Housing Placement & Outreach Specialist - HS020

Native American Rehabilitation Assoc. of the NW•Portland, OR

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Housing Placement and Outreach Specialist provides culturally responsive outreach to Native American individuals and other vulnerable community members experiencing homelessness in shelters, encampments, and unsheltered locations throughout Multnomah County. Working independently and with community partners, the specialist conducts outreach, completes Coordinated Access assessments, facilitates referrals, and helps participants obtain documentation needed to access housing. The role connects participants to housing, shelter, healthcare, behavioral health, food, clothing, and other supportive services, and assists with document readiness, such as obtaining DMV identification, birth certificates, and Social Security cards. The specialist provides housing navigation, including housing searches, application support, lease-up coordination, move-in assistance, and short-term housing stabilization services using approaches such as Rapid Re-Housing. Services are delivered in a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, person-centered, and nonjudgmental manner, with respect for participants’ autonomy and self-determination. This is an in-person position at Totem Lodge in Portland, Oregon, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The hourly wage range is $26.25–$30.45. The position is non-exempt. NARA Northwest is a nonprofit organization with more than 400 employees whose mission is to provide culturally appropriate education, physical and mental health services, and substance abuse treatment to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and others in need.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
QMHA (Qualified Mental Health Associate), PSS (Peer Support Specialist), CRM (Certified Recovery Mentor), and/or CADC-1 (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I) credentialing required within six months of hire.
Professional experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or severe and persistent mental illness.
Effectiveness in presenting ideas, transmitting information, or conveying concepts to people and groups with varied educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds.
Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients, community members, and staff.
Knowledge of housing resources and recovery-based, holistic approaches to addressing needs.
Ability to collaborate with clients and program staff and treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Reliable transportation, a current driver’s license with a clean driving record, and proof of auto insurance.
Ability to pass pre-employment or for-cause drug testing.
Ability to pass criminal background and DMV checks.
Employees must comply with NARA NW’s drug-free and alcohol-free workplace and modeling sobriety policies, including signing the required workplace certification and policy forms.
If in recovery, employees must have been sober/clean for a length of time sufficient to demonstrate they can remain sober.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within the Native American/Alaska Native community.

Responsibilities

Engage individuals experiencing homelessness and address social, cultural, linguistic, and educational barriers while developing culturally competent, creative action plans for housing stability.
Provide supportive services in a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and nonjudgmental manner.
Use a person-centered approach, respect clients’ self-determination and autonomy, and apply Motivational Interviewing principles to explore ambivalence.
Conduct brief screening and assessment as appropriate.
Complete supportive housing assessments (MSST) and help match individuals with community-based, subsidized, treatment-focused, shared, or other housing.
Coordinate with community housing providers and health and behavioral healthcare providers.
Coordinate with WorkSource Oregon, Supported Employment programs, and other workforce partners to connect participants with employment, education, vocational training, and career development opportunities.
Use Short-Term Rental Assistance and Rapid Re-Housing models to help participants secure and maintain housing and promote long-term self-sufficiency and stability.
Participate in coordinated street and shelter outreach with other agencies and attend collaboration meetings as a NARA NW representative when required.
Provide culturally appropriate clinical consultation and advocacy to support Native American and Alaska Native individuals and families in the community and in hospitals, jails, schools, and public agencies.
Participate as a member of a care team, contributing input and developing strategies to address housing, health, and psychosocial issues.
Consult with a clinical supervisor and/or housing leadership team on complex cases that exceed the specialist’s area of expertise.
Facilitate communication and positive relationships between households, service providers, and housing providers.
Respond to outreach requests involving community service sites, encampments, hospitals, jails, detox centers, shelters, and streets.
Help participants obtain documents needed to access housing, including DMV identification, birth certificates, and Social Security cards.
Assist participants with housing searches, applications, lease-up coordination, move-in, and short-term housing stabilization.

Benefits

15 paid holidays, including the employee’s birthday.
13 paid days of sick time.
13 paid days of PTO, with vacation accrual increasing with years of service to a maximum of 26 days.
Affordable medical, dental, and vision insurance through Kaiser Permanente.
$50,000 life insurance and AD&D.
Short-term and long-term disability.
Flexible Spending Account.
Health Spending Account.
401(k) with 4% match.
Employee Assistance Program.
Inclement weather days (snow days).
Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility; NARA NW is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit and FQHC.