Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year – and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success.  At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain’s New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference! 

NOTE: As a NYC contracted agency all positions at Good Shepherd Services fall under the NYC vaccine mandate. All employees, volunteers and interns must show proof of vaccination upon hire.

For Full Time Employees Benefits/Perks:

• Tuition Assistance Program
• Generous paid time off (Including 5 Self-Care Days/Floating Holidays, 12 Sick Days, 15 Vacation Days, and 11 Holidays)
• Healthcare Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pet Care)
• 403(b) Plan (GSS contributes 3% of your salary to your 403(b) plan after 3 years of service, with contributions increasing over time) 

Title:                                 SocioTherapist-Supervisor

Reports To:                         Program Director-Enhanced Family Foster Care Program

Location:                           7 West Burnside Avenue, Bronx, New York 10453

Hours:                               35 Hours/Week; Exempt

Supervisory Summary:   The Sociotherapist Supervisor provides clinical and administrative supervision and professional development to Sociotherapists in the Enhanced Family Foster Care Program. S/he ensures the quality and timely provision of a wide range of therapeutic interventions to address the trauma symptoms of the child/youth. The Sociotherapist Supervisor ensures the individualized behavioral and emotional needs of children and youth are addressed on a weekly basis for the purpose of improving the child’s/youth’s daily functioning in the home, school and community. The Sociotherapist Supervisor is responsible for the implementation of all Foster Care Standards and for ensuring the strengths and challenges of children and youth are addressed within the framework of the ABC Model for Behavioral Plans, the Individualized Crisis Mangement Plan, Sanctuary S.E.L.F Model, Trauma Informed Practice, and Youth Development principles.The Sociotherapist Supervisor models a collaborative approach to practice by ensuring sociotherapists communicate, understand, and integrate information from interdisciplinary team members in response to the child’s/youth’s needs. The Sociotherapist Supervisor ensures treatment foster parents are implementing a trauma informed approach to the child/youth in their home and are effectively utilizing the pronciples of the ABC Model.

Major Duties of Supervisor:

• Clinically and Administratively supervise Sociotherapists.
• Ensure Sociotherapists are responding to crisis and risk situations in a timely and urgent manner as appropriate.
• Conduct weekly supervision to review and monitor Sociotherapist’s contacts and documentation for compliance with Administration for Children Services (ACS)  and State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) standards.
• Conduct monthly group supervision to assess overall team practice and performance, to enhance staff development through discussion of current trends, to develop strategies to address challenges, and  to celebrate successes.
• Collaborate with EFFC Supervisors on shared cases.
• Provide guidance and development of critical thinking skills to ensure best practice of service provision, crisis management, and medical and mental health needs. This may inlcude, but not be limited to, mental health assessments, activity/recreational therapies, behavior plans, mental health and other crisis intervention services. Ensure that all recommendations made by clinicians are implemented.
• Review sociotherapist’s documentation and approve before finalized in Connections.    
• Review and ensure all behavioral plans are current and documented in Connections.

• Inform, train and monitor Sociotherapists on foster care standards and youth development skill building. This includes the development and implementation of  individualized ABC Behavioral Plans, Individual Crisis Intervention Plans, Safety Plans, and Treatment Plans as needed.
• Supervise Sociotherapist’s collaboration with the case planner regarding behavioral and emotional issues presented in the foster home and in family visitation.
• Ensure Sociotherapist, foster parent and youth  participation in the development of Behavior Plans.
• Attend Family Team Conferences and ensure the attendance of the Sociotherapist, treatment foster parent and youth at the Family Treatment Conference. Ensure that applicable Action Plans developed during FTCs are implemented.
• Supervise the monitoring of a foster parent’s ability to provide therapeutic services and environment to childen and youth and that they understand and effectively utilize behavior plans.
• Facilitate Quarterly Foster Parent Meetings, including Sociotherapists, to further collaboration with foster parents, to reinforce expectations of therapeutic treatment of youth and use of the Behavior Plans, address any issues pertaining to sociotherapist services, and to update any practice and policy initiatives.
• Review and approve Sociotherapist’s documentation for FASPS, Permanency Hearing Reports, and court reports.
• Ensure Sociotherapist’s attendance at all agency mandated trainings and supervises the Sociotherapist in the integration   training into practice. Encourage participation in other training opportunities for professional development
• Evaluate Sociotherapist’s performance per agency’s performance management policy.
• Lead the implementation of the Sanctuary Model of trauma-informed practice within the department/program.

• Encourage and advance the use of the Sanctuary Model tools, i.e., safety plans, community meetings, psycho-educational groups, team meetings, red flag reviews, treatment planning conferences (or similar), and self-care in the department/program to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.
• Promote and model practice that contributes to a non-violent environment and a trauma-sensitive culture.
• Integrate the Sanctuary Model S.E.L.F (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss, and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment.
• Utilize Coaching Model principals in the supervisory practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Social Work Highly Preferrred (Will consider Master Level Candidates with relevant Degrees; Psychology; Mental Health; Human Services)
• NYS LMSW preferred (Candidates eligible for the LCSW highly encouraged to apply)
• Must have a minimum of 2 years experience in a Supervisory Capacity in a Child Welfare related settings. 
• Must have prior experience in Foster Care (Knowledgeable of practices; ACS; etc)
• Strong history of performance leadership ability.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience with direct service to an adolescent population.
• Knowledge of Mental Health systems, Child, Adolescent and Youth Development, Permanency Planning for Adolescents in Foster Care, and Tracking of Performance Outcomes.
• Knowledge of Connections, the New York State database.
• Must be flexible working some evenings as needed
• Must have excellent organizational, communication and computer skills.
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based, youth development and trauma-informed perspective.

   

Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.