Copy of Case Manager - Rapid ReHousing (Full-time)

Covenant House California•Santa Clara, CA

About The Position

Covenant House California (CHC) is a nonprofit organization that provides sanctuary and support for youth overcoming homelessness, ages 18-24. CHC believes that no young person deserves to be homeless; that every young person in California deserves housing, food, clothing, education, and most importantly, to be loved. CHC provides a full continuum of services to meet the physical, emotional, educational, vocational, and spiritual well-being of young people. CHC’s doors are open to youth and staff regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We believe that youth and team members deserve to be in an environment that is inclusive and affirming; where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and valued and appreciated for who they are. Maintaining a diverse community of youth and staff is key to our ability to achieve our mission most effectively. We are also committed to being a leader in advancing anti-racism, and to promoting opportunities for the free expression of the lived experiences of our youth and staff. We are looking for people who, like us, believe that every young person deserves a place to belong. We think it takes all kinds of people to create diverse solutions to end youth homelessness and we are on a committed journey to build an inclusive and equitable work culture that brings out the best in everyone. In our Santa Clara location, we have been offering housing and supportive services to young people since May 2021. This location is also the first CA site to offer support to young families. As this position provides direct care to young people that are 18-24 years old, we require that applicants are at least 25 years old. Covenant House California offers an excellent benefits package, (most benefits effective date of hire), including medical, vision, dental, an EAP program, 403b retirement account, and a generous vacation package. Covenant House CA (CHC) is excited to announce the launch of its new Rapid Rehousing (RRH) program in Santa Clara, CA. Drawing upon CHC’s 30+ years of experience serving young people, ages 18-24, staff will assist to develop a program that effectively meets the unique needs of young people experiencing homelessness and human trafficking in Santa Clara County. CHC is committed to meeting young people where they are, accepting them for who they are, and relentlessly engaging them so that they can fulfill their dreams. This is a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity to help launch a new program, that will change the lives of young people forever! CHC is looking for passionate, highly skilled, and energetic Case Managers who possess excellent communication and organizational skills to provide support to young people that is strength-based, trauma-informed, and harm reduction focused. Case Managers will model our mission of providing absolute respect and unconditional love to all young people and will value working within a multidisciplinary team to create a safe and inclusive environment for all. Under the supervision of the Santa Clara Program Director, the RRH Case Manager will provide support in program development, implementation, housing navigation, and individual case management within the CHC Rapid Rehousing Program. The RRH Case Manager will work in partnership and collaboration with multiple agencies to help rapidly rehouse young people experiencing homelessness who are referred to our program through Santa Clara County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). The RRH Case Manager will maintain a caseload of 10-15 transitional-aged youth ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness, many who will also have multiple barriers (i.e., Serious Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorders, Chronic Health Conditions, frequent contact with law enforcement, etc.). The RRH Case Manager will work with our young people from early rapport building, supporting them to the point where they are able to secure stable housing and case plan support throughout participation in the program and aftercare. The position is also responsible for providing these services within the framework of the Mission Statement, Five Principles, and the Policies and Procedures of Covenant House California.

Requirements

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work or related field OR an Associate’s degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work OR related field and 2 years of case management experience, preferably with young people experiencing homelessness.
EXPERIENCE: In lieu of a degree, must have a minimum of 4 years of case management experience, preferably with young people experiencing homelessness.
SKILLS: Must be a self-starter and team player with the ability to work with other staff. Leadership skills and program development experience are preferred. Knowledge of adolescent development, community resources, and case management skills. Must have good organizational skills and the ability to communicate with members, clients, vendors, and the public. Communication with and about young people must reflect a “strength-based” and “trauma-informed” approach.
TRANSPORTATION: Preferably has a valid CA Driver’s License, reliable transportation, and a good driving record, or the ability to navigate public transportation efficiently. Able to drive CHC vehicles, preferably.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Provide Case Management services with the goal of developing positive relationships with young people through the utilization of the case management system, including:
Intake:
Welcome young people to the program, ensure they feel comfortable, safe and understand the program structure, opportunities for engagement and access to supplies that they might need.
Verify young person qualifies for Rapid Rehousing program and complete homelessness verification documentation for HMIS.
Undertake expanded assessment and ensure data entry into ETO and HMIS.
Individual Success Plan:
Develop an Individual Success Plan (ISP) with each young person upon completion of assessment.
Revise and update the Success Plan on a weekly basis. An updated plan is written, at minimum, after two weeks of intake, and updated weekly thereafter.
Rapid Rehousing Case Management:
Directly assist young person by: locating housing, filling out housing applications, complete housing habitability standards, and reviewing and understanding the requirements of the lease;
Meet with RRH residents once a week, and twice a month in-person;
Providing mediation with landlords and neighbors, and provide written information about landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities;
Obtain, interpret and correct as needed, rental and credit history;
Developing a household budget and reducing expenses to the extent possible; reducing or re-negotiating debt and/or obtaining other consumer credit counseling assistance;
Provide information, referral, and application support for employment, education, health insurance, public benefits, and other services;
Partner with community and faith-based partnerships to provide furnishings and household items for young people moving into their own apartments;
Maintain a calendar of the young person’s work schedule, appointments, etc., in conjunction with their Success Plan;
Monitor young people’s progress of self-identified goals and coach young people to plan, implement, and follow-through with tasks;
Develop and maintain knowledge of and connection to community resources and make appropriate referrals for services within CHC and to community agencies;
Engage in positive transition planning with the young person.
Documentation:
Document weekly progress notes in young people’s Success Plan in ETO and HMIS;
Maintain case management files for all young people (HMIS and RRH Chart) assigned to caseload;
Monitor program outputs and ensure that program outcomes are met and that there is complete documentation specific to external grants as required;
Document pertinent information in Critical Incident Reports, Follow-Up forms, etc., as necessary.
Case Review:
Prepare and present assigned cases at weekly case review meetings and facilitate quarterly Client Success Planning Meetings.
Group Facilitation:
Develop creative ways to facilitate psycho-educational and support group activities with young people on a regular basis.
Facilitate Success Planning Meetings with young people and young people’s identified circle of support.
Provide custodial supervision as follows:
Punctuality and consistency for assigned shifts as well as all scheduled meetings, including transition, staff meetings, offsite community collaborative meetings, and training.
Perform duties as assigned to meet the needs of young people and ensure adherence to the program expectations. This includes, but is not limited to:
facilitating group case management meeting with young people;
ensuring the cleanliness and safety of the apartments;
providing crisis intervention, as necessary;
Other program duties as assigned by the Santa Clara Program Director.