Full-Time

Social Worker

Updated on 9/3/2026

Yai

Yai

51-200 employees

Special education school with integrated therapies

Compensation Overview

$58k - $60k/yr

Manhattan, New York, NY, USA

In Person

Master's

Category
Social & Community Services (1)
Required Skills
Quality Assurance (QA)

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Requirements
  • Holding a master's degree in psychology, social work, or a related field as specified in OPWDD regulations.
  • Having at least 1 year of experience facilitating groups within the intellectual and developmental disabilities field.
  • Having experience in the intellectual and developmental disabilities field.
Responsibilities
  • Develop a social skills curriculum using innovative and evidence-based practices.
  • Co-facilitate integrated community outings and facilitate weekly social skills groups that support members in actualizing social plans with friends.
  • Provide supervision for student interns studying social work or mental health counseling.
  • Contribute clinical insight and support during team meetings and support individual members with their personal goals.
  • Maintain quality assurance documents, including detailed case notes for each clinical interaction and records on goal progress, in compliance with Medicaid Waiver regulations.
  • Support group members in developing community connections and social capital in integrated settings.
  • Communicate and collaborate with members' circles of support to ensure goal achievement and coordination of care, including attending biannual ISP/Life Plan meetings.
  • Maintain annual staffing requirements in compliance with OPWDD regulations and standards and other agency-wide initiatives as needed.
  • Provide clinical insight and training to the larger team in collaboration with program leadership.
  • Facilitate clinically focused specialty groups during weekday evenings for program members, including sexuality, advocacy and rights, and social skills groups.
  • Work with Manhattan Self Advocacy leadership to develop an annual schedule of monthly general assembly meetings and monthly board meetings.
  • Coordinate and establish quarterly YAI Self Advocacy Summits with approximately 10 regional groups and corresponding quarterly self-advocacy staff support meetings.
  • Support self-advocacy presence and engagement at interagency committees and initiatives.
  • Respond to agency requests for self-advocates to participate in special events such as the Leadership Summit and United Nations events.
Desired Qualifications
  • Holding a SIFI credential or being eligible to pursue one to provide field instruction for social work student interns.
  • Demonstrating strong leadership qualities.
  • Demonstrating strong problem-solving skills and the ability to overcome challenges.
  • Possessing strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Demonstrating exceptional clinical skills in group and individual work and the ability to support adults in moving beyond barriers.
  • Being open to providing and receiving feedback from colleagues, team members, and group members.
  • Being committed to compliance and quality assurance activities affiliated with YAI Network and OPWDD funding sources.

Yai's Manhattan Star Academy (MSA) is a private, non-profit day school within the YAI Network that serves students aged 3 to 21 with developmental disabilities. It combines academics with therapies (occupational, physical, speech, counseling) in a Montessori-inspired, developmentally based curriculum, using small classes and sensory-friendly facilities with technology to track progress. The school includes a transition and vocational program to prepare students for life after graduation. Its differentiators are the integrated therapeutic model, a specialized environment for neuro-developmental needs, and a continuous education path from early years through post-secondary readiness.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$330K

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

2023

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • STAR supported six students in its first year, showing demand for transition services.
  • YAI expanded MSA’s Upper School, signaling ongoing enrollment and program investment.
  • Community internships and podcasts strengthen employability, communication, and family appeal.

What critics are saying

  • YAI warned 2026 Medicaid cuts and flat state budgets squeeze provider wages.
  • Ninety percent of disability providers reported staffing shortages in 2025, pressuring MSA staffing.
  • If Medicaid rates stay inadequate, YAI’s school and adult-services model strains financially.

What makes Yai unique

  • MSA serves ages 3-21 with integrated academics, therapies, and transition programming.
  • STAR launched in July 2025, adding person-centered vocational and community learning.
  • YAI’s Upper School at 150 Amsterdam Avenue expands capacity for older students.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

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