Case Manager - Street Outreach

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Agate Housing and Services is an innovative and collaborative nonprofit organization whose mission is to end homelessness and relieve hunger through action and advocacy. We progress toward this goal by providing emergency services, shelter, and housing programs for individuals and families. We meet people experiencing homelessness where they are and accompany them on their journey to safe, stable housing and a healthier life. We believe that housing is a basic human right.

Agate Housing and Services values are:

Integrity: Consistently doing the right thing even if it isn't the popular thing.

Equity: Fighting the status quo by actively examining and changing the way things are done to better represent the people who are most impacted by homelessness and hunger.

Humanity: Understanding how these issues impact us- the community, our staff, and the people we work with- as a collective and developing relationships by establishing trust when we put in work to understand the needs of people experiencing homelessness and hunger.

Creativity: Responding to the needs of the community with innovative and unique solutions.

Agate Housing and Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/AAE, offering competitive pay and exceptional benefits including; medical insurance, employer paid dental and life insurance, short term disability, 4 weeks of paid time off in the first year of employment, and a 401k retirement savings with an employer match.

Position Overview:

The Outreach and Shelter Department serves single adults through our emergency response programs. Our programs include Shelter, Street Outreach and the Welcome Center. Through these programs, we often encounter individuals along the broad spectrum of homelessness from recently homeless to chronically homeless individuals. The objective for each program is to build rapport and assist and support individual's connection to stable housing and achieving their goals.

Agate Housing and Services' Street Outreach Program is an innovative and nationally-recognized housing-focused street outreach model that serves people throughout Hennepin County who are unsheltered, living on the streets or in other places not meant for human habitation. Street Outreach Case Managers are tasked with engaging these individuals to meet them where they are holistically, and work with them to achieve their housing goals. They provide a spectrum of services on the path to housing, such as resource navigation, material support to keep people safe in inclement weather, and connection to healthcare supports.

Often this means going to campsites and other places where individuals might stay while experiencing unsheltered homelessness. All Street Outreach is done in pairs with either another team member or another service partner. Street Outreach Case Managers work closely with other members of their team, the Welcome Center staff and with a variety of community partners including other outreach teams, housing providers and other health and human service providers, the City of Minneapolis, and Hennepin County.

In addition to light-touch engagement with individuals in the field or during drop-ins, each Street Outreach Case Manager carries a caseload of 12-15 participants that they provide housing-focused services to. Primary tasks in this role are completing housing assessments (typically through Coordinated Entry), supporting participants in connecting with housing opportunities, and employing creative problem-solving to remove barriers to housing.

Position Responsibilities:

• Provide housing-focused services to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness, and maintain a caseload of 12-15 participants


• Coordinate with Agate Housing and Services housing programs and other service providers to help participants progress towards stability


• Complete accurate case notes, data collection and weekly reporting for assigned participants through online databases including HMIS and ClientTrack


• Conduct outreach services to those experiencing literal homelessness, unstable housing,


• and those unable to be inside during daytime hours to connect them to support services


• and life-saving supplies


• Staff on-site drop-in hours at main office, to provide resource navigation and material support (including harm reduction gear)


• Utilize personal vehicle for Street Outreach


• Respond to voicemails, emails, and other communication promptly


• Adhere to mandated reporting responsibilities


• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• In addition, successful applicants will embrace the following perspective, skills and abilities:


• Commitment to Agate Housing and Services' values and mission of ending homelessness and relieving hunger through action and advocacy.


• Commitment to working towards an anti-racist culture both within Agate Housing and Services and the broader community.


• Hold the belief that every household can achieve housing stability.


• Commitment to harm reduction and Housing First philosophies.


• Ability to work respectfully with participants, coworkers, and key stakeholders who are diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and religion.


• Ability to establish rapport quickly with people experiencing a crisis through use of trauma informed care, person-centered care, and strengths-based approaches.


• Ability to thrive in an unpredictable work environment.


• Ability to hold appropriate professional boundaries with participants and colleagues, and to maintain a professional attitude in the face of change, challenging/stressful situations/people.


• Willingness to work with participants with diverse barriers, including those who actively use drugs, must register as sex offenders, or exhibit severe mental health symptoms.


• Ability to meet expectations regarding paperwork and documentation through organizational skills, a strong attention to detail, and the ability to work efficiently and accurately


• Competency and comfort using technology and computers.


• Collaborate effectively with team members, other programs, and external organizations.


• Seek out professional growth, training opportunities, and additional tasks.

We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply. However, if you have received services from Agate Housing and Services within the last two years this will make you ineligible for employment.

In addition, applicants must:

• Lift up to 50 pounds occasionally and 20 pounds routinely;


• Walk up to 5 miles, hike and traverse wooded and hilly areas;


• Work both indoors and outdoors during periods of extreme cold and hot;


• Have experience with Microsoft Office products;


• Have valid MN Driver's License, pass background check;


• Be able to drive company vehicle;


• Maintain liability insurance coverage of at least one hundred thousand dollars per person and three hundred thousand dollars per occurrence.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two years' experience working with families and/or single adults experiencing homelessness.


• Lived experience of homelessness.


• Experience with HMIS and CES Assessments.


• Bilingual skills relevant to the individuals we serve (Spanish, Oromo, Somali, Amharic).

Community Travel & Transportation Responsibilities: This position requires regular travel within the community to attend meetings, provide client support, and fulfill program-related duties. Employees may be required to transport clients or travel independently using their own personal vehicle. Mileage and other eligible travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with company policy. A valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and current auto insurance are .

This job description is intended to outline the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications for the position. The organization reserves the right to modify, add, or remove job duties as business needs evolve.