Reentry Career Specialist

The Safer Foundation is a social service provider to individuals with arrest and conviction records. Through a full range of services, including case management, educational instruction and advocacy, we focus on preparing individuals for the world of work by helping them find and keep productive and meaningful employment.
General Summary :
As a member of a team dedicated to helping returning residents find employment and occupational pursuits, the Reentry Career Specialist (RCS) reports to the Director of Supported Employment. This role involves providing intensive psychoeducational and supportive employment services utilizing Initialized Placement and Services. (spell out), particularly for those returning from incarceration impacted by substance use and co-occurring disorders. Additionally, the RCS will assist participants in developing career-seeking skills, securing gainful and competitive employment, and maintaining that employment over time.
The Reentry career specialist will guide clients to support employment readiness, stabilization, and ongoing employment case management. The reentry career specialist will provide compassionate care utilizing the supportive employment model for clients with mental wellness needs. The reentry career specialist will support the Director of Supportive Employment in recruiting, enrolling, and managing occupational and vocational training, including working directly with the partner/vendor. The RCS will conduct a LifeSkills group which initiates a job readiness training continuum guiding financial literacy, digital literacy, emotion regulation, etc.
At Safer Foundation, the RCS will get referrals from different team members to offer job readiness and placement assistance. Additionally, they will conduct weekly LifeSkills classes for groups, where retention is just one of the many services provided.
The position promotes a strength-based and recovery-oriented approach while working with participants, employers, community partners, and clinical team members. In addition, the role will require the RCS to meet with clients, internal Safer Team members, and other community support systems.
Performance Results Description
The Position is properly performed when all essential duties and responsibilities are executed by following the Safer Values.
Exceeding Expectations, Communication and Collaboration, Integrity, and Evidence-Based Innovation.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Stakeholder Interface and Service

• Promptly respond to referrals from the Safer staff of clients recommended for group classes.
• Ensure referral to enrollment metrics are met, including a 24-72-hour enrollment from the time of referral.
• Provides individualized follow-along support to assist clients in maintaining employment. Writes service plans with clients and incorporates input from family members (with client permission) and the mental health team. Revises and adjusts service plans according to the client's needs and preferences.
• Complete mandatory national outcome assessments (GPRA) at program funders' designated intervals and frequencies.
• Coordinate with other provider agencies in the employment process. This includes assisting participants in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment for clients to make good decisions about employment opportunities.
• Help participants access benefits counseling and other services when changing work hours and pay.
• Implement one-off groups as situational topics arise.
• Coordinate with the tea by participating in staffing, troubleshooting issues, reporting on progress, and highlighting successes.
• Identify guest speakers as appropriate to attend group sessions with consultation from the Director of Supportive Employment.
• Develop and/or utilize LifeSkills and/or Safer Skills Training Curriculums and other evidenced-based trauma-responsive and behavioral health curricula to assemble a customized group plan and schedule.
• Screen referred clients for technology needs and make recommendations for such clients to be able to attend virtual or in-person classes.
• Integrate financial and credit counseling for clients to begin developing financial stability.
• Teach, role-play, and establish coping strategies surrounding topics, including but not limited to emotion regulation, conflict resolution, de-escalation skills, stages of grief, violence prevention, and communication skills.
• Participates in weekly meetings with the mental health treatment team and communicates individually with team members between meetings to coordinate and integrate vocational services with mental health treatment.
• Assist in job preparedness, including resume and cover letter development and job interviewing skills.
• Any other duties needed to help drive our vision, fulfill our missions, and abide by our organization's values.

Stakeholder Outreach and Recruitment

• Participate in occasional team-based outreach events as directed by the Director of Supported Employment.
• Communicate with the public during such activities representing Safer Foundation and services, engaging individuals, and maximizing interest, addressing immediate needs when appropriate under the direction of the Director of Supportive Employment up for long-term engagement.
• Conducts a minimum of three employer contacts per week informing about the IPS model and explanation of our supported employment initiative, including supports offered by the program.
• Refer leads to an appropriate staff member for follow-up.

Tracking, Document, and Reporting

• Document class schedules in the agency's electronic case management system.
• Routinely check the system for enrollment
• Monitor attendance and report back to referring staff person for no-shows.
• Coordinate with the Director of Supported Employment regarding meal costs for individuals attending in-person classes.
• Promptly issue certificates (within 24-48 hours) for clients that complete recommended group sessions and confirm completion with referring staff persons to signal the individual's readiness to proceed with employment placements or other services at Safer.
• Additional duties needed to help drive organizational vision, mission, and values.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of Reentry and behavioral health services.
• Substance Use Prevention and Intervention.

Adult education and learning methods.
Supported employment services, including utilizing the IPS model.

• State and federal policies, legislation, rules, and regulations.
• Technical writing; recordkeeping methods and techniques
• Community and or Family Outreach service needs and operations
• Familiarity with group facilitation and knowledge of group dynamics
• Ability to work with high-risk populations with complex needs.
• Client-centered ideology.
• Cultural competency (cultural and linguistic) as it relates to cultures and trauma experienced by formerly incarcerated individuals and as it relates to a predominantly Latino and African American client base.
• Strong ethical principles and display of personal and professional boundaries.
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and outcome-driven with the capability to function in a fast-paced, start-up work environment.
• Able to operate in a team environment; engaging specific teams to navigate/escalate crises now; bringing potential resources to the team to help clients, coordinating with leads on specific issues, and more.
• Group facilitation and classroom management. Must know group dynamics, group safety, and expertise to facilitate groups; experience facilitating groups concerning job readiness, CBT, and related topics with a similar population is desired.
• Knowledge of workforce development and employment services for chronically unemployed individuals or individuals experiencing poverty.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the needs and barriers faced by individuals with arrest and conviction records pertaining to behavioral health, physical health needs, housing, expungements, justice supervision, and more.
• Applied knowledge of motivational interviewing, mental health first aid, and de-escalation techniques is highly desired. Knowledge of human behavior and performance, individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; and the assessment of behavioral disorders.
• Previous experience performing crisis intervention for a high-needs population is a plus.
• Experience using an electronic health record and/or case management system desired.
• Computer literacy: able to use MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint) and web-based applications (E.g., Zoom, Chrome, Office 365, DocuSign, e-fax, secure email, and more).
• Individuals with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Education and/or experience equivalent to an undergraduate degree in mental health, social services, or business.
• Experience working with people with severe mental illness, experience providing employment services, and knowledge of the work world is preferred.
• A minimum of 2 years experience working at a social service organization or behavioral health provider as a group facilitator is required.
• Lived experience will be considered if the applicant can demonstrate applicable experience doing similar work.

Safer Foundation is a drug-free workplace.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Minorities/Females/Veterans
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