Housing Search and Stabilization Case Manager

SCHEDULE: 40 hours; Monday – Friday 8:00-4:30 OR 9:00-5:30

Pays $23.48 per hour DOE

LOCATION: 444 Harrison Ave. PSI Shelters & community-based work

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

The Housing Search and Stabilization Case Manager (HSSC) will work within a team of case managers to ensure that development and execution of sustainable and expeditious housing plans for clients who are sheltered, unsheltered, and in transitional housing. The HSSC will work with brokers, landlords, government agencies, and property management companies to cultivate, develop and maintain housing options. The Housing Search and Stabilization Case Manager is responsible for providing intense community-based services to formerly homeless clients living in transitional housing and/or permanent housing. Additionally, the Case Manger will assist individuals in seeking permanent housing. The Housing Stabilization Case Manager will engage with homeless clients to reduce barriers to housing and develop individual housing plans that will rapidly lead to safe, affordable housing with the supports necessary to sustain achieved housing. The HSSC and their team will work under tight timeframes for accurately entering guest information into the Pine Street Inn’s approved Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Attention to detail and accuracy is critical in this position, The Housing Navigation Case Manager will provide exceptional customer service both internally and externally and will work in partnership with other PSI departments to provide integrated service delivery, which furthers our mission to eliminate homelessness.

The Housing Search and Stabilization Specialist Case Manager will work from the following principles:

• 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’ 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

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

REQUIRED:

• BSW, BA or BS in a human service-related field [can be substituted for High School Diploma and at least three (3) years of equivalent experience in a social service setting]

PREFERRED:

• Bilingual – Spanish/English and/or Haitian-Creole
• Certification, training, or formal education in counseling and/or case management

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED:

• A minimum of two (2) years of experience delivering services to a challenged population often struggling with addiction and untreated or under-treated mental health concerns
• Strong computer and math skills - including familiarity with MS Word and Excel Experience
• Practical experience in working collaboratively with homeless individuals creating housing plans and individual service plans
• Experience accessing housing opportunities and subsidy programs for homeless individuals
• Knowledge of the issues related to homelessness and housing

PREFERRED:

• Knowledge and experience utilizing Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, Housing First, and Change Theory in practice
• Experience with helping individuals with budgeting
• Knowledge of Rapid Re-Housing