Access Specialist

Redwood Community Services • Lakeport, CA

5d • $24 - $29

About The Position

The Access Specialist in Lake County works as a part of the Integrated Health team serving vulnerable people across the county. Our Integrated Health Services seek to support all elements of life – a whole person care approach linking behavioral health, physical health, housing, and more. Services provided through this department include Enhanced Care Management (ECM), housing support services, emergency shelter, and coordination with other agency departments/programs, as well as community partners and resources. The Access Specialist is responsible for outreach efforts to connect people with the services we provide. This includes contacting the clients who are referred and/or the agencies who refer people to us, describing the benefits of our programs to clients and other organizations, attending community events, and other methods to raise awareness about our services. The Access Specialist conducts screening and intake interviews in person and over the phone, gathering information needed to connect them with ECM, housing support services, and emergency shelter. The Access Specialist also coordinates the program’s participation in the Lake County Continuum of Care’s (LCCoC) Coordinated Entry System (CES). CES is a county-wide system that aims to connect people experiencing homelessness with support services and housing. Assists individuals and families with gathering information to meet requirements of the CES. Ensure all CES data entry and reporting are completed. Supports clients with accessing supportive services and resources submitting and following up on referrals. The ideal candidate has exceptional customer service skills, is approachable and able to build trust with the people we serve, is highly organized, and has technical skills for managing data. This position requires an ability to be accepting and demonstrate compassion and empathy while working with diverse staff, clients, and community partners. Our Integrated Health department supports clients through our Xamitin Haven emergency shelter in Lakeport, the RCS Lake County campus in Lakeport, and our office in Clearlake. This position would be stationed primarily in our support services wing at Xamitin Haven, while also supporting outreach to the children and families serving through the Lake County campus, and the children, families, and adults served through our Clearlake office.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience working in a position related to homelessness, social services, hospitality, mental health, substance use, or similar areas
• Must have knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.)
• Must complete a pre-employment physical exam, negative TB test, clear fingerprint background, FBI, & Child Abuse Index
• Two (2) years driving experience and ability to drive and use personal vehicle for work (including transporting clients) required; no more than two (2) points on driving record; must show evidence of current CA driver’s license, appropriate insurance, and vehicle safety inspection.
• Must be willing to work occasional shifts outside of “regular business hours” for special events or to support facility operations.
• Must be willing to occasionally work on the floor at RCS facilities to support operations, staff, and guests
• Must possess a valid CA Driver’s License, current auto insurance, and a clean DMV printout (no more than 3 points).
• Must pass a clear background check with DOJ, CACI, FBI, CCL.
• CPR and First Aid Certified.
• TB Exam and Physical at the time of employment.
• This position requires the use of a personal vehicle for business purposes and on-call rotation.
• Employees must use a personal vehicle that meet all agency requirements, including maintaining liability insurance that meets or exceeds state requirements.
• Employees are responsible for ensuring the timely renewal of their vehicle insurance policies and providing updated documentation to the agency to remain in good standing and compliant with position requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred – Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field.
• Strongly desired – Candidates with lived/personal experience with homelessness (must no longer be receiving services in our Integrated Health department)
• Candidates that speak and/or are fluent in Spanish or American Sign Language (ASL).

Responsibilities

• Conduct outreach to people who have been referred to Integrated Health Services, describing the services we offer. Outreach could also include going into the community to meet clients where they are or identify potential clients to refer to our services.
• Conducts interviews with new clients, ensuring all the required information is collected for intake.
• Connect screenings and services in their primary language, utilizing a language line or service as needed.
• Refer and link clients to the appropriate services and resources to help them address barriers to housing, wellness, and community connection.
• Track referrals made and the referral outcomes (i.e., did the client successfully connect with the referral resource or not).
• Connect with organizations (hospitals, rehab facilities, jail, etc.) referring people who are discharging from care and are seeking placement in our Xamitin Haven emergency shelter.
• Coordinate with the Xamitin Haven supervisor and staff to arrange beds in the shelter for people discharging from hospitals, jail, rehab, and other facilities.
• Support Xamitin Haven as a CES Access Point.
• Provides each household screened with an orientation to CE and helps them understand what their next steps are after screening.
• Provides training to co-workers on conducting CE screenings.
• Shares knowledge of how CE functions with the team.
• Develop positive relationships with clients and aid them with building positive relationships with others.
• Engage with guests to build trust and prompt them to engage in housing support services through the CES.
• Enter all data in a timely manner in the appropriate database(s). Credible for our agency client electronic health record (EHR). The Hub for our community collaborative efforts to connect with clients. LCCoC Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for CES client information.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partner organizations, to support the flow of referrals to our services.
• Attends the LCCoC CES committee meetings and represents the agency under the support and direction of program leadership.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package available.
• Comprehensive onboarding including CPR/First Aid, Crisis Communication/Pro-ACT, Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, and Collaborative Problem Solving.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED