Homeless Outreach Specialist I

Interfaith Community Services INC•Oceanside, CA

just now•$25 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

As North County's largest social services agency, Interfaith Community Services has been "helping people help themselves" since 1979. The organization provides a wide range of programs designed to empower hungry, homeless, and low-income community members to begin a pathway towards self-sufficiency. Each year, Interfaith Community Services impacts more than?20,000 community members by providing basic needs and nutrition support, social services, shelters and housing, employment development, senior services, veterans programs and addiction recovery support. Together, in partnership with 250+ diverse faith communities, more than 1,700 recurrent volunteers, and a growing staff of over 275, Interfaith provides a safe-haven and pathway towards self-sufficiency for more than 20,000 community members annually. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a service-driven environment, we invite you to be part of our mission! In the Homeless Outreach Specialist 1 role, you’ll provide field-based outreach, short-term crisis intervention, and case management to individuals experiencing homelessness with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI). The Homeless Outreach Specialist will provide outreach and short-term case management to the North County region to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to housing, health, and other supportive services. The position will attend and support case conferencing and ensure that clients with ongoing treatment needs are successfully connected with appropriate community-based treatment programs. The position will interact closely with the interdepartmental treatment team of behavioral health clinicians, clients, homeless outreach workers, community partners, program leadership and staff.

Requirements

High School Diploma, required
Must have experience and knowledge of working with disenfranchised individuals, families and cultures
Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
Demonstrated experience managing multiple deadlines and working effectively under pressure, using independent judgment to produce quality work under time constraints
Demonstrated experience working with a collaborative team to drive successful projects to completion
Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret quantitative information
Advanced knowledge of Windows operating systems as well as Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint)
Ability to communicate effectively among a diverse workforce population and maintain sound working relations with all levels within the organization
Work with spirit of enthusiasm, teamwork, cooperation and a sense of urgency
Maintain a high degree of confidentiality over all matters in the course of business operations including client and employee information
Ability to multi-task in an efficient, thorough, and prioritized manner
Ability to work quickly, accurately and independently
Ability to anticipate needs, prioritize work and solve problems
Must be able to perform work both in a climate-controlled office setting
Must have physical ability to walk outdoors in weather conditions year-round; traveling in the community, parking lots, sidewalks, alley ways and within canyons, freeway underpasses, fence lines along canals and behind private property
Must have the physical ability to sit for long periods of time, stand, walk, bend, and kneel on a frequent basis
May be subjected to adverse conditions, including contact from hostile people
Low to moderate exposure to contagious diseases (hepatitis, HIV, tuberculous, etc.)
Low to moderate exposure of unpleasant and noxious fumes, odors, dust, temperatures, noise and inclement weather
Occasionally lifts, carries and balances objects weighing up to 30 pounds
Pulls and pushes such objects as file drawers, computers and similar office equipment and supplies
Prioritizes and multi-tasks work and projects requiring good memory, concentration and analytical thinking
Occasionally is required to perform the safe operation of a vehicle, office equipment and machines, and recognize and abate safety hazards within the workplace
Must be able to communicate verbally and in writing frequently with a wide range of people from divergent socio-economic backgrounds and origins

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in related social services or equivalate years of relevant work experience, preferred
Experience working with severely mentally ill, medically fragile, and homeless population, preferred
Bilingual (English/Spanish), preferred

Responsibilities

Conducts outreach and engagement with individuals experiencing homelessness
Identifies, engages and links underserved populations with SUD and behavioral health services
Provides direct services to homeless clients and families, which include: intake, assessment, referrals and case management as well as client advocacy with the goal of supporting self-sufficiency
Outreach teams will employ a regionalized, neighborhood-based model to build collaborative relationships with unhoused individuals as well as community stakeholders
Provides direct services to clients including short term counseling, crisis intervention, an linkage with longer term services
Participates in outreach events for the purpose of engagement and client linkage
Participates, when appropriate, in case conferences for clients receiving counseling services
Develops and maintains effective relationships with mental health providers to ensure that clients with ongoing treatment needs are successfully transferred to longer term services
Maintains accurate records and files and prepares reports as required by funders and agency administration
Enter data into the regional Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) client database, the Coordinated Entry System (CES) and/or other electronic data systems as required by funders and Interfaith
Monitors compliance with grant and contract requirements. Makes recommendations to supervisor regarding any program changes needed to meet grant benchmarks
Ensures the confidentiality of client information and health records
Meets regularly with supervisor and participate in agency meetings and staff trainings
Provides trauma informed and culturally competent client services
Performs additional duties as assigned