Outreach Specialist

Job Summary:

The Outreach Specialist will be responsible for to identifying and providing services to veterans experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The ideal Outreach Specialist candidate will have previous experience working with veterans and the chronically homeless populations.

The Outreach Specialist will engage veterans with mental health diagnoses and substance use disorders and will establish many trusting relationships with individuals who have been homeless for several years with limited to no access to resources. The Outreach Specialist will successfully connect street homeless veterans to services and help to create goal plans aimed ultimately to establishing better overall health, housing, and independence.

Responsibilities:

 To engage daily with veterans experiencing homelessness in a trusting and supportive relationship, providing emotional support and focusing on target goals.

 To leverage non-coercive, trauma-informed practices to build that trust and establish oneself as a partner in their journey out of homelessness

 To encourage clients to access services for which they qualifying order to achieve goals on their service plans

 Providing immediate transportation to clients to urgent services when needed. This could include shelter transport or transport to a warming center/drop-in center and more.

 Provide mobile case management services including:

 Orient clients to the services and requirements for services available

 Conduct initial intakes and assessment to determine client’s emergency and immediate needs

 Maintain contact with referral sources

 Act as a liaison between clients and agencies rendering services to clients within your caseload

 Participate in field visits and transport clients to medical/housing/mental health/substance abuse treatment appointments

 Engaging clients in a trusting and supportive treatment partnership, providing emotional support while maintaining professional boundaries.

 Participate in case collaborative meetings with Project Connect Staff

 Responsible for inputting accurate data in customized database

 Proficient in Google suite and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), HMIS a plus

 Outstanding written and oral communication and interpersonal skills

 Strong time management and organizational strategies; ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize efficiently

 Willingness and ability to work with diverse identities and lived experiences.

 Ability to lift 35 pounds

 Other functions as needed

Competencies:

 Communication Proficiency

 Pays extreme attention to detail

 Proactive

 Results Driven

 Ability to multi-task

 Strong notetaking skills

 Team Player

Education:

Associate degree (preferred) or 2 years of working in a human service setting (to include internship experiences).

Experience:

 Prior experiences working with an underserved population helpful (e.g., experience with mental health population, drug abuse counseling, life coaching, social work, etc.)

 Preferred: One year as a street outreach worker/ homeless services case manager or related experience

 Experience working in an environment with high client volume

 Sensitivity to economic and sociological barriers

 Crisis de-escalation certification (Plus)

 BSW (Plus)

Requirements:

 Valid driver’s license with 0 points

 Ability to be insured through company driver’s policy

 90% plus travel required (company vehicle provided)

 Bilingual (English/Spanish) PLUS'

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to Commute:

• Rahway, NJ 07065 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Rahway, NJ 07065: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $50,000 - $55,000