Pueblo Shelter Clinician

Paragon•Pueblo, CO

2d•$60,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Pueblo Shelter Clinician — Shelter-Based Services provides comprehensive, trauma-informed, and Housing First-aligned behavioral health services to adults experiencing homelessness. Embedded within a shelter setting, this clinician delivers person-centered care that meets clients where they are — physically, emotionally, and in their recovery journey. This role recognizes that stable housing is a prerequisite to sustained behavioral health recovery. The clinician integrates psychiatric diagnostic evaluation, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, and case management coordination directly within the shelter environment to reduce barriers and eliminate the need for clients to navigate multiple systems independently. The ideal candidate brings cultural humility, a harm reduction orientation, and a deep respect for the dignity and autonomy of people experiencing homelessness. This clinician is comfortable working in non-traditional, fast-paced settings and is skilled at building trust with individuals who may have significant trauma histories, prior system involvement, or distrust of service providers.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, or related field (required).
Provisional (LPCC, LSW, LMFTC, etc.) Fully Licensed preferred (LPC, LCSW, LMFT)
All licenses must stay up to date and valid during employment.
Minimum 2 years in behavioral health/clinical service preferred.
Valid driver’s license, auto insurance, willingness to travel to homes/communities.
Requires living in or near the location of the posting.
Knowledge and experience utilizing DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-focused interventions, with the ability to adapt these modalities for shelter-based, low-barrier settings.
Understanding of Housing First principles, harm reduction frameworks, and coordinated entry systems for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Familiarity with the barriers facing unhoused populations, including trauma histories, co-occurring disorders, domestic violence, involvement with the justice system, and immigration-related stressors.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in non-clinical, community-based environments.
High-quality documentation skills, with experience completing assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes that accurately reflect shelter-based service delivery.
Understanding of HIPAA, protected health information, and confidentiality requirements in shared-space shelter environments.
Proven ability to work independently, manage a complex caseload, and prioritize effectively in a dynamic, high-need setting.
Strong conflict resolution and de-escalation skills appropriate for shelter environments.
Commitment to building trust and therapeutic alliance with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds, including those with histories of trauma, marginalization, and distrust of systems.
Demonstrated cultural humility and sensitivity to the experiences of people experiencing homelessness, including those from communities historically underserved by behavioral health systems.

Nice To Haves

Fully Licensed preferred (LPC, LCSW, LMFT)
Bilingual (Spanish) preferred, depending on location.
Knowledge of community resources, social services, and housing systems in the Pueblo area is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Complete and routinely update trauma-informed psychiatric diagnostic evaluations and treatment plans that incorporate housing status, survival stressors, and the unique goals of each client. Treatment plans should reflect Housing First principles, harm reduction frameworks, and short-term stabilization goals alongside longer-term recovery milestones.
Provide crisis intervention within the shelter environment, including de-escalation, safety planning, and coordination with Paragon's 24/7 crisis stabilization program to avoid unnecessary emergency department contacts or law enforcement involvement.
Conduct individual therapy sessions within the shelter setting, utilizing evidence-based modalities such as CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-focused approaches adapted for clients with housing instability and co-occurring disorders.
Conduct family sessions as clinically appropriate, with sensitivity to family separation, child welfare involvement, and reunification goals that may be part of a client's recovery plan.
Facilitate recovery-focused groups within the shelter, tailored to the interests and needs of the resident population. Group topics may include trauma recovery, substance use, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, life skills, and navigating community systems.
Leverage each client's individual strengths to develop practical coping skills that improve symptoms, support stabilization, and enhance overall well-being in the context of shelter living.
Assist clients in rebuilding self-concept, social skills, and self-efficacy — recognizing that homelessness can profoundly impact identity, self-worth, and the belief that change is possible.
Actively pursue continuous learning in areas directly relevant to this population, including Housing First models, trauma-informed shelter practice, harm reduction, co-occurring disorder treatment, and the social determinants of health.
Demonstrate flexibility in therapeutic approach, session format, and meeting location. Sessions may occur in common areas, private rooms, or other shelter spaces depending on availability and client comfort.
Uphold professional codes of ethics, HIPAA compliance, and high-quality documentation standards. Documentation must reflect the realities of shelter-based care.
Deliver culturally responsive, trauma-informed services that honor the lived experiences of people experiencing homelessness, including those with histories of domestic violence, incarceration, immigration trauma, or chronic system involvement.
Function as a core member of a multidisciplinary shelter team, including care managers, housing navigators, peer support specialists, medical staff, and shelter operations staff.
Recommend and direct clinical interventions appropriate to each client's needs and goals.
Work at the top of your clinical licensure by directing care managers to arrange critical wraparound supports, including emergency food and hygiene resources, shelter-to-housing transitions, coordinated entry and waitlist navigation, identification and vital document recovery (ID, Social Security card, birth certificate), public benefits enrollment (Medicaid, SNAP, SSI/SSDI), childcare, and educational or vocational training.
Coordinate with housing navigators and community partners to facilitate access to transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and rapid rehousing programs. Advocate for clients within coordinated entry systems and with housing providers.
Recommend skill-building and harm reduction interventions that care managers can reinforce with clients in the shelter environment, aligned with treatment plan goals and the realities of day-to-day shelter life.
Identify systemic barriers to care unique to unhoused populations — including stigma, lack of ID, sobriety requirements, and transportation — and recommend solutions to the multidisciplinary team.
Submit Progress Summaries to referring agencies with ongoing recommendations and maintain regular contact with these agencies as appropriate, including shelters, courts, probation, child welfare, and other community partners.
Support the ongoing development and adaptation of the shelter-based behavioral health program to reflect best practices in Housing First, trauma-informed care, and integrated service delivery.
Perform other duties as assigned.