Housing Navigator

Housing Coordinator for Franklin County

Mental Health Association is hiring immediately for a temporary Housing Navigator.  The Housing Navigator is responsible for locating and providing assistance and support to youth and young adults 18-24 who are at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness. This Navigation and Rapid Rehousing Program will offer youth and young adults access to financial support when possible, to address immediate housing needs and will connect youth and young adults to the larger service system, to ensure they are able to access safe, affordable, and sustainable housing in the community of their choice.

This position is full-time, temporary, and is anticipated to end in September of 2025.

Position’s Essential Functions:

• Connect with local (Franklin County) youth-serving organizations, schools, employers, colleges, and others in the community to find and connect with youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness and immediately address their needs.
• Help facilitate new relationships by way of continuous outreach and networking with community providers to support the goal of permanent housing procurement.
• Maintain ongoing connection with youth to ensure continuity of care and offer consistency as they navigate through the housing process.
• Ensure individuals have the necessary items to secure housing and assist in the development and devotion to a personal budget.
• Provide short-term follow-up and advocacy after housing placement to address immediate concerns and mediate any obstacles to continuous tenancy.
• Complete documentation requirements including assessments, progress notes, data entry
• Transport as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Valid driver’s license, sufficient automobile insurance, acceptable driving record, and a safe reliable vehicle during working hours.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage time, prioritize tasks, take initiative, follow through, and work cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Good oral, written, computer, and organizational skills.
• Creative problem-solving and advocacy skills
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to the changing needs of the program participants.
• Strong interpersonal skills, patience, caring, and compassion.
• Must be able to pass and maintain certifications in medication administration (MAP), CPR, and first aid.

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED).
• Requires previous experience working with those experiencing homelessness and/or at-risk youth.
• Previous experience helping individuals obtain housing preferred.
• Bilingual preferred.
• Candidates with lived experience of homelessness are preferred.

EEOC Statement: MHA Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, MHA Inc. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

About Mental Health Association, Inc.:

What We Do MHA (Mental Health Association) helps people live their best life. We provide access to therapies for emotional health and wellness; services for substance use recovery, developmental disabilities and acquired brain injury; services for housing and residential programming, and more. With respect, integrity and compassion, MHA provides each individual served through person-driven programming to foster independence, community engagement, wellness and recovery. Why It Matters The youth, adults, seniors and families we serve want the same things in life as anyone: to have friends, work, go to school, have meaningful relationships, express themselves (and be heard), and be accepted in their community for who they are. With our help and resources from a caring community, people can live their potential, in their community, every day. How We Think Starting in the 1960s, MHA’s groundbreaking efforts and advocacy helped to transition people away from institutional living to a life in our community. This became a model for the deinstitutionalization movement. Today, our leadership continues to advance awareness of mental health conditions and needs at local, regional and national levels. We drive compassionate care for those challenged by mental health, developmental disabilities, substance use, homelessness, acquired brain injury and more.

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