Housing Specialist

Description

Easterseals Blake Foundation started as the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Southern Arizona. Since then, we have expanded our services to better serve our community members. We are now one of Arizona's top providers of comprehensive behavioral health services, child welfare, and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We serve more than 40,000 individuals and families across 10 counties and support more than 3,700 children in Foster Care throughout Southern Arizona. Are you ready to make profound, positive differences in people's lives every day?

We offer our full-time employees the following benefits:

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Flexible Spending Account 
• Health Savings Account
• Voluntary Life insurance
• Voluntary Short-term Disability insurance
• Critical Illness insurance
• Accident insurance
• Employer paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and Employee Assistance Program

Responsible for orienting all eligible participants to the program and providing housing search and supportive services to promote participants self-sufficiency, integration into the community, and permanency in housing. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assesses housing barriers of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to determine housing and service needs. 
• Develops a housing procurement, financial, and self-sufficiency case management plan with clients. This includes an intake interview to determine client’s needs, goals, and eligibility. 
• Serves as liaison and provides mediation and advocacy with landlords or property managers on the client’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and or maintain housing. 
• Provides information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
• Assists budget counseling and education to assist clients in establishing payment plans for bills and past debts and to assist clients in obtaining and maintaining their housing.
• Identifies participant strengths and barriers to stability and assist participants to reducing barriers and linking to resources and services.
• Provides proactive follow-up home visits to ensure stability and further progress towards self-sufficiency. This includes support, advocacy, reducing isolation, listening, problem solving, and identification of resources to assist with reintegration of participants in the community.
• Transports clients as deemed necessary. 
• Collects and reports program data, including but not limited to HMIS reporting and funders’ required data.
• Participates in the process of ongoing professional development and meetings. Maintains comprehensive communication among all contacts within the agency, members, and external agencies. Models professional standards and ethics in accordance with EBF Code of Conduct, Strategic Plan, Mission, and Vision. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements:  High School Diploma/GED with 2 years of experience in behavioral health. Bilingual (Spanish) preferred. 

Regulatory 

• Must be at least 21 years of age. 
• Current, unrestricted AZ driver’s license with no more than two (2) minor moving violations or one (1) accident within the past three (3 years). Three (3) years of driving experience required.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an AZ DPS Level 1 fingerprint clearance card (employer provides).
• CPR and First Aid certification (Employer provides).

Skills/Job Knowledge/Abilities: Able to establish and maintain a team atmosphere of communication and collaboration for all that reach out to the Department. Must be self-directed and be sensitive to cultural and linguistic diversity. Excellent customer service in stressful situations. Maintains a professional in appearance, communications, and actions. Excellent interpersonal communication skills. Basic knowledge of housing or HUD policies, practices, and procedures. Possess a high level of computer proficiency. 

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements (with or without accommodation): Normal office environment with multiple interruptions in person and through computer and phone. Field position visiting different sites or homes for member care. Will work outside and inside environments, as needed. Interacts with employees and members of the public on a daily basis. May lift normal office equipment and materials up to 25lbs. Visual acuity to read information from computer screens and forms. Able to speak clearly in conversations and general communications. Hearing ability for communication in persona, phone, and/or other electronic methods. Manual dexterity for typing and writing. Able to stoop, squat, reach, pull, push, stretch, ascend and descend stairs, stand and sit for long periods of time. May be required to work additional hours or days depending on circumstances. 

Easterseals Blake Foundation and Aviva are an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative action employer that promotes a work environment of inclusion and diversity. We are committed to provide employment opportunities to all candidates based on their qualifications free of discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity), age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, mental or physical disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you have any questions, require assistance or reasonable accommodations while seeking employment, please contact the Human Resource Department at HR@blake.easterseals.com or call 520-327-1529.