Emergency Assistance & Pathway of Hope Case Manager / Food Pantry Coordinator

The Salvation Army USA Central Territory•Emporia, KS

11d

About The Position

Coordinate social services activities for the corps. Duties involve interviewing clients to identify problems, determining assistance needed, giving direct assistance or referring them to the appropriate agency. Provide direct assistance and/or referral to clients in need based on established criteria; assess all families with minor children for eligibility in the Pathway of Hope (POH) program. Deliver all POH services using the strength-based case management model to families with a desire to take action to break the cycle of crisis and change the trajectory of their lives. Responsible for pantry including, but not limited to, the transferring of food from donation locations to The Salvation Army’s food pantry. Responsibilities require considerable contact with the general public and other agencies.

Requirements

Degree in human service area; prefer bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Extensive experience in strength-based case management may substitute for bachelor’s degree.
Minimum of two years of case management experience in a comparable social service program that offers multi-faceted case management interventions designed to address the needs of families utilizing a strength-based approach.
Experience and/or strong interest in community outreach, organization and community capacity development
Must have an interest and ability to work with people and clients of diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds in a sensitive and culturally appropriate manner
Ability to collaborate on complex social issues within families and communities
Ability to be creative, original, intuitive, and perceptive
Ability to think logically and critically
Ability to envision a project from beginning to end
Ability to solve complex problems, make appropriate judgments and decisions
Ability to speak and understand Spanish and English in a manner that is sufficient for effective communication with others
Demonstrated capacity to teach adults
Familiarity with Salvation Army policies and procedures
Excellent oral and written communication skills
must possess a valid driver's license and be approved through The Salvation Army Fleet Safety Program to drive either a Salvation Army or personal vehicle on Salvation Army business.

Responsibilities

Schedule, interview and evaluate needs of individuals and families
Determine level of assistance needed
Provide assistance in accordance with established schedules and guidelines, checking eligibility in electronic client database management system
Develop client assistance plan
Write and maintain confidential client case notes, documenting requests, findings and services rendered
Create and update client files and electronic database files by recording each contact made with clients
Maintain social services procedures and fund balances in MAAC
Learn about community agencies’ resources, maintain referral list, provide referrals to appropriate agencies and services when further assistance is needed
Provide short-term case management services as appropriate
Maintain the food pantry in all areas that adhere to Kansas Food Bank and The Salvation Army food handling policies.
Finish the appropriate paperwork for the Kansas Food Bank and The Salvation Army reports in a timely manner.
Pick up store donations, weighing them, and preparing them for food pantry or breadline.
Maintain gas logs in the program vehicle
Work with the staff and volunteers to serve clients in a friendly and courteous manner. Helping donors bring in donations.
Assist with coordinating volunteers for food pantry, food drives, and other events.
Assist in helping with food drives, commodities, and other donations.
Conduct regular outreach to social services sites and other locations in the community to identify eligibility requirements
Engage and build rapport with target population
Conduct screening interviews with potential applicants in accordance with POH eligibility requirements
Present potential participant to POH team to include the corps officer, corps support staff, and Divisional POH program manager
Provide appropriate referrals for individuals not eligible for POH services
Perform intake that includes required documentation for admission, referral needs, explanation of program and expectations
Conduct a written assessment on all participants within 72 hours of contact including screening for serious personal safety and mental health issues
Develop a case plan with the participant based on the primary goals of housing stability, increased income/financial resources and skills, and self-determination within one week of intake which includes short-term and long-term goals with objectives. Update case plan as needed
Schedule regular meeting times with participants to develop and review goals and objectives
Provide information and referral services as needed
Assist participants in connecting to and accessing appropriate community resources
Provide advocacy services as needed, i.e., court involvement, landlord/tenant conflict resolution, etc.
Provide financial assistance in accordance with program policies and procedures.
Coordinate case management efforts with all staff and contracted services to meet individual and family needs
Develop a discharge plan with participants addressing permanent housing stability, economic stability, emotional stability and self determination
Assist participant to develop a crisis plan; be available during off hours to respond to an emergency
Conduct life skills and budgeting classes
Maintain case files for each participant that includes the assessment, case plan, documentation of progress, challenges, outcomes/accomplishments, discharge plan and summary, and documentation of all follow up contact
Maintain comprehensive and detailed case notes on all participants
Complete required documentation of all educational groups
Prepare case records for proper storage after participant discharge
Ensure client confidentiality in accordance with established procedures and regulations
Maintain comprehensive demographic data as required on all participants
Submit monthly summary of service statistics to the Pathway of Hope program manager
Maintain accurate records of financial assistance provided to participants in their file and in The Salvation Army’s information management system
Complete other reports as requested
Attend agency and community meetings as requested
Attend supervisory meetings
Attend corps team meetings
Maintain working relationships with community agencies to provide comprehensive services for participants and to stay abreast of current trends and resources available
Provide guidance and support to community volunteers working with the program
Represent the agency’s purpose, philosophy, and function to the community
Promote the spiritual dimension of Salvation Army social services programs, emphasizing the importance of Christian influence and evangelism in all Salvation Army ministries, including delivery of social services in contemporary settings
Track and report unmet needs of participants and their families
Document and report effectiveness of service delivery using consumer, case management and community resource feedback
Provide ideas for programming specific to educational or process groups needed for participants
Ensure quality of local data and reporting of information that will support national and territorial POH program outcomes
Ensure client relevance and consistency of POH by collaboration with the POH program manager with ongoing development of policies and procedures, goals and objectives, and outcome based measures related to POH
Ensure the accuracy of data entry into the SIMS database
Participate in other program and outcome evaluation activities
Assist POH program manager in the annual POH evaluation/outcomes measurement for Corps and summary/review report to the Divisional Social Services Director
Report any POH challenges and work with the POH Program Manager to develop an action plan to address program development needs
Assist the POH program manager in the completion of quarterly random record reviews and annual review of compliance with standards in order to assure program evaluation/certification requirements
Attend training sessions that support the initial implementation phase and ongoing training requirements for POH
Attend in-service training and outside conferences/workshops as requested and approved by the Corps Officers or POH program manager
Participate in POH workshops and other training events at the territorial, divisional or local level, as requested and/or assigned