Full-time Homeless Prevention Case Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION: Homeless Prevention Case Manager

Status: Non-Exempt Reports to:Team Leader

Homeless Prevention Program provides short-term financial assistance for housing and case management support to individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness. The program’s temporary financial assistance assists with rental and utility arrears, short-term rental and/or utility assistance and can also provide move-in cost assistance in cases where a participant loses their current housing. The program offers resources and services that are tailored to the unique needs of the household. The housing prevention case manager is a source of support and guidance. Housing prevention case managers are trained in diversion to assist participants in identifying strengths and social resource in an effort to divert from the homeless shelter system and avoid homelessness. Additionally, they are trained to assist individuals with identifying barriers to housing stability and engage in goal planning that aims to link individuals to the resources and skills that they need in order to achieve long-term housing stability. This person must also have experience working with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Most importantly, we are looking for individuals that have passion for the work and compassion for all people experiencing homelessness in our community.

Using a multi-disciplinary skill set, the Housing Prevention Case Manager must be able to exercise the followingskills:

• Conduct initial assessment and screening to all potential participants to determine eligibility.
• Utilize diversion skills to help those at risk of homelessness to identify immediate alternatehousingarrangements, connecting them with needed resources, and identifying strengths andpersonalresources.
• Will utilize all relevant resources (outside agencies, social support, budget assistance, etc.) toavoideviction as much as possible.
• Assist participants as advocates for benefits, housing needs to include evictions, landlordnegotiationsand access to community resources.
• Assist in development of positive working relationships with other agencies serving those at risk
• Demonstrate understanding of mainstream resources (for example, government benefitsandentitlements), non-governmental resources (for example, resources available through churches),andhomeless service resources (for example, shelter);
• Ensure that services are provided in a safe, respectful, and effectivemanner;
• Facilitate and assist with participant move-in process
• Facilitate and assist with moving out participants and cleaning units
• Resolve complex issues involving the program and its participants;
• Model effective engagement techniques and strategies including: Motivational Interviewing,AssertiveEngagement and Active Listening;
• Knowledge and practice-understanding of mental health issues, trauma-informed care, mentalhealthand addiction assessments, participant-centeredtreatment;
• Excellent communication skills in allmediums, with a special emphasis on effective communicationskillswith people that are experiencing crises and heightened emotions;
• Respond to crisis situations in a calm and professional manner, ensuring the safety of participantsandstaff.
• Achieve knowledge of the contracts and grants workingunder;
• Actively participate in staff meetings andtrainings;
• Work with each participant to develop and/or strengthen their goal plan according to individualgoalsand objectives
• Maintain contact with all housing participants on a scheduled basis, appropriate to their particularstatusand needs
• Ensure that participant interactions are person-centered, goal-focused and reflect eachparticipant’sgoal plan
• Build professional relationships with participants, providers, and community partners
• Provideparticipants training in the areas of personal hygiene, accessing community resources,medicaladherence, household management or other needs as outlined in the participant’s goal plan
• Exercise patience, understanding, and concern for each participant’s well-being, safety,development,and enjoyment of life
• Provide transportation to participants when required
• Make referrals to supportive services in our community as appropriate and support participantinnavigating this process
• Be an effective mediator and advocate for all housing participants
• Document all participant interaction and maintain accurate paperwork/reports
• Attend weekly case review meetings and other specified meetings/trainings as required.
• Communicate effectively in oral and written forms with participants, their families, theirsignificantothers, coworkers, supervisors, other service agencies and the community
• Operate proficiently a personal computer, fax machine, printer, and copies
• Other duties asassigned.

The Diversion/Reception Specialist must be able to fulfill duties in accordance with the Housing First approach,including:

• Housing as the first essential step, without any requirements for sobriety, participation intreatment,medication protocol, compliance, or demonstrated “housingreadiness”;
• Recovery orientation related to mental wellness and cognitivefunctioning;
• Reducing harm to the individual and broadercommunity;
• Remaining non-judgmental in behaviors, practices, beliefs and actions of service participants;
• Promoting and empowering meaningful choices and service access options, as well as allowingthe service participant to influence the type, duration, frequency and intensity of supports;
• Absence of coercion, tricks orcontracting;
• Supporting greater independence overtime;
• Professional relationship without dependency that supports “doing with” instead of “doing for”;
• Expressing empathy andpositivity;
• Remaining future oriented, not anchored to past events, with a strong sense of promoting hope andpossibility in a realisticmanner;
• Transparency and disclosure of information with the service participant using full informedconsent;
• Balancing the needs of the participant, community and landlord in each situation;
• The right to refuse or revoke services and/or seek restitution or grieve instances where they feelservices are inappropriate orinadequate.

The Housing Prevention Case Manager must have a considerable knowledge and expertise in the areas of:

• Legal requirements and risks to perform this type of work, including the relevant legislation thatimpactsdecision-making in particularsituations;
• Problem-solving;
• De-escalation of emotional situations and potential conflict;
• Government, non-governmental, and non-profit resources to people with housing instability, or atriskthereof;
• Rental housing and requirements of tenants and landlords bylaw;
• Homelessness, especially chronichomelessness;
• Aboriginal culture and impacts on culturalidentity;
• Economicpoverty;
• Income supportservices;
• Childwelfare;
• Health care, mental health care, and addictionservices;
• Harmreduction;
• Trauma andabuse;
• Domestic and intimate partner violence (victim andperpetrators);
• Life changes andageing;
• Fetal alcohol spectrumdisorders;
• Braininjuries;
• Privacy andconfidentiality;
• Self-care;
• Corrections and criminaljustice.

In the course of performing the duties of the Housing Prevention Case Manager it is not uncommon to see, engage or be confronted with first hand – or have staff encounter first hand – the following: violence and threats of violence; profane, racist and/or sexist language; bodily fluids; conflict; interactions with First Responders; alcohol and other street drugs; cigarette smoke; death of service participants or her/his associates; nudity of service participants or her/his associates; friends/family dynamics with service participants; people involved with sex work; people involved in the drug trade; persons used against their consent, will or knowledge; people in conflict with the law; and/or other situations that may be unsettling. Measures are taken to train staff to appropriately deal with these situations, but those in the position should reasonably expect these types of things to occur and the Housing Prevention Case Manager must provide appropriate direction and support to thesesituations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma and two years of experience serving vulnerable and challenged individuals.
• An Associate’s Degree or higher may substitute years of experience.
• Current driver’s license and traffic abstract.
• Personal vehicle with current safety check, registration and minimum no-fault insurance coverage.
• Availability to work occasional evening and weekend shifts

Candidates must display and/or demonstrate physical ability to:

• Climb and/or walk up and down stairs and/or walkways.
• Sit for periods of up to 30 minutes at a time.
• Walk and/or standing for up to 30 minutes at a time.
• Lift, carry, pull and/or push items up to 30 pounds at a time and for short distances. Such motions may include reasonable bending, stooping, reaching and twisting.

Hourly Pay Range: $20.00/hour-$27.00/hour