PROJECT HOPE CRISIS COUNSELOR

Location: Middletown, NYPer Diem-Bilingual (Yiddish/English)Project Hope is a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) 8-month grant funded Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) designed to provide emotional support and assistance to Orange County residents adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Hope is a program that provides free crisis counseling services to persons, families, and groups most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Hope is administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) in conjunction with NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) aims to provide immediate behavioral health support, primarily relying on face-to-face contacts with survivors in their communities over a specific period of time.

Provided services will be culturally and linguistically competent and include outreach and engagement in community settings; education and training; assessment and referral to mental health and substance abuse programs.Job Summary: The Crisis Counselor (CC) is a trained paraprofessional or professional who provides outreach, basic support, individual and group crisis counseling, public education and referral. The Crisis Counselor will receive extensive training in both the crisis counseling activities and data entry for this position. This is a direct service position that requires empathy and a strong desire to help. The incumbent will report to the Team Leader, overseen by the Project Coordinator responsible for the program implementation,Project Hope This is a grant-funded position with an anticipated total duration of nine (9) monthsQualifications: • Bachelor Degree in a related field preferred but not required• Strong intuitive skills about people; good judgment and common sense; relate well to others; good listeners, capacity to demonstrate empathy• Knowledgeable about the community to be served • Strong public speaking skills• Ability to work cohesively in a team aligned with the programs goals, objectives and outcomes• Ability to demonstrate positive regard and be respectful towards others• Ability to communicate effectively• Ability to function well in a rapid changing environment• Ability to display cultural competence• Complete daily contact forms in accordance with New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) guidelines• Conduct workshops, outreach, counseling and education in communities affected by the COVID pandemic- Provide the community with information, education, coping strategies and available resources• Attend trainings and be able to assist individual and families to access services by guiding them through the assessment and referral processes• Assist individual and families in gaining access to crisis-related services• Speak at community forums, professional in service meetings and local government meetings• Build rapport with fellow team members and supervisors understanding the importance of representing Access: Supports For Living positively at all times• Build relationships with community based organizations, faith-based groups, and local agencies• Attend community events to provide a compassionate presence and to be available to provide crisis counseling services, when needed• Other related duties as assigned by supervisor or director• This position is a combination of remote and in office.

Candidate must have capacity to consistently connect to internet in order to provide services through online platforms and have the ability to hold HIPAA compliant conversations in their homes.