2 - Positions Needed for Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist, Outreach

SCHEDULE: 40 hours, Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

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

Pays $23.48 per hour

This position carries a retention bonus of $5000.00, payable in equal instalments $1000 at 30 days, $1000 at 6 months and $3000 at one year.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist will work within the Outreach Department portfolio to provide housing navigation support to unsheltered homeless guests, working alongside the Outreach Specialists, Clinicians, and the overall Outreach department. This targeted housing placement and stabilization work will have a “Housing First” approach and will focus on assisting program participants to move into and sustain permanent housing and include, and not be limited to, organizing document collection, enrolling clients in mainstream benefits, filling out housing applications, accompanying guests to unit showings and lease signings, and providing referrals to community based services. The Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialist will provide office and community-based stabilization services once the individual is placed into housing as outlined by specific benchmarks set by funders and industry best practices. Extreme weather conditions may dictate that the HPSS is on the streets completing outreach work. This position is considered an essential employee for the PSI.

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 clean criminal history is not necessary to succeed in housing. Rather, homelessness programs and housing providers must be “consumer ready”
• Leverage guests’ their strengths, assets, and connections to move quickly out of shelters and to any other housing
• Recognize the impact of violence and victimization on development and coping strategies
• Employ an empowerment model
• Maximize guest choices and control over her/his recovery based in a relational collaboration
• Create an atmosphere that is respectful of the guests’ need for 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

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

• Associate’s Degree in a human services 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 in Trauma Informed Care, Progressive Engagement, and Motivational Interviewing
• Valid Driving license in good standing preferred

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

• 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
• 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

PHYSICAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:

• Ability to stand for moderate periods of time
• Ability to stretch, bend, lift and assist guests up and down stairs during difficult and/or emergency situations
• Ability to respond safely and quickly in case of emergency situations
• Ability to sit for moderate periods of time at a desk in an office while interacting with individuals and/or managing documentation
• Ability to operate PSI vehicles.
• Ability to work outdoors in all inclement weather

MENTAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:

• Ability to perform an array of difficult tasks at the same time
• The temperament to work with guests with problems indicative of untreated emotional/physical health needs and active substance use/abuse/dependency behaviors
• Ability to work in intense emotionally charged situations
• Possesses strong organizational skills with ability to meet a demanding workload
• Detail oriented to complete requirements of files and contract compliance
• Creative thinking needed to work with complex presentations on the streets and in housing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Outreach and engage individuals on the streets to assist them in quickly developing housing pathways and assist with all activities leading to a successful housing placement. This may include completion of housing applications, assisting individuals with interpreting and signing tenancy agreements, and conducting inspections of units when applicable.
• Enroll eligible individuals into the program, collect and maintain all required paperwork and documentation.
• Enter all required work into Clarity database in a timely fashion with accuracy, documenting each interaction with program participant within 72 hours of interaction.
• Provide stabilization services to program participants once housed to assist with continued housing stability. Successfully connect individuals to benefits, resources, supports and jobs which will build income and assists which sustain housing. Activities include home visits as needed, assistance with connecting with community resources and acquiring the basic skills necessary to maintain permanent housing.
• Maintain individual’s records, including database files, incident reports and daily and weekly service records and progress notes.
• Perform other additional assignments or projects as requested/directed by supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned in order to meet the needs of the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health or weather emergency

INTERNAL CANDIDATES, IF INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION, PLEASE SUBMIT A PROMOTION/TRANSFER APPLICATION TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF POSTING.

Pine Street Inn is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.