Street Outreach Case Manager/Operation Stream Shield Worksite Supervisor

CORNERSTONES INC • Reston, VA

10d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Street Outreach Case Manager/Operation Stream Shield (OSS) Worksite Supervisor is a member of the street outreach and employment services teams at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter (ERCS) providing street outreach and housing focused case management services to unsheltered individuals and transportation and worksite supervision to participants in the OSS program. Operation Stream Shield (OSS) is a partnership between the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) and the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) to benefit the environment while providing employment for individuals experiencing homelessness. The OSS program offers part-time, temporary work experience to people experiencing homelessness in all four Human Services Regions of Fairfax County and is intended to improve the water quality of local streams. Working in Region 3 of Fairfax County, the Street Outreach Case Manager/OSS Worksite Supervisor partners with the Employment Coordinator to approve program participants, provide transportation, supervise their work, and track and report the number of bags of litter filled during each outing. The Street Outreach Case Manager/OSS Worksite Supervisor works closely with the Housing Locator to identify and connect unsheltered individuals to permanent housing through Rapid Rehousing (RRH) and Coordinated Entry (CE). The Street Outreach Case Manager/OSS Worksite Supervisor must have strong interpersonal and motivational skills and must be comfortable supervising field work/cleanup projects and meeting unsheltered individuals in places not meant for human habitation such as campsites in the woods and parked cars. The Street Outreach Case Manager/OSS Worksite Supervisor must possess a patient, trauma-informed approach to service delivery using an equity lens. The Street Outreach Case Manager/OSS Worksite Supervisor ensures that services are equitable and delivered with integrity in accordance with the Agency Mission, Vision, and Values. A candidate that is bilingual in English/Spanish is strongly preferred. An individual that has the ability to use one's lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers is a plus.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an applicable human services field or commensurate experience with homeless and/or at-risk populations.
• Two years of experience in homeless services.
• Experience supervising a group of individuals as they complete a task.
• Must be comfortable meeting unsheltered individuals in places not meant for human habitation such as campsites in the woods and parked cars.
• Experience working with vulnerable individuals including people with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities is required.
• Requires knowledge and belief in “Housing First” and “Rapid Re-Housing” philosophy and strategies.
• Knowledge of current social service, homeless, and housing issues and methods/approaches to address issues.
• Knowledge or understanding of tenant’s rights and responsibilities, “strengths based” case management, trauma-informed care, and racial equity.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to engage and work collaboratively with others.
• Experience with Microsoft programs including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to use HMIS to establish and maintain case records and to facilitate data collection.
• Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines.
• Ability to learn, process information, prioritize competing priorities and make sound and reasoned decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to complete tasks while navigating frequent interruptions.
• Able to stand and kneel on uneven surfaces.
• Able to lift and carry a minimum of 30 pounds.
• Able to walk in areas off a dedicated path and/or roadway.
• Able to walk at least a minimum of 1 mile from transportation.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.
• Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and good driving record.
• Candidate must be able to drive 15-passenger van.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual in English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• An individual that has the ability to use one's lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers is a plus.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identifies and builds rapport with people experiencing homelessness, regularly engages with them for the purpose of promoting the OSS program, and recruits and vets participants.
• Collaborates with the Street Outreach team to actively seek out, identify, and establish contact and build rapport with unsheltered persons throughout Fairfax County’s North County Region.
• Meets unsheltered individuals in places not meant for human habitation such as campsites in the woods and parked cars.
• Advocates for and actively assists individuals in obtaining services (e.g. showers, laundry, food, benefits, medical, mental health, substance abuse, housing referrals, financial assistance).
• Assists the Employment Coordinator with screening applicants for the OSS program to ensure that they can physically conduct the requested work.
• Uses the agency vehicle to provide transportation for program participants to and from OSS work sites.
• Ensures the safety of all OSS participants who are working at the provided sites by providing safety training and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, boots, trash grabbers, shovels, etc.
• Supervises the work of 5-10 individuals as they complete an assigned OSS tasks.
• Teaches OSS program participants non-native plant species identification and safe removal practices for invasive plants.
• Provides evaluation and feedback to workers using a strengths based and trauma informed approach.
• Tracks the work completed and provides reports to the Employment Coordinator.
• Coordinates with the Employment Specialist and DPWES Project Manager to provide checklist of data required per site and specified HMIS data on a quarterly basis.
• Maintains landscaping equipment such as push mowers and weed whackers.
• Works closely with the Employment Coordinator to assist program participants in transitioning from OSS to part-time and/or full-time employment.
• Works closely with the Housing Locator to educate participants about and assist them with obtaining affordable appropriate housing.
• Assesses eligibility and need for benefits and services and makes appropriate referrals, including requests for financial and / or housing assistance, and connection with county and mainstream benefits.
• Advocates for and actively assists individuals in obtaining services (e.g. behavioral health, intellectual disability, substance use disorder, housing referrals, financial assistance, employment, training, medical services, mentoring and socialization).
• Maintains effective partnerships with OPEH, Stormwater Planning Division (SWPD), Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA), National Park Service (NPS), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Fairfax County Health Department, Fairfax County Community Services Board (CSB), Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), Department of Family Services (DFS), and the Fairfax County Department of Adult and Aging, to ensure participants receive holistic, integrated care management across Cornerstones.
• Maintains case and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) files that meet agency and contractual standards.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary meetings, case staffing, as well as community-wide trainings and meetings.
• Works a flexible schedule that may include evenings and weekends.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as required.

Benefits

• Cornerstones envisions an equitable, connected community where all individuals and families thrive. Cornerstones’ employees build and sustain our culture through a commitment to these values: Serve and Lead with Passion for Mission Excellence Act with Integrity Champion Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Collaborate and Innovate for Impact Equip and Empower for Success

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree