Youth and Family Social Worker

Unit: Exempt (1 Year Contract with Benefits)

Department: Administration

Grade: 9

Salary Range: $64,774.78 - $75,912.25

Posting Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Application Procedure: Please submit a cover letter and resume detailing your qualification. No phone calls or letters. Submit your resume, cover letter, and any additional materials to jobs@bostonhousing.org. Deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Please be sure to identify the position you are applying for.

General Description: BHA is seeking a social worker to support youth and families at its Franklin Field development in Dorchester. Operating out of the on-site youth center, the social worker will be responsible for providing counseling, case management, and referrals that support the well-being of youth at the center and their families. The social worker must be licensed to practice in Massachusetts with a strong preference for social workers licensed to practice independently. A minimum licensure of Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) is required, with a preference for Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). BHA will consider candidates with comparable licensures in related fields.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Build trust and develop strong relationships with youth and their families at Franklin Field
• Meet regularly with youth living at Franklin Field to provide individual counseling, including developing and administering evidence-based assessments and strengths-based support plans
• Support students in developing soft skills of center
• Refer youth to other supportive services that reinforce stability and positive outcomes and support youth in engaging with and following through on referrals. Follow through on referrals to ensure youth are using them as intended and are not facing any barriers to using these services. This may require initially accompanying young people to programs and services as needed
• Provide support for crisis intervention as needed
• Engage with youth’s families to provide individual counseling or referrals to supportive services to ensure youth have supportive home environment. Follow through on referrals to ensure families are using them as intended and are not facing any barriers to accessing services
• Support families in accessing public assistance programs that support household stability, such as SNAP, MassHealth, and other assistance programs
• Design and conduct group counseling and engagement sessions targeted towards high schoolers on topics of importance to them, such as healthy relationships, mental health, boundary and goal-setting, etc.
• Design and conduct regularly scheduled and consistent age-appropriate group activities with elementary and middle school-aged students to support their social and emotional well-being
• Record accurate and complete case notes, document referrals, and monitor students’ progress through BHA’s case management system
• Identify programming partners for mental health and social emotional well-being. These partnerships should lead to either additional mental health programming in the center for youth or program and resource referrals for youth and their families

Minimum Qualifications & Experience: Candidates must have an active social work license in Massachusetts at the LCSW level with a preference for independent licensure at the LICSW level. BHA will consider applicants with comparable licensures in mental health. Candidates must be able to prove their active licensure in advance of hiring. Master’s Degree in Social Work or comparable degree required.  Demonstrated experience working with youth in a clinical setting required. Must have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and must be able to manage relationships with partners. Knowledge of how to promote positive youth development using a restorative approach required. Driver’s license required. Willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate youth schedules and community events required. Experience in development of materials and activities for group sessions with youth strongly preferred.  Knowledge of public housing and previous experience working with public housing youth preferred.  Bilingual in Spanish/English preferred. Self-starter with ability to work independently to launch initiatives with limited resources and minimal supervision.
 
Must be proficient in Microsoft systems and demonstrate the ability to learn and utilize new software. Demonstrated communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Ability to work independently and in teams. Attentive to detail, intellectually curious, and issue driven. Applicant has a commitment to professional development and receiving and giving feedback. 
 
BHA BENEFITS:
BHA’s generous benefits package includes 12 paid holidays, 5 personal days, 3 weeks of vacation, 3 weeks of paid sick leave, MBTA discount, participation in the City’s pension plan, and healthcare through the Commonwealth, and much more.

ABOUT US:
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) fosters sustainable communities by providing quality affordable housing, bringing stability, opportunity, and peace of mind to thousands of low and moderate-income families across Greater Boston and the City of Boston as a whole. As the largest provider of affordable housing in Boston, one of the most expensive cities in the country, BHA understands housing as a crucial platform for individual, household, and community stability. Through our public housing communities and rental assistance programs, BHA provides housing assistance and services to more than 62,000 low and moderate-income households, including families with children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. As a housing authority, we recognize the historical role that residential segregation has played in the City of Boston. In all aspects of our operations, internally and externally, BHA is committed to breaking down the barriers to justice in housing and related fields that disproportionately impact the communities we serve.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:
BHA is a proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, physical or mental disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, and military and veteran status, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law. To the greatest extent possible, it is the policy of BHA to give preference in employment to BHA public housing and leased housing residents, and to low-income persons.