Housing Outreach Specialist

Kitsap Community Resources • Bremerton, WA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Join our team as a Housing Outreach Specialist and connect individuals experiencing homelessness with the services, resources, and housing support they need to build a brighter future. If you're passionate about community impact, relationship-building, and helping people overcome barriers, we'd love to hear from you. KCR offers comprehensive benefits including paid time off for vacation, sick days, and holidays, along with 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage for employees. In addition, we provide a 6.5% employer contribution to 401K after the first year, plus access to employee assistance, wellness initiatives, and professional growth and development training programs. Please apply at kcr.org/career-opportunities/ . If you need assistance with your application please contact Human Resources. Job Title: Housing Outreach Specialist Department: Coordinated Entry and Supportive Housing Fixed Hourly Wage: $23.37 Position Type: Full Time, Non-Exempt, Direct Supervisor: Coordinated Entry Supervisor Work Environment: 1201 Park Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337 May commute for client visits Interior office setting, areas of which are open to the public. In person, hybrid not available. Job Summary Provide coordinated entry navigation services to individuals experiencing homelessness through outreach efforts in encampments, treatment centers, hospitals, jails or institutions. Our Housing Solutions Center Outreach Specialists partners with social service organizations to provide care to homeless and low-income individuals, identify long-term housing solutions, and support households secure permanent housing. The Outreach Specialists will provide intake, assessment, referral and case management for persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Outreach Specialists will also be responsible for documenting information and services into the Homeless Information Management System (HMIS). They will establish and maintain effective partnerships with other area service providers and landlords. Client barriers may include but are not limited to mental health, substance use disorders, eviction history, unemployment, and medical illnesses. The Housing Outreach Coordinator will collaborate with other service providers in order to ensure each household is connected to the resources they desire for their success. Special assignments for Housing Outreach Specialists include HEART outreach specialists and Recovery Outreach Coordinators ROAST. The HEART Outreach Specialist works alongside the HEART Coordinator and other community partners employed by Kitsap County to perform coordinated entry services in encampments in Kitsap County. The Recovery Outreach Specialists focuses on coordinated entry services in treatment centers and jails, with the goal of bridging people straight from treatment into housing and reducing relapse or recidivism. KCR Mission, Vision, & Core Values Mission: Kitsap Community Resources (KCR) is a nonprofit, private, social services agency. We are committed to creating hope and opportunity for all low-income Kitsap County residents by providing resources that promote self-sufficiency and stability. Vision: We exist with a clear vision of creating a community where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. Core Values: Kitsap Community Resources core values are a vital part of each position, and employees are expected to uphold them to the fullest. Integrity – taking care to honor our commitments in an ethical manner Compassion – genuinely empathizing with those we serve Excellence – demonstrating a high level of performance in all we do Diversity – showing honor and respect to all individuals we serve Collaboration – so we seek out partnership opportunities Teamwork – supporting our employees and partners as we fulfill our mission

Requirements

• Lived Experience; High School Diploma or GED with 2+ years working experience may be substituted for educational requirements.
• Must demonstrate recognition and compassion for low-income peoples.
• Must be aware and sensitive to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Demonstrated ability to input, aggregate and analyze data including generation of accurate and complete reports.
• Demonstrated successful experience in preparing and processing documentation following relevant process and guidelines (such purchase requests, requests for payment, etc.)
• Reliable transportation to work.
• Ability to obtain proof of insurability for operating an automobile.
• Current Immunizations per Washington Administrative Code (can be obtained upon hire).
• Position requires intermittent sitting, standing, walking, twisting, and bending.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds.
• Simple grasping and hand manipulation required as well as reaching above and below shoulder level.
• Must be able to build secure, nurturing relationships with client households.
• Cognitive ability to recognize and address safety concerns.
• Cognitive and emotional ability to work directly with clients in need, which may include homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse, or other mental or physical barriers.
• Must be able to work outside in a variety of weather conditions.
• Cognitive ability to discern accuracy and apply to work as necessary.
• Cognitive ability to read, write, and understand English.
• Physical and cognitive ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Flexibility in the ability to manage and work with multiple agency programs.

Nice To Haves

• Multi-lingual (especially Spanish).
• Experience working with individuals with high barriers to housing stability including mental health, substance use disorders, and medical illness, familiar with resources for families or individuals who are low-income or unhoused, understand the socio-economic systems at the root causes of poverty.
• Capable of using Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Meets with individuals who may be homeless to determine their emergency and/or permanent housing needs, screens individuals for program eligibility, and coordinates referrals with the appropriate housing providers.
• Identifies other household primary barriers (employment, substance abuse, mental health, education, domestic violence, and health) and coordinates resource referrals for these services.
• Assists the team in tracking and collecting and compiling client statistics and in the completion of program reports.
• Is current on all community resources and assures all resource materials are updated in a timely manner.
• Participates in meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned.
• Report to and accept assignments from the Housing Solutions Center Supervisor.
• Service delivery of the Foundational Community Support (FCS) program for each qualified household on caseload including, but not limited to, submitting reauthorizations before expirations and meeting monthly FCS billing targets.
• Demonstrate personal compliance with KCR Polices & Procedures, grant guidelines, and federal & state regulations.
• Maintain recordkeeping and reporting systems to ensure accurate information, with timely completion and follow-up.
• Daily web-based data entry. Includes HMIS, CCL, Sharepoint, and other databases as assigned.
• Work with individuals experiencing behavior health and substance use and other high-barriers.
• Provide direct services to unhoused, at-risk of becoming unhoused, and recently housed individuals
• Establish knowledge of and develop positive professional relationships with community programs.
• Proactively reach out to and maintain communication by performing home visits (including hotels and encampments, phone calls, texts) when appropriate with clients.
• Ensure translation of knowledge to appropriate individuals.
• Develop and utilize skills when working with individuals including trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, progressive engagement and strength-based coaching.
• Work with Individuals, landlords, and community partners to ensure all program requirements are met.
• Maintain positive working relationships with other staff.
• Actively participate in a team-oriented approach including attending all required team meetings.
• Keep immediate supervisor promptly and fully informed of all salient information pertinent to the current discussion. Salient information includes prior case notes and suggested courses of action.
• Take prompt action when necessary.
• Prompt communication with supervisor regarding when work activities extend beyond KCR working hours.
• Seek out, participate in, and research for presentations in meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshop opportunities.

Benefits

• Vacation, Sick, Personal Holiday, and other time off for life events such as Jury Duty, Bereavement, etc.
• 100% Employer paid Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Long-term and Short-term Disability for employee only (dependents can be covered through payroll deduction)
• 6.5% Employer Contribution to 401K after first 12-18 months of employment
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness Program
• Employee Growth & Development Training Programs

What This Job Offers

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