North of the city, south of Upstate New York, with Long Island Sound and Hudson River views, rolling landscapes, and some of the best public schools in the nation, Westchester County is considered one of the most idyllic locations in New York State to live and work.
But appearances can be deceiving, and serious social issues are an inevitable and inescapable part of the fabric of this county. For example, Westchester County hasn’t been spared the deadly consequences of the nation’s drug epidemic – not by a long shot. According to the CDC, Westchester County reported a total of 146 opioid-related deaths in 2022 – or a rate of about 15 deaths per 100,000 people. Westchester EMS reported 531 naloxone uses in 2023, up from 379 the year before.
But Westchester officials, advocates, and activists are hard at work combatting the county’s drug abuse crisis. As a result, signs of hope are emerging. For example, Westchester County reported 1,708 opioid-related treatment admissions in 2022 – down from about 2,000 in 2021.
And there’s more help on the way. In May 2024, Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that the county would be receiving about $5.8 million in opioid settlement funds (resulting from a 2019 lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General against drug distributors and manufacturers) from the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports for drug treatment, prevention, and recovery programs. The funds received by the county will address a variety of needs that have been identified by the Opioid Response and Overdose Prevention Initiative, which was launched in 2022 in response to the rising number of overdose deaths in the county.
Just some of the recipients of these funds include Family Services of Westchester, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Partnership to End Addiction, Lexington Center for Recovery, Family Services of Westchester County, and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) County Corrections.
Whether they’re working to help fight the opioid crisis through assessment, counseling, and referrals, or they’re tackling other pressing issues throughout the county such as child welfare and mental health, Westchester County’s social workers are a vital part of local, regional, state, and even national efforts aimed at providing services and resources for at-risk, vulnerable peoples and populations.
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Social Worker Jobs: What Does a Social Worker Do in Westchester County?
From hospitals to schools to community health centers, social workers in Westchester County are busy at work, supporting individuals, groups, and communities in need and creating more positive societal conditions along the way.
School Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Westchester is home to three charter schools and 46 public school districts that educate some 138,000 students. School social workers in Westchester County bring unique perspectives to interdisciplinary schools teams of nurses, school counselors, educators, and psychologists.
Jobs for school social workers are focused on providing individual and group counseling and ensuring that schools meet their academic mission — and that students meet their full potential — by providing support to both students and faculty.
Healthcare Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Jobs for healthcare social workers in Westchester County are found in settings that range from hospitals to community clinics to long-term care facilities.
For example, social workers at St. John’s Riverside Hospital provide a variety of clinical and therapeutic services that include assessment, case management, intervention, treatment planning, individual and group treatment, and discharge planning for patients and families.
Social work jobs in healthcare are also found at nursing and rehabilitation centers like Cedar Manor, where they provide services aimed at maintaining or improving each resident’s ability to manage their everyday physical, mental, and psychosocial needs.
Child Welfare Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Child welfare social work jobs in Westchester County encompass the juvenile justice system, family social services agencies, and nonprofits. For example, social workers specializing in child welfare work for the Office of Children and Family Services (OFCS) and with partner nonprofits like the Community Credible Messengers Initiative, a program that helps youth transition back into the community under conditional release.
They are also found at places like Westchester Jewish Community Services, which works with the Department of Probation and community service providers to give families and young people access to vital resources. The Westchester Jewish Community Services is home to many programs and initiatives that help youth and families, including the Early Step Forward program, which provides early childhood mental health services to families with children up to age five.
Mental Health Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Jobs for mental health social workers are plentiful throughout Westchester County in settings like hospitals, inpatient mental health facilities, and community centers.
For example, mental health social workers are an important part of the Family Mental Health Centers within the New York State Office of Mental Health. Social workers here are part of interdisciplinary teams who provide comprehensive mental and behavioral health services at locations throughout Westchester County.
They’re also valuable practitioners at private facilities like Memory Helpers Psychological Services in White Plains and Sun River Health in Peekskill, where they provide bio psychosocial assessments and individual, family, and group counseling.
Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Social workers specializing in substance abuse provide invaluable assessment, counseling, and referral services to those suffering from substance use disorder and their families.
The expertise and specialized skillset of substance abuse social workers are valued at places like the mobile crisis intervention units run by People USA, a peer-run mental health nonprofit, and the Lexington Center for Recovery in Peekskill, an opioid treatment program that operates community clinics throughout New York. Both of these agencies work with the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health to provide services to people living with mental health and addiction issues.
Unhoused Outreach Social Worker Jobs in Westchester County
Homeless outreach work jobs in Westchester County are found at places like Lifting Up Westchester in White Plains, which provides comprehensive support services aimed at people facing homelessness and poverty. Each year, this organization serves more than 2,500 men, women, and children. They run a number of shelters in the region like the Open Arms Men’s Shelter, the Samaritan House Women’s Shelter, and Community Central & Grace’s Community Kitchen.
Homeless outreach social workers in Westchester County also provide services through the Office of Temporary Housing Assistance within the Westchester County DSS, which provides temporary shelter and services to homeless families, singles, and childless couples. They partner with nonprofit agencies who provide case management services in shelters and other residential facilities.