Health Navigator

Position: Health Navigator

Reports To: Rapid Rehousing Manager

Purpose of Position: Provides short term assistance to clients experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless clients, in order to help clients engage in and follow through with mental health and medical care. Provide support to clients in order to overcome obstacles faced in accessing or receiving services needed to maintain well-being and improve client care.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Advocates for the mission of the organization and promotes the vision and direction of the agency’s values.
• Delivers services with safety, respect, and effectiveness.
• Follows all policies and procedures of the organization.
• Provides supportive services, psychoeducation, and skills training to help clients engage in primary and specialty medical care and reduce use of emergency medical services.
• Provides services in vivo, including home visits and accompaniment to coordinating assistance to appointments.
• Provides referrals to appropriate service providers within the agency and externally.
• Identifies barriers to care and resources to help clients overcome those barriers
• Collaborate with clients to develop plans to ensure client follow-through with prescribed care (medication, procedures, etc.).
• Meets with clients before and after medical appointments as needed to plan for appointments and for follow-through with prescribed care.
• Advocates for clients within Crossroads and with outside agencies as needed.
• Reviews and evaluates client progress toward Case Plan goals on an ongoing basis and adjusts case plans as appropriate.
• Maintains professional rapport with service users, peers, and other community service providers.
• Completes recordkeeping and documentation, both paper and electronic, in accordance with Crossroads’ policies and standards of professional practice.
• Maintains confidentiality in accordance with agency policies, state regulations, HIPAA, and other relevant requirements.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Experience and Education:

• Bachelor's degree in human services field OR
• Associates degree in a Human Services field plus a minimum of 2 years' experience in a human services field
• Familiarity with health care delivery systems.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage and establish rapport with populations that have experienced vulnerability, trauma, economic poverty, incarceration, substance use, developmental delays, compromised physical and mental wellness, brain injuries, literacy and numeracy issues, and other conditions or situations that have impacted housing stability.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people, including people experiencing homelessness, colleagues, professional groups, health care providers, community partners, and other community agencies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated problem solving ability. Must be able to apply good judgment, agency values, policies and procedures, and standards of professional practice to guide decision-making.
• Ability to deal effectively with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events in the work environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the work environment,
• Must successfully complete training on the Housing First Model, Trauma Informed Care, Mental Health First Aid, and Harm Reduction within 90 days of employment.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Ability to maintain self-control and manage difficult or emotional situations using reason and the organization’s values.
• Ability to motivate and organize self to complete tasks with service users, often in nontherapeutic environments.
• Strong computer skills including experience with Microsoft Office and Data Entry.
• Requires verbal and numerical intelligence