every aspect of our professional life.

DIIG at OCME was created for the joint purposes of:

1. Providing public sector leaders with timely and actionable information about fatal overdose, and
2.Providing support to bereaved family and friends of overdose victims in NYC.

DIIG conducts outreach to the family and friends of overdose decedents to connect them with resources and support. DIIG takes a person-centered approach to this work; each social worker works one on one with clients to assess their needs and determine the appropriate steps to meet those needs.

The Family Support Specialist will play a significant and important role in the implementation of a pilot program aimed at supporting the needs of next-of-kin in the aftermath of a fatal overdose and other sudden traumatic loss. The Family Support Specialist will conduct direct outreach, handle case management, and provide one on one person-centered support to the social networks of overdose victims.

Responsibilities:
- Support the development of a pilot program within OCME aimed at providing the families and friends of overdose victims with support during the weeks and months after losing their loved ones
- Contribute to the development of a DIIG Family Engagement Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
- Build and strengthen institutional relationships with organizations across the New York City region that provide services and resources relevant to the needs of the friends and families of overdose victims
- Provide direct social work support to the families and friends of decedents
- Conduct phone-based outreach to next-of-kin and social contacts in the weeks following the loss of a loved on
- Assess individual needs to determine was resources or support would be most beneficial
- Work collaboratively with clients to meet their socioemotional and material needs
- Provide warm hand-off referrals to relevant municipal or state agencies and community-based programs
- Follow-up with clients to ensure that they have the support they need
- Provide detailed documentation of encounters with clients for program evaluation purposes
- As needed, conduct semi-structured interviews with next-of-kin about the lives of overdose decedents for the New York City RxStat Overdose Fatality Review Team
- Other duties as assigned


Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.


Preferred Skills

- Strong written and verbal communications skills - Experience working with bereaved populations - Expertise in trauma-informed care, harm reduction, substance use or suicide
Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Job ID

619963

Title code

56058

Civil service title

COMMUNITY COORDINATOR

Title classification

Non-Competitive-5

Business title

Family Support Specialist, Social Work

  1. Experienced (non-manager)

Job level

00

Number of positions

1

Work location

421 East 26th Street NY NY

  1. Health

Family Support Specialist, Social Work

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