Long Islanders in Suffolk County are deeply committed to recognizing the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and communities in the region. Suffolk County residents value a strong community and acknowledge that to achieve one, all neighbors, at every level of the socioeconomic strata, must have access to supportive resources and services.
While Long Island’s societal issues don’t rise to the level of those you’ll see in some of the neighboring metro boroughs, Suffolk County isn’t without its pressing issues. For example, according to the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, there are more than 6,000 families on Long Island struggling with homelessness. They also estimate that about one in three homeless adults in Suffolk County is living outside, unsheltered.
Suffolk County hasn’t been immune to the nation’s drug epidemic either, with drug overdose deaths here twice as high as those in neighboring Nassau County. Between November 2022 and October 2023, the CDC reported an opioid overdose death rate in Suffolk County of 31.1 deaths per 100,000 people – twice that of Nassau County.
Whether focused on helping people struggling with mental health, substance abuse, poverty, or housing insecurity issues, help here comes in the form of state and local agencies, nonprofits, and other privately run facilities, many of which work together to provide comprehensive services for Suffolk County residents and communities in need.
“If it is true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it also true a society is only as healthy as its sickest citizen and only as wealthy as its most deprived?”
For example, Suffolk County is home to county government initiatives like the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission (HRC), which investigates complaints of discrimination and enforces laws pertaining to human rights, fair housing, equal employment, and more. You’ll also find local groups like Community Action for Social Justice, a not-for-profit organization that helps Long Islanders impacted by drug use, incarceration, homelessness, and chronic disease. This organization is funded by grants from the NYS Department of Health and staffed with employees and volunteers who work alongside community members, healthcare institutions, law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and local health departments.
And at the heart of organizations and agencies like this are Suffolk County’s social workers, all committed to ensuring that the underserved have a voice and the resources and services they need to enjoy the same level of safety, health, and well-being as everyone else.
Whether you’re in Brookhaven, Islip, Babylon, Smithtown, or Huntington, Suffolk County is rich in opportunities to make a difference in social work. Hospitals and health clinics, community centers, homeless shelters, the courts – they’re just some of the settings where Suffolk County social workers are making profound, lasting changes.
Social Worker Jobs: What Does a Social Worker Do in Suffolk County, Long Island?
Social worker jobs in Suffolk County address issues like poverty, homelessness, mental health, domestic violence, and substance abuse and oversee the provision of vital services to the people of Brookhaven, Islip, Babylon, Smithtown, Huntington, and surrounding communities.
It’s an exciting time to become a social worker in Suffolk County and begin putting your passion for the social good to work.
School Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
School social workers are found working throughout Suffolk County’s 69 public schools and three charter schools. Part of the New York City school system, Suffolk County schools serve nearly 219,000 students residing in the county’s ten towns: Babylon, Brookhaven, East Hampton, Huntington, Islip, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Smithtown, Southampton and Southold.
School social workers here conduct assessments and develop appropriate interventions focused on improving student safety and learning, both at school and at home. They often work alongside other members of the school community, including educators, nurses, psychologists, and school counselors, to develop intervention plans aimed at individual student strengths and social and cognitive functioning.
Healthcare Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
From hospitals to neighborhood health clinics, healthcare social workers in Suffolk County provide care for people on the margins who find themselves in the healthcare system here, and when transitioning back out.
For example, clinical social workers at Sun River Health in Islip, a federally qualified, not-for-profit health center, provide crisis intervention, biopsychosocial assessments, individual, family and group counseling, as well as case management services related to HIV positive patients.
And at Brunswick Hospital Center in Amityville (Babylon), psychiatric social workers perform psychosocial assessments, treatment plans, and discharge planning services.
Child Welfare Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
Child welfare social workers in Suffolk County are an important part of social services agencies, the courts, and hospitals. Social workers at the Department of Social Services investigate reports of suspected abuse and maltreatment, assess risk and safety factors, and create plans to assist in meeting the needs of children and their families.
Jobs for child welfare social workers are also found at places like Family Services League, a social services agency that provides comprehensive services to marginalized individuals, children, and families to improve the quality of their lives. Family Services League encompasses more than 60 social service and mental health programs in more than 20 locations. Social workers here provide community-based mental health treatment to both children and their families.
Mental Health Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
From hospitals to correctional facilities to homeless shelters, mental health social workers provide services to people struggling under the weight of mental health disorders and co-occurring substance abuse disorders.
They’re valuable members of community health centers like Long Island Select Healthcare, which provides clinic services at three locations in Suffolk County. Social workers here provide psychotherapy services and mental health intake assessments and serve as liaisons with other healthcare providers, including psychiatrists.
Hospitals are also big employers of mental health social workers. For example, social workers at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital plan, implement, coordinate, and document treatment for individuals diagnosed with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and more. These professionals counsel groups and individuals and help patients identify financial services and entitlement programs they may be eligible for.
Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
The rise of deadly drugs like fentanyl and tranq have resulted in a growing demand for substance abuse social workers at healthcare facilities, community organizations, homeless shelters, and more throughout Suffolk County.
For example, they work for programs like the Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence’s jail program, where they conduct group counseling sessions for incarcerated individuals. Their work is aimed at helping those in the prison system successfully reintegrate back into society.
Jobs for substance abuse social workers are also found at community nonprofits like the YMCA of Long Island. These professionals work alongside the program’s full clinical staff of physicians, rehabilitation counselors, and counselors and perform a wide range of services related to crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, and patient intake and orientation.
Homeless Outreach Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
It’s common to find social work jobs in Suffolk County focused on homeless outreach. Homeless outreach social workers here lend their compassion and talents to nonprofits like the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless. These professionals supervise a team of street outreach specialists and peer counselors and work closely with high needs households experiencing homelessness.
They also work for homeless shelters run by companies like Penates, which runs a 17-bed women’s shelter in Center Moriches. Social workers here meet with clients for individual counseling, intake assessments, and discharge summary assessments.
Military Veteran Social Worker Jobs in Suffolk County
Military veteran social workers in Suffolk County work for the Department of Veterans Affairs in West Islip. Here, they serve as readjustment counselors who provide intake, screening, and assessment services. These professionals provide individualized therapeutic and psychosocial interventions and conduct assessments of veterans in crisis to identify their immediate needs and evaluate their risk. They also provide services related to care coordination, often working with other organizations to maximize veterans’ independence, health, and well-being.