Housing Specialist, Magnolia House Women's Shelter

CAMBA INC•New York, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

CAMBA operates five single adult homeless shelters and one single adult drop-in center, funded by New York City Department of Homeless Services. Each shelter offers clients a supportive, structured, therapeutic, safe, and drug-free facility. Homeless (often mentally-ill and substance-abusing) men and women are provided with comprehensive services to stabilize their condition in order to successfully transition into permanent and/or supported housing. Specifically, CAMBA’s Magnolia House located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn serves 200 MICA women. The Housing Specialist is expected, under general supervision, to immediately formulate a plan and prepare clients for permanent housing placement; engage individuals requiring social service assistance; interview and evaluate clients, formulate Independent Living Plans and goals; and locate and refer to appropriate community resources for clients.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (e. g., B.A., B.S.W.) and/or equivalent experience
May be required to become First Aid/CPR certified
May be required to become certified in overdose prevention
TB test required

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual preferred
Bi-lingual English and Spanish

Responsibilities

Immediately formulate a plan and prepare clients for permanent housing placement
Engage individuals requiring social service assistance
Interview and evaluate clients, formulate Independent Living Plans and goals
Locate and refer to appropriate community resources for clients
Maintain professional relationships with clients and client confidentiality
Practice Universal Precautions/Standard Protocol & Procedures
Comply with any and all Federal, State, City and CAMBA security and privacy polices intended to protect the security and privacy of individually identifiable health information
Serve as a liaison with outside organizations regarding such matters as education, healthcare, housing, social services, legal issues, etc.
Assist clients in attaining their Housing related goals by identifying and referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA
Conduct housing search efforts for each housing ready client referred (i.e., referrals to housing providers, contact landlords, search for apartment listings, etc.)
Develop curriculum to address clients’ Housing and Independent Living related needs including, permanent housing search process and options
Develop and facilitate a series of Housing Workshops
Develop materials to be posted on a Bulletin Board that serves to provide relevant Housing related information
Provide individualized counseling on housing related topics
Organize and schedule presentations by supportive housing programs, local real estate experts and/or landlords
Provide housing related support, training and coordination with the other social services staff
Establish linkages with community-based organizations (i.e., supportive housing programs, DHS Housing Unit, etc.) and local landlords
Review all approved housing packages to determine appropriateness of housing providers
Escort clients to appointments (i.e., housing interviews, apartment move-ins, housing fairs, etc.)
Ensure that quality housing placements are achieved via web-site checks (DOB, HPD) and all payments to landlord/utilities are up-to-date with apartment in move-in condition
Follow-up with clients for a period of time after move-out to assure client stability
Conduct initial intake and assessment of clients’ needs and periodic re-assessments
Create and maintain client electronic and paper files
Prepare initial psychosocial evaluation and update according to regulations
Obtain and maintain relevant documentation and release forms from clients (i.e., birth certificate, proof of income, medical documents, release of Personal Health Information, etc.)
In collaboration with clients, conduct periodic revisions of independent living plans including short-term and long-term client goals
Assist clients in attaining their goals by identifying community resources and by referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA (i.e., On-site medical services and psychiatric services, etc.)
Work with clients to break through barriers to their goal(s) attainment
Assist clients in advocating for themselves in order to gain housing stability
Recommend and implement strategies to persuade clients to participate fully in the process in order to transition into permanent housing
Monitor clients' progress toward their goals via regularly scheduled face-to-face contacts/sessions
Document all client encounters via progress notes using DHS CARES Database and printout notes for client’s paper file
Ensure CARES Database is updated to reflect client request for services (i.e., car fare, appointments, passes, referrals, etc.)
Follow-up with clients and with referral organizations regarding client contact and progress with referral organization
Provide all required information for weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reports
May act as client liaison/client advocate with outside organizations regarding such matters as education, healthcare, housing, legal issues, etc.
May schedule appointments for clients with referral organizations
May assist clients in completing applications for benefits and entitlements and may process applications on clients' behalf
May prepare marketing materials for the program