Metro Social Worker

SMRLS provides free, high-quality legal services in critical civil matters to low-income individuals in Southern Minnesota, as well as to agricultural workers throughout Minnesota and North Dakota. For more than 100 years, SMRLS has helped individuals and families secure and protect their basic needs, maintaining freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness, and abuse.

Social Worker

This SMRLS Social Worker will provide holistic services to under-resourced clients with the goal of decreasing the impact of these barriers. These barriers include limited support and resources; homelessness and housing instability; domestic violence; impacts of trauma and mental health; accessibility challenges; and more. This position is based in St. Paul.

The Social Worker will be strengths-based, trauma-informed, and understand the systemic causes and impacts of poverty. The Social Worker will be a part of an interdisciplinary team, providing short-term case management, delivering crisis intervention and emotional support, collaborating with community partners, providing outreach and education, and performing administrative duties that are necessary to the success of this innovative and growing program.

Job duties:

Mental Health Support and Navigation

To ensure that clients are supported throughout the legal process & connected to mental health resources

·       Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and regular check-ins with clients.

·       Learn about client’s goals regarding mental health support and what services they already have in place. Provide information about various options for mental health support.

·       Assist client in applying for mental health support including county adult mental health case management, skills worker services, inpatient or outpatient treatment, individual therapy, support groups, etc.

·       Address barriers to support including health insurance, obtaining documentation, transportation, etc.

·       Advocate for client by communicating with referrals on behalf of client, providing information about the level of support needed, and making alternative adjustments to requested support if necessary.

Housing Navigation and Support

To ensure that clients have access to assistance and advocacy while searching for or maintaining housing

·       Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and regular check-ins with clients.

·       Complete a housing intake to assess housing needs, preferences, barriers, ability to search for housing, etc.

·       Provide education on how to search for housing including housing lists, housing resources, etc.

·       Assist client in applying for Section 8 and public housing, if needed.

·       Provide help in obtaining housing applications, filling out applications, and gathering needed documentation.

·       Assist client in applying for financial assistance specific to back rent, security deposit, first month’s rent, etc.

·       Advocate for client’s housing needs by communicating with landlord or caseworker and/or helping to appeal housing application denials and attend appeal meetings.

Community Resource Referral and Financial Stability Support

To ensure that clients have increased stability in critical areas such as income, food, shelter and safety

·       Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and regular check-ins with clients.

·       Assess client’s need for community and financial support using an assessment as a guide.

·       Assist client in calling community or financial support, filling out applications, gathering needed documentation, submitting applications, and/or attending appointments, when needed.

·       Advocate for client’s eligibility and access to services by communicating on behalf of the client, providing information about the client’s need for the service, and providing education and support, when needed.

·       Follow up with client regularly to ensure they were connected with resource(s) and referrals provided, and address barriers to receiving services.

Domestic Violence Information and Support

To provide trauma-informed support to clients experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking

·       Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and regular check-ins with clients.

·       Safety plan with client for both long and short-term safety. Provide referrals to shelters, transportation, family support, and crisis intervention assistance, if needed

·       Provide information about local and state resources for victims including reparations, Safe at Home, etc.,

·       Assist client in securing resources by helping to fill out applications, gather needed documentation, submit applications, and attend appointments, when needed.

·       Provide information on legal protections available to victims of domestic violence including information about OFPs/HROs, housing protections, employment protections, etc.

·       Attend hearings and provide support as necessary.

Other Tasks

·       Provide case consultation to attorneys who are working with clients that exhibit challenging behaviors.

·       Assist in outreach including tabling, community education, and/or participation in community meetings.

·       Maintain an updated and relevant community resource library.

·       Assist with grant reporting, as applicable.

·       Attend team and staff meetings and perform administrative tasks.

·       Assist in the supervision of social work interns.

Required Qualifications:

·       Social work licensure or working towards licensure (ex: LSW, LGSW)

·       Commitment to SMRLS mission of pursuing freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness, and abuse

·       Passion for serving low-income individuals, individuals in crisis, and individuals who have experienced trauma

·       Dedication to working in a multidisciplinary setting that emphasizes collaboration and teamwork

·       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

·       Internet and computer skills

·       Valid driver's license and access to a vehicle

Preferred Qualifications:

·       Experience working with under-resourced or underserved individuals

·       Knowledge of, and experience with, social services agencies, housing assistance services, mental health providers, and other community supports in southwest Minnesota

·       Experience working with individuals who are in crisis or who have experienced trauma

·       Fluency in a second language

SALARY:

$50,656+ DOE, according to scale

APPLICATIONS:

To apply, submit the following materials via SMRLS’ online application portal or via email to laura.jelinek@smrls.org:

·       Cover letter which summarizes qualifications, skills and experience

·       Resume

·       Names and contact information for three professional references

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services:

SMRLS is a non-profit law firm which receives federal, state, local, public and private funding to provide free legal help to low income and elderly people who reside in 33 counties of southern Minnesota, as well as the areas served by its farmworker unit. SMRLS is a client-centered organization which is committed to its mission of providing a full range of high quality legal services, in a respectful manner which enable clients to enforce their legal rights; to maintain freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness and abuse; and to empower persons and ensure equal opportunity, thus, helping persons to help themselves and to become economically self-reliant, to the extent their individual abilities and circumstances permit.

SMRLS is committed to diversity in the workplace. Women, people of color, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.