Community Health Outreach Worker

Abode, one of the largest and effective nonprofits working to end homelessness in the Bay Area, is seeking a Community Health Outreach Worker for our San Jose site.

About the role: The Community Health Outreach Worker will provide linkage, referral and follow along support to connect participants to primary care and ongoing medical and social services. This position will provide street outreach to engage homeless adults in medical care, apply for benefits, referral to psychiatric care, social services, and complete coordinated entry assessments. 

The People and Culture: You will be surrounded by some of the most talented, supportive, smart, and kind leaders and teams - people you can be proud to work with! Abode Services regularly recognizes employees’ efforts, seeks employees’ input, and cares for employees as people with lives outside of work. We believe that we make better decisions and provide quality services when our workforce reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate. People of color make up nearly 70% of our workforce and we strive to recruit and retain employees from all backgrounds. 

Our Benefits & Perks:

• $28.85 - $33.32 per hour
• 100% paid health, vision, and dental options
• 19 PTO days & 12 Holidays per year
• Voluntary benefits: FSA, EAP, Commuter Checks, Life Insurance, Legal, and more
• 3% retirement match/contribution 
• Professional Development Trainings and Opportunities, Leadership Academy Programs, and All Staff Events
• Dynamic, mission-driven culture and supportive leadership. We support you in supporting others

How You Make an Impact:

• Perform daily street outreach to engage homeless adults in medical care, apply for benefits, referral to psychiatric care, social services, complete coordinated entry assessments (outreach will occur in unincorporated Mid-County including Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Fairview, and parts of San Leandro and Hayward). 
• Collaborate with medical staff to provide cohesive outreach as a team. 
• Assistance with identifying outreach sites. 
• Staying up to date with local resources. 
• Provide health education, harm reduction interventions including Naloxone training.  
• Provide Medi-Cal and Benefits Advocacy. Assist with signing up for benefits.  
• Assist with coordination with Housing Resource Center staff to support participants with completing coordinated entry assessments and obtaining housing documentation.  
• Attend and participate in BNL meetings.  
• Providing and tracking referrals in HMIS.  
• Help participants build and mobilize social support, facilitating client empowerment to fully engage with all members of their health care team.  
• Transport clients to medical appointments and other pertinent housing and benefit appointments to aid with connecting to primary care and patient advocacy as well as housing and benefits. 
• Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate medical and social needs.  
• Support monthly reporting requirements for the Program. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

How You Meet Qualifications: 

• BA degree and/or equivalent experience in psychology, Human Services, Social Work, Sociology, or CADAAC certified, with equivalent outreach work experience and personal lived experience a plus. 
• 2 years of field experience working with people with co-occurring disorders and/or who are homeless.  
• Internal candidates Only: Will substitute educational requirement for 2 years field experience and a proven track record to work effectively within an outreach setting. 
• Use of personal vehicle and proof of valid California Driver's License and current auto insurance, along with a clean DMV record, is required, including driving and transportation of participants when required. 
• Flexible schedule to work evening and weekend hours as needed. 

COMPETENCIES: 

• Excellent verbal & written communication, organizational, and time management skills. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail. 
• Experience building supportive and respectful working relationships with participants with disabilities that promotes self-determination using a strengths-based approach. 
•  Understanding and practice of culturally sensitive components of direct service delivery through open dialogs and self-exploration with diverse groups.  
• Experience in effectively intervening in crisis situations using de-escalation techniques. 
• Ability to work well independently and collaboratively with teams. 
  
• Sensitivity to and understanding of the special needs of the homeless.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, systems, and platforms. 
• Ability to learn and use required mobile devices and business-related applications. 
• Outstanding communication skills and high degree of emotional intelligence, cultural humility, with a proven track record to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide variety of internal and external contacts. 
  

Notice: This description is to be used as a guide only. It does not constitute a contract, commitment or promise of any kind. Abode Services reserves the right to change, add, delete, upgrade, or downgrade the position as dictated by business necessity at any time with or without notice.   

Notice: Abode Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug Free Workplace  .