Case Manager - Healthy Babies Program

Job DescriptionJob Description

Program Summary

MCC’s MOMobile Healthy Babies program provides Case Managers (Advocates) to work with infants exposed to substances prenatally in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, and Bucks Counties and in select areas in Delaware County (i.e. Yeadon and Upper Darby) through the baby’s first year of life. The program provides assessments, support and resources to baby, mother and/or caregiver(s) to build a healthy foundation for the family. MCC Advocates will support families with substance use, behavioral health and overall wellness needs.

Healthy Babies partners with NICUs, recovery programs, and health systems where there is a high prevalence of infants exposed to opiates and/or diagnosed with NAS.

Position Summary

The Case Manager (Advocate) is responsible for providing culturally sensitive one-on-one health and parenting education. Responsible for monitoring and case-management to infants recovering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and exposed prenatally to opiates or other substances. Case management will also be provided to mothers with Substance Use Disorders or other caregiver when baby is in kinship or foster care. Intervention includes assessment, referrals, follow-up, and other needed supportive services while in the hospital or in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and following discharge.

Essential Functions

• Works collaboratively with the obstetrics and neonatal divisions of regional hospitals to address needs of women with opioid dependency and their infants with NAS.
• Will be proving support to Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and parts of Delaware counties, requiring significant local travel.
• Provides intensive case management, including assessment, referral, follow-up and monitoring to women, new parents/caregivers and their families, through routine hospital, home, community and office visits and regular phone/text contact.
• Supports clients in identifying goals and planning for their own health and social service needs.
• Supports infant health through close monitoring and providing education and case management to mother and/or caregiver.
• Ensures timely scheduling of postpartum, specialist, well child, and early intervention appointments; accompanies clients to appointments as needed.
• Refers clients needing more intensive follow-up to appropriate agencies.
• Acquires knowledge about community resources available to clients and establishes relationships with these agencies to best advocate for client needs.
• Conducts health promotion activities by providing client education, disseminating literature, and distributing family planning and disease prevention materials
• Provides patient navigation services to support caregivers and babies with medical conditions.
• Facilitates (or co-facilitates) community health education programs.
• Maintains accurate and timely records of all client contacts and services received by clients.
• Routinely uses MCC client database and other computer systems including e-mail, Internet and word processing.
• Attends and ongoing training sessions on subjects pertaining to maternal and child health, substance abuse, child abuse, trauma, housing, nutrition, counseling, parenting, child development and other relevant topics.
• Meets with supervisor regularly for case-consultations and supervision.
• Ensures client confidentiality, sharing pertinent information only with the client’s signed consent.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of MCC’s mission, goals, and objectives and ability to work independently with a high level of energy and contribute as part of a larger team.
• Knowledge of concepts and practices associated with community health interventions, particularly relating to substance use, child development, parenting and other services for mothers, infants, children, and their families in the community served.
• Significant knowledge of and sensitivity to issues facing the community served.
• Knowledge and skill pertaining to the delivery of substance abuse services.
• Ability to travel in and around the Greater Philadelphia region to conduct home visits and community outreach.
• Experience in case management for determining eligibility, assessing needs, identifying resources, making referrals, following up, and documenting client interactions.
• Strong interpersonal skills as demonstrated by compassionate, courteous, cordial, cooperative, and professional interaction with diverse groups of co-workers, community partners, clients, and members of the community.
• Ability to operate a computer and use a variety of common software programs including Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and customized databases.
• Effective and accurate documentation of case notes and client data according to established case management documentation procedures.
• Ability to organize tasks in an efficient manner and follow-up and follow-through with strong attention to detail.

Experience, Education, and Licensure

Required

• Associate's degree in Social Work, Public Health or related field
• Experience with health issues
• Experience working with substance abuse
• Valid driver's license

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Public Health or related field
• 2+ years experience providing direct services in a community outreach setting
• Experience working with maternal and child health issues and associated medical conditions