ICM Caseworker

IRC Background:   Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. In the U.S., IRC provides assistance to refugees resettling here through 26 offices operating in 14 states.    IRC resettles approximately 10,000 refugees per year and provides numerous program services to assist the refugee from their arrival through citizenship. 

Scope:  The Intensive Case Management (ICM) Caseworker will address barriers to safety and wellness for especially vulnerable refugees, asylees, and other ORR-eligible populations. The ICM caseworker will be expected to provide strengths-based, client-centered case management to single-headed refugee households; survivors of domestic violence and gender-based violence; older refugees; youth and young adults without parents or permanent guardians; refugees experiencing mental health or psychological difficulties; refugees with physical disabilities or medical conditions; unanticipated refugee arrivals and secondary migrants; and refugees who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ).  This position reports to the Intensive Case Management Program Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities:

• Determine client eligibility for ICM programming and conduct intake assessments; review program expectations, outcomes, and confidentiality with each potential client.
• Develop individualized, SMART Self-sufficiency plans for each client enrolled in the ICM program.
• Evaluate client progress every six months during active program enrollment to determine the client’s progress towards goals and work with the client to identify new needs and actions needed.
• Assist clients in navigating healthcare and social service systems, which may include helping clients apply for benefits, helping clients attend appointments, and helping clients schedule appointments.
• Conduct community outreach and maintain a strong network of service providers that meet client needs. The ICM caseworker may also be expected to maintain a strong relationship with local and state level refugee coordinators and health coordinators to ensure client needs are met.
• Provide clients with extended orientation on a variety of topics such as women’s health, navigating transportation systems, and navigating physical healthcare systems at the local level.
• Respond to client crises, with guidance from supervisor.
• Assist clients with requesting financial assistance when applicable, and track the received financial assistance in the client’s case file.
• Collaborate with clients therapeutic services team and other external care providers
• Support and educate family members and other involved with clients- to enhance their awareness of mental and emotional illness and increase their ability to contribute to the healing process.
• Maintain up to date documentation in client’s case file to ensure services are properly documented throughout the client’s service period; document all services provided in IRC’s database, Efforts to Outcomes (ETO).
• Attend ongoing trainings and meetings at both the local and national level that are relevant to the position.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  ICM Program Coordinator
Position directly supervises:  Volunteers, interns.

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Resettlement Team members

External:  Network of direct SW Idaho service providers

Requirements:

• A minimum of 1-2 years of case management experience with similar populations and/or client needs preferred;
• Lived refugee experience preferred. Fluency in refugee language, such as Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Russian or Spanish preferred. Where fluency in a refugee language has not been achieved, demonstrable experience successfully finding insights about how client perceptions are keyed into different starting worldviews and language/s, beyond successfully utilizing literal interpretation, specifically supported by examples of how finding insight on a client worldview led to a more effective problem solving or communication strategy with the client.
• Demonstrated investment of time in professional and personal activities to examine and unravel structures built by institutional racism.
• A Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, or similar field completed or in progress preferred.

Working Environment:

• A combination of standard office environment, remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area to perform the above outlined responsibilities.
• May require occasional weekend and/or evening work.