Outreach Specialist (Team H Richmond/San Pablo)

Heluna Health•Richmond, CA

7d•$26 - $29

About The Position

The Coordinated Outreach Referral, Engagement (CORE) program is a public/private partnership with Contra Costa Health Services, Community Response Division (CRD), and Heluna Health. Working collaboratively in small teams, the program engages and stabilizes homeless individuals living outside and helps identify plans to end their homelessness permanently. The CORE Outreach Specialist conducts street outreach throughout Contra Costa County, building trust with individuals and families who are not served or are underserved by existing community service systems. The role collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to locate, engage, stabilize, and house chronically homeless individuals and families as they move from the street to services. The position may involve fluctuating hours, including day, swing, or graveyard shifts, and work in varied community settings.

Requirements

Knowledge of the client population and complex needs, including homelessness, financial instability, medical and psychiatric illnesses, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS.
Ability to work effectively with diverse staff, stigmatized communities, and clientele across cultural, language, sexual identity, gender, and other diversity considerations.
Ability to work successfully both independently and cooperatively.
Professional-level competency with the Internet, email, and Microsoft Word.
Ability to use computers and the Internet to look up information and enter relevant notes.
Obtain CPR and first aid certification within 90 days of hire.
With instruction, ability to assist people with disabilities, transfer a 180-pound person, and lift a wheelchair in and out of a car or van.
Ability to use a computer, phone, or office equipment for extended periods.
Ability to complete tasks in an environment with background noise and frequent interruptions.
Ability to work fluctuating hours, potentially including day, swing, or graveyard shifts.
An AA/AS degree in Human Services, Psychology, Counseling, or a related field; or a high school degree or equivalent plus at least two years of direct professional experience working with homeless, behavioral health, or medically complex populations.
Valid California driver's license, required because the role involves driving a County vehicle.
Drivers must be at least 21 years old and have a clean driving record with no infractions or accidents.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual and bicultural Spanish skills.
Lived experience of homelessness and/or accessing behavioral health services.
Previous experience or training in street outreach and clinical case management.
Knowledge of Contra Costa County and community resources.
Knowledge of the Contra Costa emergency provider network.
Prior experience with documentation and billing procedures.

Responsibilities

Conduct mobile and street outreach throughout Contra Costa County to engage homeless individuals in services.
Respond to dispatches and requests from contractors, community members, service agencies, businesses, and community groups.
Check in with contracts or dispatch at the beginning and end of shifts and, when possible, with on-site personnel.
Collaborate with community or contracting authorities to connect clients with requested services and provide transportation when needed.
Work with Health Care for the Homeless Program medical staff to engage homeless individuals.
Support the CORE Lead Outreach Worker and perform Lead duties in the Lead's absence.
Guide team members by communicating goals and identifying training needs, including safety, paperwork, approach, and de-escalation.
Build trust, assess needs, make initial contact, and develop rapport with unsheltered adults, youth, and families.
Distribute survival supplies, including food, hygiene supplies, blankets, and socks.
Administer intakes, housing assessments, and other required documentation.
Review program data relevant to reporting through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
Assist individuals with service applications and transport them to shelters, services, and other locations as needed.
Collaborate with Coordinated Entry programs and County services to place homeless individuals in housing and enroll them in services.
Conduct targeted outreach to people who frequently use emergency services but lack stable housing and health services.
Meet homeless consumers in community locations, including woods, under bridges, and in abandoned houses.
Provide referrals and information about temporary housing and community resources.
Share program materials about shelter services with community partners, including motels, churches, and merchants.
Maintain a culturally sensitive, respectful, and professional demeanor.
Attend weekly case conferences as part of the county-wide CORE outreach program.
Attend community meetings with service providers to share program information and coordinate services.
Comply with applicable policies and procedures and attend required training and meetings.
Perform other duties as assigned.