Drop In Center Case Worker

El Paso Center for Children (the “Center” herein)
Drop-In Center Case Worker/Case Manager Job Description

Position Classification & Compensation
This role is classified as an exempt or non-exempt, full-time employee as those terms are defined in the Center’s Employee Handbook and is eligible for employee benefits as defined for this classification.

Reports to: Program Manager, Program Director or designee

Effective: 01/16/2024

Summary: This employee will provide full-time casework and advocacy support, outreach, activity planning, and coordination of services to Drop-In Center guests, working closely with the Director to ensure youth are encouraged to access services. S/he will be trained in crisis de-escalation techniques, engagement, CSEY and the CSE-IT tool, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care. This employee will be trained in crisis de-escalation, will help orient new guests to the facility and services, will help youth access emergency needs including a meal, laundry, shower, and rest. Will support youth in understanding and accessing the range of services available through professional staff and other community resources. This team member will be cross-trained in Youth Emergency Shelter operations due to the frequent need to refer to and support youth accessing shelter services. The scope of work is subject to change as needed to ensure the project’s success and to meet funders’ requirements. Likewise, complementary changes may be made to projects or individual goals and employee expectations based on agency/management strategic goals. All Center for Children team members are expected to be collegial and collaborative, mutually supportive, and focused on excellent services to clients, fidelity to program models, and ethical provision of services.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain extremely high standards and levels of attention to detail in creating a welcoming and healthy youth development environment.
• Manage data collection systems and quality assurance systems to ensure data and records are accurate and consistently ready for file audits, peer reviews, and visits from funders.
• Ensure systems of documentation are accurate and recorded in a timely manner
• Remain calm in a crisis, offering support and reassurance to clients and staff during periods of high stress.
• Will be trained in crisis de-escalation techniques, engagement, CSEC and the CSE-IT tool, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care.
• Maintains excellent professional standards while often expected to work with little to no supervision. Is answerable for activities and events that take place during shift.
• Documents any critical incidents, visits, activity, problems that take place during shift.
• Work with Case Manager to coordinate services and referrals for youth.
• Utilize trauma informed care and harm reduction models when working with clients.
• Maintain client records, in the Homeless Management and Information System (HMIS), case files, and agency database.
• Assist in transportation of clients, as needed (example: medical appointments, to shelter).
• Work with Drop-in Center/Youth Outreach and Housing (YOH) Division team to respond to calls, conduct intake assessment, transport clients to safety, and plan follow-up.
• Responsible for communicating with immediate supervisor and other delegated team members regarding incidents that occur during the shift that have a particular bearing/weight/concern or require follow-up the following business day.
• Screen arrivals/referrals for placement, following guidelines, exercising good judgment, and contacting the on-call staff member and/or supervisor if/when there are items of concern that might prevent accepting a youth into care.
• Professionally interfaces with Child Protective Services, law enforcement, nonprofit agencies, Safe Place partners, visitors, family, and other guests.
• Provides immediate crisis de-escalation, intervention, and mediation. Consistently offers calm, kind, and trauma-informed response to youth.
• Monitor drop-in center activities, including but not limited to, helping youth with meal preparation, housekeeping, food pantry, laundry, groups.
• Maintains excellent documentation of activities, including entering daily notes, documenting critical incidents, entering information on grant-related activities.
• Maintains a high level of personal accountability, seeks opportunities to learn, welcomes opportunities to improve/correct performance/behavior, and demonstrates thoughtfulness in making suggestions to improve the quality of services.
• Participates in continuing education programs as required in the Center’s Personnel Policies.
• Share on-call duties with all YOH staff as needed.
• Maintain the training of Safe Place partnerships, along with recruiting new partners.
• Provide backup and related supportive services to other agency staff, as needed.
• Other duties, as required or assigned by Supervisor and/or Division Director.

Skills

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to relate well to diverse individuals at all organizational levels.
• A strong results orientation, openness to new ideas, and a proven ability to deliver a consistently high quality of service to both external and internal work partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Problem solving skills are essential for developing creative solutions to program/personnel challenges as they arise.
• Detailed knowledge of diversity and needs of homeless youth, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ and those who have been exploited.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changes in staffing, program scope, assigned tasks, and modalities utilized, setting the example for team members as changes are made.

Qualifications
Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• At least high school diploma or equivalent with a minimum and two years of full-time experience working high-risk youth.
• Ability to read, write, and speak English is required and speak Spanish fluently is preferred.
• Exceptional computer skills, including proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite of business applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Good time management, organizational, and interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate effectively with individuals from all walks of life.
• Annual criminal background check required.
• Must have driver’s license, vehicle in safe operating condition, and maintain proof of current insurance at Texas minimum standards.
• Must be able and willing to travel for trainings/meetings/conferences, including by air.
• Must be able to walk, sit, stand, and lift and carry at least 25 pounds.

Personal & Professional Conduct

• The first responsibility of all El Paso Center for Children employees is to ensure the safety, welfare, and dignity of the youth and families the Center serves. All employees must exemplify the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct, and abide by the Code of Conduct set forth in the Center’s Personnel Policies.

Flexibility

• Every program at the Center is community and client-centric. Working with diverse partners to meet the needs of families in our community demands flexibility. The scope of work is subject to change based on the team’s performance and the funder’s expectations and on agency/management strategic goals. The flexibility needed in this role includes scheduling appropriate and relevant hours for DIC/SOP operations, scheduling of meetings/events/activities, scheduling supervision sessions with staff, training, staff meetings, and out-of-town travel for training and/or grant requirements.

Work Environment

• Drop-In Center environments, working in communities, and conducting outreach on the streets. Travel across community and to areas targeted as most likely to have a presence among the targeted population. Evening and weekend work are common.

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