Housing Stabilization Specialist

FORKIDS INC•Chesapeake, VA

2d•$22 - $26

About The Position

The Housing Stabilization Specialist provides supportive services to help very low-income families who have faced housing instability quickly regain permanent housing. Once the household is stabilized in housing, the Housing Stabilization Specialist utilizes a trauma informed approach and motivational interviewing to provide one-on-one coaching around financial goals and addressing family challenges.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a social-services related field.
A minimum of one year of experience in case management or related field experience is required.
Knowledge of crisis intervention and family case management.
Knowledge of the various community-based family service programs and activities.
Knowledge of child development, positive parenting, mental health and related subjects.
Knowledge of non-violent parenting and discipline strategies for children.
Knowledge of conflict resolution strategies.
Knowledge of basic counseling skills and techniques, including conflict resolution.
Basic knowledge of principles, procedures, techniques, trends, and literature of strengths-based and participant driven program models.
Basic knowledge of principles of community organizing, service coordination, and advocacy to initiate/coordinate service delivery and follow-up services.
Knowledge of child protection standards and procedures.
Knowledge of the use of personal computers and standard office software.
Effective oral and written communication skills.
Ability to accurately track and report data.
Ability to maintain meticulous and up-to-date case files.
Ability to correctly assess situations within scope of responsibility and to make sound judgments within existing laws, policies and regulations.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with parents, children, co-workers and with representatives of other agencies and programs.
Ability to train participating families on basic parenting skills and related topics.
Ability to plan daily activities to achieve identified goals.
Ability to teach goal planning process.
Ability to independently solve problems and provide guidance to other team members.
Ability and willingness to drive agency-owned vehicles, including 15 passenger vans.
Valid driver’s license with no more than three minor moving violations and/or accidents combined within the last three years, and no major moving violations in the past three years.

Responsibilities

Respond to referrals from the Hotline and other agencies within 3 days and maintain ongoing communication as needed regarding the eligibility of referred households.
Develop, provide, and monitor individualized service plans (ISPs) to achieve the primary goal of obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.
Assist participant in obtaining all benefits for which they are eligible.
Complete HMIS documents and necessary reports in a timely and accurate manner.
Complete Housing Habitability, Housing Quality Standards and Lead-Based Paint Inspections to ensure identified housing is safe and adequate.
Engage in direct communication with participants regarding housing inspections and safe housing standards.
Develop and cultivate relationships with local property management agencies to seek housing for participants and to encourage property managers to modify tenant selection criteria to accommodate participants facing homelessness.
Assist participants in developing realistic housing expectations, ensuring that the cost of identified housing is within participant’s means to maintain after graduating from the program and that it is reasonable and within local fair market rent.
Provide individual, housing-focused case management for participants, serve as coordinator of services, and provide assessment, referral and follow-up to address any needs that impact housing stability. Minimum of one in-person meeting required per month.
If employment is a housing stability goal, coordinate employment attainment, through job-searching, resume-building, mock-interviewing, and dress-for-success strategies.
Create, update, and implement all facets of weekly and monthly budgeting and financial wellness
Establish collaborative relationships with other public and private agencies/services and establish ongoing linkages and supports for individual participants.
Establish professional, supportive relationships with all participants.
Ensure that all participants understand program guidelines and remain focused on housing stability goals.
Conduct intake interviews including case history and assessment of needs.
Educate family members regarding existing community services, and act as an advocate to connect family members to these services.
Regularly evaluate activities and accomplishments of participants with respect to their established goals in order to ensure continued program fulfillment.
Ensure that participant documentation is maintained as per established deadlines and standards.
Coordinate transportation services and/or transports families for regular housing and other business-related appointments as needed.
Encourage and assist families with training and coaching activities in areas such as: problem solving, goal setting, child development and health care, meal planning, budgeting, job readiness, substance-abuse prevention, housing/tenant relations and education, and other topics which may impact long-term housing stability.
Attend staff meetings and in-service training as needed.
Other duties as assigned.
Customer Service: Provide service to internal and external customers according to standards as outlined in ForKids Customer CARE Manual.
Financial Management: Use agency resources (financial and non-financial) prudently. Acknowledge and follow financial policies of the agency.
Grants Data Management: Accurately complete all required data reporting in accordance with established guidelines. Participate in all scheduled data collection trainings.
Community Engagement: Participate in development and fundraising activities as needed and requested (ex: meeting with donors, providing tours, attending fundraising events). Regularly engage, support and collaborate with volunteers to provide a meaningful experience.