Health & Wellness Caseworker - International Rescue Committee : Job Details

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions.

Job Overview: Our Community Health and Wellness programs ensure that all newly resettled refugees have access to ongoing psycho-social support to serve their adjustment needs as well as ensures additional culturally and linguistically sensitive mental health referral support services are available. You will be responsible for the implementation of psycho-social programming serving the Afghan newcomer population in the Bay Area. You will provide individual preventative counseling to clients at risk of negative mental health outcomes through utilizing peer counseling methods intended to teach stress management and emotional coping skills. Your role will also include the planning and facilitation of workshops related to various mental health topics, light case management, outreach and engagement, screening, and referral services. In addition, you will support clients in understanding the connection between nutrition, physical health, and emotional well-being through culturally responsive wellness education. You will work with the Clinical Advisor and Health and Wellness Coordinator to build personalized wellness plans that include traditional healing practices and cultural aspects, as well as follow up with individuals to prevent escalations in mental health crises.

Major Responsibilities:

• Provide culturally sensitive peer counseling services for vulnerable individuals who are socially isolated, have previous exposure to trauma and/or are at risk of mental illness.
• Perform intakes, screenings, referrals, and service planning to ensure clients psychosocial wellbeing needs are met.
• Provide time-limited case management services to high-needs clients.
• Conduct Bridge-to-safety screenings to assess for domestic and sexual violence; provide appropriate referrals to community mental health and/or other service providers.
• Create, plan and implement psycho-social workshop programming, including topics related to managing mental health such as emotional regulation, self-empowerment, goal setting, nutritional / physical health. Workshops will also include culturally responsive nutrition education and healthy eating habits as they relate to mental and physical well-being. Support clients in understanding the connection between diet, lifestyle, and overall wellness, especially in the context of resettlement stressors.
• Ensure accurate tracking and data entry of client notes, assessments, RHS-15 screening, and referrals, in accordance with quality assurance standards of the IRC and funder.
• Ensure clients with identified mental health risks or interest in specialty mental health care have linkage and referrals to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health care partners.
• Conduct outreach to existing refugee, immigrant and asylee community to encourage participation and increase referrals to our programming.
• Work closely with staff to enhance and implement the program goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Health and Wellness Coordinator

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Direct service staff including SCM, ICM, AT, and R&P staff, Health and Wellness staff at other IRC sites.

External: Other refugee resettlement agencies, ethnic Community- Based Organizations, Community leaders and other stakeholders.

Job Requirements:

• Associate degree with an emphasis in Social Work, Psychology, sociology or an equivalent field of study or work experience. Bachelor's degree desired.
• 2+ years of relevant work experience. A significant portion of this experience would include responsibilities in community-based services, social services, education, capacity building and/or humanitarian relief.
• Understanding of community integration, resettlement and migration trauma.
• Cross-cultural awareness and communication skills.
• Experience with psycho-social and/or peer counseling specifically programming preferred.
• Success working and communicating effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Experience working directly with underserved populations.
• Ability to contribute both independently and as a key team member.
• Well organized with excellent reporting skills.
• Self- starter with excellent analytical skills combined with the proven ability to multi-task, prioritize duties, and manage time effectively.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; fluency in additional language relevant to current refugee populations required (Farsi or Dari)
• Access to vehicle and valid driver's license

Work Environment:

• A combination of standard office environment, remote work, and 'field' time within the service delivery area to perform the above outlined responsibilities.
• Travel to field site operations often.
• Access to reliable and insured transportation required.

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $143 per month, dental starting at $6.50 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.