Information And Referral Aide

City of Miami•City of Miami, FL

About The Position

This is entry-level, field-based outreach and client engagement work supporting the City of Miami’s Homeless Outreach operations. The aide assists Information & Referral Specialists in engaging individuals and families experiencing unsheltered homelessness, facilitating access to emergency shelter and supportive services, gathering required documentation, and supporting Coordinated Entry processes. Employees work as part of a paired outreach team under the direction of an Information & Referral Specialist and provide engagement, documentation, data collection, and field safety support in accordance with Miami-Dade Homeless Trust requirements, Coordinated Entry policies, and City of Miami Homeless Outreach protocols. After training, the employee is expected to perform assigned duties independently while following established procedures and supervisory direction. Final eligibility determinations, program referrals, and placement decisions are made by the Information & Referral Specialist. The role includes daily field outreach and coordination with City departments and external partner agencies, as well as administrative support for outreach operations. Employees use computers, tablets, radios, and mobile devices; maintain resource information and field supplies; and prepare outreach records and client documentation for specialist review. Employees must hold a valid driver’s license from any state equivalent to a Florida Class E upon application. A Florida Class E or higher license must be presented before appointment and maintained throughout employment. Candidates are subject to Level II background screening and must be available for various shifts, including nights, holidays, and weekends.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent and two years of experience in public-facing clerical support roles or field-based community engagement, or an equivalent combination of education beyond high school and the required experience.
Valid driver’s license from any state equivalent to a Florida Class E at application; a Florida Class E or higher license is required before appointment and must remain valid throughout employment.
Must undergo Level II background screening.
Must be able to work various shifts, including nights, holidays, and weekends.
Applicants must submit required education and driver’s-license documentation with the application and fully detail work experience on the application.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or other vulnerable or underserved populations is preferred.
Experience in human services or healthcare support is desirable.

Responsibilities

Work daily alongside an Information & Referral Specialist as part of an assigned field outreach team.
Participate in unsheltered outreach engagements, encampment operations, and emergency response deployments.
Support coordination with City departments, including the Miami Police Department and Solid Waste, and with external partner agencies.
Maintain updated resource lists and help identify supportive-service resources for client referrals.
Provide clients with information about shelters, diversion opportunities, food assistance, healthcare, mental health services, detox programs, and veteran resources; facilitate referrals as directed.
Conduct initial engagement with people experiencing homelessness, building rapport through trauma-informed and culturally competent approaches.
Ask preliminary triage questions to identify immediate needs, safety concerns, and potential service pathways.
Assist clients with basic processes such as obtaining identification, locating treatment programs, or attending assessments.
Collect data and enter information into HMIS and other designated databases according to established procedures.
Collect client documentation for shelter, hotel placement, diversion, and housing navigation, including homeless verifications, identification, chronicity documentation, and income or disability paperwork.
Prepare daily outreach logs, encounter forms, and documentation packets for Information & Referral Specialist review and approval.
Operate computers, tablets, radios, and mobile devices during field operations.
Distribute outreach materials and resource and shelter information; help maintain field supply inventory and operational readiness.
Perform routine administrative support, including preparing forms, maintaining documentation, entering data into designated systems, and responding to telephone, electronic, or in-person inquiries.
Perform related work as required.