The Bridge offers supportive housing and behavioral health services to vulnerable New Yorkers facing behavioral health and substance use challenges. We provide individuals with the tools they need to pursue their dreams and live meaningful lives. The Bridge envisions a world where adults experiencing serious mental illness can live and thrive within their communities. As a recognized leader in developing and operating supportive housing and community-based programs, The Bridge has 70 years of experience helping New Yorkers with mental illness, including those affected by homelessness, incarceration, and institutionalization.  

Scope of Position: Under the direction of the Program Director, and within the guidelines of all applicable laws, rules, regulations and the Agency code of ethics and policies and procedures, The Licensed Mental Health Counselor will play a key role in the Governor’s CTI team, supporting vulnerable individuals through critical transitions. This multi-disciplinary team implements the evidence-based CTI model to engage participants in both care settings and the community, addressing social needs, providing counseling, and advocating for individuals facing healthcare disparities. The position involves fieldwork, flexible hours, and ongoing support for up to nine months, offering a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of homeless New Yorkers.

The Critical Time Intervention (CTI) team is a time-limited, evidence-based service designed to support individuals during critical life transitions, promoting community integration, self-advocacy, and long-term stability by connecting individuals with essential resources. In collaboration with hospitals, CTI staff engage with patients in inpatient and emergency settings to assist with discharge planning and ensure access to services such as behavioral health, housing, and benefits. 

Essential Position Functions:

• Conduct assertive outreach and engagement using strength-based approaches, starting during inpatient or emergency department visits. Collaborate with hospitals, treatment providers, and family members to identify individuals in need of care.
• Assess participants' health and social needs using CTI assessments and risk tools, prioritizing those at high risk.
• Participate in hospital discharge planning to connect participants to community resources, and provide after-hours (24-hour) coverage on a rotating basis.
• Offer short-term therapeutic counseling and support before and after discharge; collect and report data to inform future care.
• Resolve clinical issues preventing access to community services; build relationships with community providers to ensure smooth transitions.
• Assist with appointment navigation, including accompaniment, re-engagement in care, and addressing barriers to services.
• Facilitate crisis interventions, referrals, and hospitalizations as needed; conduct psychosocial assessments to evaluate medical, psychiatric, housing, and social needs.
• Gather collateral information to support participants' health needs and monitor their progress toward care plan goals.
• Attend team meetings and supervisory sessions to ensure coordinated care delivery.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including housing applications and addressing participants' immediate needs.

•  Licensed master’s degree or higher in social work, mental health counseling, nursing, or psychology. 
• Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD), and/or homeless populations is preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of community and homeless resources is a plus.
• Familiarity with counseling principles for mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Understanding of treatment, rehabilitation, and community support programs for individuals and families.
• Strong skills in crisis management, de-escalation, and identifying potentially violent behavior.
• Ability to develop, evaluate, and adjust treatment interventions to meet individual needs.
• Excellent report-writing skills.
• Proficiency in Health Information Technology and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.

  The Bridge Inc. is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer