Program Director

Comunilife is looking for a Program Director for our Respite Program. The Program Director will lead the overall operation of our medical Respite service programs, which includes management, planning, development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of policies and implementing proper procedures for the program.   The Respite Director has the direct administrative oversight for the day-to-day operations of the Respite Program which provides short-term, residential, post-medical care for homeless persons who are not ill enough to remain hospitalized, but who are too frail to be discharged to the shelter system.  This position is eligible for Comunilife's generous benefits and paid time off package. The salary range for this position is between $65,000 and $70,000 a year.

Essential Duties:

• Providing direction of the day-to-day operations of the programs by managing and collaborating with other Program Directors to maintain the Respite’s multiple sites in compliance with expected health and safety standards
• Maintaining full utilization of beds by marketing the program to potential referral sources by describing its services and successes. In addition will develop strong networking relationships with CBOs to facilitate housing referrals and placements. Serving as liaison to contracted entities.

• Ensuring that clients are discharged within 90 days with a focus on early successful discharges. Ensuring that the Discharge/Transitional Plan starts at admission.
• Developing and maintaining a service program sufficiently flexible and dynamic to meet the needs of the under-served and economically disadvantaged populations, especially those with chronic and/or acute medical issues.
• Developing and implementing strengths-based assessments and client centered Support Plans with individual clients based on their interests, skills and goals to support them. Ensuring that Support Plans appropriately identify client needs and identifies the levels of health and independence that clients can achieve.
• Ensuring and maintaining policies, principles, and procedures that are in agreement with funder or other program requirements, guidelines, regulations and directives.
• Ensuing timely completion of program progress reports including demographic census, services rendered as required.

• Directing, supervising and training staff, mental health and substance abuse activities, leading team and service planning meetings, providing direction to staff regarding individual cases, conducting side-by-side contacts with staff, conducting individual supervision meetings and evaluating employee performance.  Training all staff to meet program requirements.
• Representing Respite programs with funders, feeder organizations, community groups, and elsewhere.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Masters Degree in behavioral health, social work, public health, nursing, is required
• 7 to 10 years experience in providing direct services related to the treatment and recovery of persons afflicted with medical and psychiatric issues with a particular focus on housing placement and five years of supervisory experience in a behavioral health setting; or an appropriate equivalent of the above requirements.
• Requires broad knowledge of residential care for persons with chronic illness; both medically and behaviorally

• Requires knowledge of behavioral health practices and procedures; psychosocial rehabilitation; psycho-education; chemical dependency, motivational enhancement strategies; assessment, crisis intervention, process facilitation and supportive counseling and case management activities.
• Requires strong knowledge of the NYC housing system. 
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.

Comunilife is an EEO employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.