Housing Specialist

CrossWinds Counseling & Wellness•Emporia, KS

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About The Position

The Housing Specialist position assists with quick access to housing search and placement, building community/landlord partnerships, reducing housing barriers, and leveraging supportive services that will assist the individual household to maintain permanent housing. Provides a variety of office and community-based activities to manage and monitor housing and transitions for individuals and families, performs direct client services, and completes necessary documentation and collaborations.

Requirements

Associate’s degree plus two years’ experience in the health and human services field OR four years’ experience in the health and human services field is required.
Must complete Case Management Training and provide certificate within 6 months of hire.
Computer experience in Microsoft Office programs and basic computer fluency.
Ability to work with persons with severe and persistent mental illness; ability to work independently and as a member of a therapeutic team; possess demonstrated interpersonal skills and ability to react effectively in a variety of human service situations.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or counseling is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assures housing referrals are completed in a timely manner.
Understands and appropriately uses Supported Housing funds when available.
Understands and supports the Housing grant goals.
Collects and reports program data.
Works with homeless or housing-insecure population to obtain shelter, temporary, and/or permanent housing; provides proactive support for maintaining housing and preventing eviction.
Collaborates with government agencies, community organizations, and property owners to build working partnerships and housing solutions.
Provides mediation and advocacy with landlords on the participant’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and maintain housing.
Assesses housing barriers of individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at-risk of homelessness to determine housing and service needs.
Assists individuals utilizing strengths-based practices in locating and securing housing.
Transports individuals as deemed necessary. Transportation requirements should be limited to housing and relevant social service agencies.
Ensures individuals understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants.
Assists with crisis planning and provide crisis intervention services when appropriate.
Meets or exceeds the billable hour standard of client contact hours set for position.
Maintains accurate and complete records of all client services, as defined by state licensing agencies, funding agencies, and CrossWinds standards and requirements. Submits daily appointment sheets, progress notes, timesheets, and all work-related paperwork in a timely manner and in acceptable format as determined by agency requirements.
Demonstrates a high level of initiative and creates a positive model for clients to emulate.
Attends professional workshops and seminars in order to maintain and improve professional skills and meet licensure/certification requirements.