Downtown Rising Case Manager

Title: Downtown Rising Case Manager

Reports to: Downtown Rising Team Lead

Department: Outreach & Emergency Services

Position Summary:

The Downtown Rising Case Manager is responsible for providing Outreach, Engagement, Linkage, and Housing locations to individuals/families who are experiencing homelessness and coping with mental health, medical, and substance use issues within Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the City of Atlanta. The Case Manager will utilize a multidisciplinary approach to engage the hardest-to-serve population experiencing homelessness to provide case management and connect them to referral services, such as: shelter placement, permanent housing, mental health treatment, and employment agencies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide connection to coordinated entry services to include performing mobile assessments where clients are located, referring/connecting and transporting clients to immediate shelter, and providing ongoing navigation to assist that client with obtaining permanent housing.
• Develop an Individual Service Plan (ISP) for each client/case and document in Client Track HMIS system and make referrals to other service providers to support improved access to mainstream benefits.
• Provide daily report to Outreach Coordinator of all clients engaged, enrolled, housed, and/or connected to resources and services.
• Provides linkages and referrals for the homeless population to community services, providing a warm handoff, and outreach services for individuals referred who have been difficult to engage.
• Seeks to build trusting relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness and to engage those with mental health issues with community mental health services.
• Provide outreach and engagement to individuals/families who are homeless and may suffer from serious mental illness (SMI) or SMI and co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs).
• Outreach services will include case management, transportation, access and triage for services, and other functions that have value for the homeless persons and improve the likelihood of accessing stable housing.
• Utilize Trauma-Informed Care when interacting with clients.
• Utilize best practices, including but not limited to motivational interviewing techniques to promote hope and change while providing compassionate, case management.
• Maintains a working knowledge of public benefits, community resources, and available mental health services, including the most effective way of accessing the resources/services needed.
• Maintains clients' records, keeping all files up to date and properly archived, by documenting case management meetings, notes, and observations as well as reviewing case notes and service plans, including exit planning and implementation, ensuring compliance with HIPAA and data privacy practices.
• Enter case notes in Client Track HMIS system within 48 hours of contact.
• Provide monthly reports to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Uphold customer service values of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Must be able to work with persons experiencing Serious & Persistent Mental Illness, elderly, chronically/literally homeless, disabled veterans, HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ community, human trafficking, and the working poor. Must also be able to foster amicable relationships with Guest Relations, Interfaith Chapel, USO, Department of Aviation, and Atlanta Police Department.

Personality and communication (soft skills):

• Ability to work as a team and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Diversity and cultural awareness.
• Ability to approach and engage potential clients professionally and safely.
• Customer service oriented.

Hard skills:

• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to apply nonviolent crisis intervention principles to daily situations.
• Problem-solving capabilities.
• Maintain client information and records in a confidential manner.
• Microsoft Office 365, i.e., Outlook, Teams, etc.

Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of interviewing and supportive counseling principles and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of social casework principles and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of community resources and programs and of regional and state resources for homeless mentally ill and substance abusing population.
• Thorough knowledge of the symptoms, common behavioral and social characteristics and other manifestations of the disabilities affecting the client population served.
• Thorough knowledge of human development and behavior.
• Thorough knowledge of residential housing for the homeless population.
• Knowledge of federal and state local support services and laws governing client's rights and confidentiality of records.
• Ability to evaluate and interpret behavioral observations.

Difficulty:

• Work involves assessment of client needs and the development of an initial plan of care specific to the needs identified. Work requires an involved integration or coordination of various services needed by the client. Work involves interaction with a multitude of professional disciplines, as well as requires the incumbent to personally render direct care ranging from crisis intervention to provision of basic shelter, food, or personal needs to supportive counseling. Incumbent works with hostile or aggressive clients and is called upon to de-escalate potentially explosive behaviors and situations. Limited resources require the use of creativity and innovation to deal with specific client needs, often in crisis situations.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Work Environment

• Outdoors and Indoor, temperature-controlled office environment. Travel to central office locations and other off-site facilities as necessary. General ability to walk, occasionally stoop, bend, reach, and lift for light items.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Psychology, or related field of Social Services preferred.
• Applicants with MSW a LSWAIC, or MA strongly preferred.
• 2+ years' experience working in outreach/street outreach with the homeless population and/or related vulnerable communities preferred, or some equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in an outpatient mental health setting with specific experience with people who are homeless with severe and persistent mental illness and dual diagnosis preferred.
• At least two years' experience working with homeless or low-income populations, including persons with mental health disabilities and substance abuse problems:
• Preferred experience with homeless outreach working with homeless individuals/families; proven ability to access the wide range of homeless services; familiarity with overcoming the barriers homeless people encounter.
• Background in case management, resident advocacy, or related career is required.
• Background in "housing-specific" case-management highly desired.
• Knowledge of local resources is important.
• Current driver's license and insurable driving record.