Outreach Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist

SCHEDULES:   40 hours, Monday, Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Nights and Weekends as needed during adverse weather conditions

Pays $ $26.00 per hour DOE  (Salary ranges provided are based on relevant experience and skill set) 

LOCATION: 105 Chauncy Street, the Streets & community-based work

The Outreach Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist will spend 60% of their time in the office and 40% of their time on the streets.

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION: 

The Outreach Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist (OHPSS) will work within the Outreach Department to provide housing navigation support to unsheltered homeless clients and brief housing stabilization services to previously unsheltered housed clients. The OHPSS will work in collaboration with OHP team and Outreach Specialists and Clinicians from BHOT and Veterans Outreach. This targeted housing placement and stabilization work will employ a "Housing First" approach and will focus on assisting program participants to move into and sustain permanent housing and maximize independence and well-being. The work includes vital document gathering, filling out housing applications, enrolling clients in mainstream benefits, accompanying guests to unit showings and lease signings. Staff will also provide assessments for stabilization needs and referrals to community-based services. The OHPSS will work with Outreach team Specialists, Clinicians, and current or past providers to determine risk factors and need areas (using provided specialized assessment tools) to improve safety, independence, and well-being.  Extreme weather conditions may require the OHPSS to assist the Outreach team with support to unsheltered individuals and vulnerable housed clients. This position is considered an essential employee for the PSI.

Outreach Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist will work from the following principles: 

• Shelter is a temporary safety net, not a home
• All people experiencing homelessness, regardless of their housing history and duration of homelessness, can achieve housing stability in permanent housing
• Everyone is "housing ready." Sobriety, compliance in treatment, or even a clear criminal history is not necessary to succeed in housing. Rather, homelessness programs and housing providers must be "consumer ready"
• Engage guests' strengths and assets to move as rapidly as they can tolerate, into permanent housing
• Working as a member of a larger team, asking for help and providing it to others as needed 
• Recognizing the impact of violence and victimization on development and coping strategies 
• Employ an empowerment model 
• Maximize guest choices and control over her/his recovery supported by an alliance with staff
• Create an atmosphere that is respectful of the guests' right to safety, respect, and acceptance 
• Emphasize the guests' strengths, highlighting adaptations over symptoms and resilience over pathology 
• Minimize the possibilities of re-traumatization 
• Strive to be culturally competent and to understand each person in the context of his or her life experiences and cultural background 
• Solicit guest input and involve guests in designing and evaluating services

EDUCATION/TRAINING:REQUIRED: 

• Associate's Degree in a human service-related field [can be substituted for High School Diploma and three (3) years of equivalent experience in a social service setting.]

PREFERRED:

• Undergraduate degree, certification, training, or formal education in counseling and case management
• Bilingual
• Training and experience in Trauma Informed Care, Progressive Engagement, Harm Reduction, Motivational Interviewing
• Valid Driving license in good standing

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED:

• Minimum of six (6) months of experience working with homeless or similar population, providing direct care and/or active case management and referral services to homeless individuals or similar population
• Capacity for working collaboratively on a multi-disciplinary team 
• Affinity for considering and working with new approaches and expressing their own in a group setting
• Strong written communication and documentation skills
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office Products, including Excel and Outlook
• Knowledge of the issues related to homelessness, particularly around housing, substance use, mental illness and economic factors as precipitants to homelessness
• A working knowledge of homeless referral networks
• Knowledge and belief in "Housing First" philosophy and strategies
• Basic math skills and budgeting experience

PREFERRED: 

• One (1) year experience working with homeless population, providing direct care
• Extensive experience with case management, housing placement, and landlord engagement
• Experience with Clarity, or similar HMIS system
• Knowledge of tenant rights, and responsibilities as well as "Strengths based" Case Management
• Experience with case conferencing with challenging presentations