Housing Case Manager

DBHDD HSP, Housing Case Manager

REPORTS TO: Program Manager

HOURS: Full time – 40 hours

CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt

SUMMARY: The Housing Case Manager (HCM) will provide outreach, engagement, intake, housing search/placement and on-going support services to homeless persons to obtain a Georgia Housing Voucher and be placed in scattered site housing in the community. The HCM will be a member of a Housing First team forming to expand Step Up’s successful field-based permanent supported housing model in the Atlanta area. The team will provide housing support services to adults experiencing chronic homelessness and co-occurring mental health that leads to permanent supported housing. This position fully promotes the use of Housing First, Harm Reduction, Trauma-Informed Care and the Motivational Interviewing evidenced-based models of Recovery Oriented service delivery.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Outreach, Housing Placement and Case Management

• Provide intensive case management Housing First services to a caseload of 25-40 chronically homeless persons to obtain and maintain Permanent Supportive Housing. Services include: outreach and engage referrals, conduct intake and assessment of barriers, document acquisition, service plan development, linkages and referrals to clinical and appropriate community resources, housing search, leasing up, moving into housing and on-going in-home services.
• Meet with assigned members weekly utilizing telehealth and monthly in-person home visits to review progress toward goals and provide case management and skill building interventions that increase benefits and vocational skills; and collaborating with Step Up team, community partners and property management staff to ensure housing stability.
• Comprehensive coordination of care including developing/maintaining relationships with community treatment providers to ensure ongoing clinical/substance use treatment supports and successful transition to and maintenance of independent living.
• During monthly home visits, monitor members for warning signs of de-compensation and crisis that lead to lease violations, and coordinate with the treatment team, community resources and property to respond accordingly.

Data Collection and Record Keeping

• Using the GIRP note format, document all services provided to members and collateral contacts on behalf of members as required by DBHDD and Step Up in Welligent electronic health record.
• Responsible for monitoring housing needs, bridge funding, lease up packages, lease renewals, client forms and charts, tracking productivity and documentation for all services, and file maintenance.
• Process all paperwork in a timely and accurate manner.

Team Engagement and Support

• Work collaboratively with members of the Step Up team and community providers to effectively perform their assigned job duties and contribute to the achievement of the program's goals and objectives of client’s housing stability.
• Attend staff meetings, supervision and training as required. Other duties as assigned.

Required education:

• Bachelor's Degree

Required experience:

A minimum of 2 years related housing/case management experience working with chronically homeless adults struggling with a mental illness required. Knowledge of housing vouchers, providing services in community settings and documenting services provided using the GIRP note format preferred. Proficient use of Office 365 products required.

Required license or certification:

• Georgia Driver’s License with a good driving record

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Work with people experiencing homelessness whether on the streets, in shelters or other places of habitation or services, may present inherent challenges and difficulties such as: exposure to bed bugs or other infestations, unpleasant smells or odors, individuals who may have poor hygiene or unclean homes due to homelessness, mental health symptoms, or poverty. Additionally, in working with our members, employees may encounter instances of profanity, sexually explicit or derogatory language, or verbal or physical expressions of anger and trauma. Very rarely do these situations ever escalate to physical contact, and negative or derogatory communication patterns can often be negotiated successfully. All direct care staff are provided adequate training to develop skills to deescalate crisis situations that may arise and Step Up has established procedural safeguards for all employees to mitigate (but not eliminate) these inherent risks of employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers; handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk; and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk, balance, stoop, kneel, and/or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Keyboard data entry required.

Step Up utilizes the principles of trauma-informed care and mental health recovery. These principles inform our Core Values of Hope, Wellness, Voice and Choice, Respect, and Collaborative Relationships. As representatives of Step Up, employees agree to adhere to these values in their interactions with members, colleagues, supervisors, and associated community members.

STEP UP CORE VALUES

HOPE – We believe all people have the capacity for positive growth and change. We use hope to inspire and motivate ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

WELLNESS – We believe in promoting a culture that supports healthy and fulfilling lives. We use a supportive environment to foster well-being for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

VOICE AND CHOICE – We believe in the right to choose and be heard. We use voice and choice to create meaningful outcomes and empowerment for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

RESPECT – We believe in promoting interactions that are non-judgmental, transparent. We use respect to guide all of our words and actions with ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – We believe in forming partnerships to share resources, knowledge, and experiences. We use collaborative relationships to strengthen accomplishments for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

Step Up is committed to providing quality services that adhere to the highest ethical standards and principles. All Step Up employees agree to adhere to the ethical policies and codes of conduct, as outlined in the Employee Handbook and those specified for this grant.

I can perform the functions of this job as described with or without reasonable accommodation.

Employee Name (Print):___________________________________________

Employee Signature: ________________________________________________

Date:_________________________________

Step Up provides equal employment opportunities without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, mental or physical disability, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

STEP UP IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER