POST Case Manager

Project Summary

The Office of Community Health and Safety was established to address long-standing health, safety, and justice issues in the City of Pittsburgh. The office is tasked with redirecting city resources to better address community needs by housing social services, public health, and social work experts who can assist community members and first responders in situations that require longer-term support, harm reduction approaches, and other services. The Office of Community Health and Safety is developing programs that properly address individuals’ health and safety needs, guided by evidence-based practices and community input. This includes hiring social workers, outreach workers, and other professionals to connect residents with services that will provide long-term support and address the root causes of the challenges that they face. 

The Post Overdose Support Team (POST) is a collaborative program involving local first-responders, certified peer recovery specialists, case managers, treatment providers, and social service providers designed to provide supports to individuals who have experienced an overdose and refused medical care. The POST initiative for the City of Pittsburgh will provide people with substance use disorder and co-occurring needs with person-centered social services and intense case management focused on harm reduction and compassion in lieu of criminalization and stigmatization. These individuals will be engaged in supportive services with the goal of reducing their likelihood of experiencing another overdose and improving quality of life. 

Job Summary
This position is critical to the POST unit, by providing engagement and intensive case management services to individuals experiencing substance use issues, homelessness, poverty, mental/behavioral challenges, in active drug use and suspected of low-level drug offenses, non-violent crimes, and/or prostitution. The Case Manager will provide direct services to a caseload of approximately 25 individuals. Case managers provide outreach, long-term engagement and supportive services for participants through intensive case management activities and collaboration with POST partners, service providers, treatment and housing providers and other community organizations.

This position is funded for one (1) year from the POST SAMSHA Grant. Future years of funding are contingent on grant availability and other funding sources.

 

Department:  Office of Community Health & Safety

Salary:  $64,251 per year. 

• WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show three (3) years of full-time experience working with individuals experiencing substance use issues. 
• EDUCATION/TRAINING: High school diploma or equivalent required. Further education/training/social work degree, associate degree, degrees related in the fields of human services, direct care, criminal justice, human development is desirable. 

POSITION DUTIES

Participant Services 
 

• Provides structured Intensive Case Management services consistent with program policies.
• Provides outreach and Intensive Case Management services for assigned participants.
• Engages with participants on the street and at social service provider facilities to establish a working relationship and offer services.
• Assesses participants for severity of chemical dependency and housing status and determines needs for other services, e.g., medical, mental health.
• Assists participants in gaining access to a variety of funding programs.
• Assists participants in finding care, treatment, housing, and navigating social service programs.
• Develops and implements an individualized service plan (ISP) which addresses the needs of the participant for underlying needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and health care in addition to the primary objective of substance use disorder treatment or reduction/elimination of drug/alcohol use through self-change methods. This service plan must be person centered with the participant’s input reflecting needs assessment.
• Updates ISP periodically to reflect movement toward or attainment of articulated goals and the emergence of new participant needs and to help the participant move toward the achievement of autonomy.
• Provides advocacy and support for participants within the criminal justice system including court appearances and written communication. This can include navigating previous encounters like active warrants and failure to appear.
• Accompanies participants to appointments as needed and/or requested by participant.
• Assists participants in developing a spending plan and shopping plan.
• Advocates for participants with a wide variety of other service providers as needed by participant.
• Assists participants in gaining entry to other service programs.
• Alternates between working 1st shift (9am 5-pm) and second shift (3pm – 11pm) depending on program and program participant needs.

Partnership Activities: 
 

• Develops and maintains a working relationship with sobering centers staff, DHS workers, ROOTS staff, OCHS social workers, chemical dependency treatment providers, mental health providers, health care providers, shelter providers, housing department, landlords, detox centers, out-reach staff, protective or representative payees, and other community programs which may support participants.
• Develops relationships with housing resources, the housing authority and assists the participant in gaining access to appropriate housing.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with POST  partners including Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Courts, Public Defenders Office, Allegheny Courts and Judges/Magistrates.
• Attends regularly scheduled working group meetings and the staffing of participants with partners.
• Identifies gaps and barriers in available community resources and advocates for systemic changes.
• Attends POST team meetings and other required meetings.

Administrative Duties 
 

• Develops and maintains participant files for assigned caseload according to program, contract and state requirements.
• Manages and populates the database system Julota to keep participant information organized, accessible and safe.
• Prepare documents for operational work groups OWG's) to advocate in favor of participants needs.
• Meets periodically with project management staff to ensure the operational success of the program and address gaps and needs.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.