Shelter Case Manager

BETHANY HOUSE SERVICES INC•Cincinnati, OH

6d•$24 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

Bethany House Services is seeking a passionate, skilled, and licensed Case Manager to join their residential shelter team. This role is crucial in fulfilling the mission to end family homelessness by providing families with a safe place to land and a clear path forward. The Case Manager will work directly with families, building trust and connecting them with necessary resources to rebuild their lives. This is a hands-on role that requires empathy, strategic thinking, and a genuine desire to make a difference.

Requirements

Active Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in good standing in the State of Ohio.
BSW or related field required.
2+ years of case management experience with families, children, or youth in shelter, housing, or community-based settings.
Demonstrated experience with publicly and privately funded homelessness programs.
Solid knowledge of JFS systems (TANF/OWF, SNAP, Medicaid, childcare, workforce).
Formal training and hands-on application of trauma-informed care.
Proficiency in HMIS, documentation standards, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel locally between sites and partner agencies.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual/multilingual (Spanish especially welcomed!) and/or experience with diverse cultural communities.
Knowledge of Coordinated Entry, VI-SPDAT, and local Continuum of Care processes.
Familiarity with fair housing law, VAWA protections, and landlord-tenant basics.
Experience with motivational interviewing, de-escalation, and evidence-based parenting curricula.
Benefits advocacy and employment navigation experience (WIOA, workforce boards).

Responsibilities

Conduct biopsychosocial and housing assessments using a trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens.
Partner with families to build individualized service plans with clear goals around housing, income, health, education, and family well-being.
Identify immediate safety needs and coordinate supports from day one.
Champion Housing First strategies to shorten shelter stays and get families into safe, stable, affordable housing.
Partner with the Housing Specialist on landlord outreach, unit searches, applications, inspections, and move-in coordination.
Manage and coordinate client financial assistance (deposits, utilities, rental arrears, prevention/rapid rehousing) per program guidelines.
Navigate shelter-funded program requirements (ESG, HQS, HUD documentation).
Connect families to vital benefits: TANF/OWF, SNAP, Medicaid, Child Care, PRC, and workforce supports.
Advocate fiercely for families within public systems and ensure all eligibility and documentation standards are met.
Link families to behavioral health, primary care, DV/SA services, early childhood education, legal aid, transportation, and beyond.
Stay plugged into the local resource landscape and actively seek out new partnerships.
Collaborate with the Family Services Department and Parent & Child Coordinator to wrap support around every family member.
Apply the core principles of trauma-informed care in every interaction: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.
Utilize motivational interviewing, de-escalation, critical time intervention (CTI), and strengths-based engagement.
Honor boundaries, protect confidentiality, and champion client rights.
Meet with each family for a minimum 30-minute 1:1 weekly.
Provide post-shelter aftercare to families who have exited the program.
Maintain accurate, timely documentation in HMIS and agency EHR per HUD, JFS, and agency standards.
Contribute to continuous quality improvement through outcome tracking and peer file reviews.
Show up in multidisciplinary team meetings, case conferencing, and coordinated entry processes.
Support shelter operations, safety protocols, and critical incident response.
Participate in rotating on-call/after-hours coverage as assigned.
Coordinate volunteers during agency events.