What are the responsibilities and job description for the Bilingual (English/Spanish) PSH Case Manager position at FACETS?
Company Description
FACETS opens doors by helping parents, their children, and individuals who suffer the effects of poverty in Fairfax County. FACETS envisions a day when everyone in Fairfax County has access to adequate and affordable housing and nobody is homeless. We seek to engage and educate our community in providing long-term solutions and resources to break the cycle of poverty for our neighbors in need.
Job Description
FACETS is hiring a full-time bilingual (English/Spanish) PSH Case Manager for FACETS’ growing Supportive Housing Team. The PSH Case Manager will provide case management services to single adults in FACETS’ scattered site permanent supportive housing programs. Familiarity with the chronically homeless population and the “housing first” model is essential. The successful candidate will have experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness that are seriously mentally ill, actively using substances, and/or medically vulnerable. The successful candidate must be bi-lingual in English/Spanish. This position is part of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness including staff from the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, Community Services Board, and the Health Department. Significant independence of judgment and exceptional interpersonal skills are required in this position.
Qualifications
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provides case management and program coordination for medically vulnerable chronically homeless individuals living in scattered site permanent supportive housing.
• Coordinates participant selection into the program which may include meeting individuals at local homeless shelters, in places not meant for habitation such as the woods or street outreach, and/or ranking Vulnerability Index Service priority Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) scores to ensure the most vulnerable homeless population is selected.
• Coordinates and manages volunteers and mentors assigned to each program participant to ensure their successful transition into the program.
• Serves as an ongoing liaison between property managers and participants as well as between participants and neighbors.
• Provides mediation and advocacy with landlords on the participant’s behalf to develop a workable plan to maintain housing.
• Creates and maintains consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. tenant, landlord, referral source, collaborating agencies)
• Coordinates services using a wrap around/HOST/team approach. Travels and makes home visits to scattered site units located in Fairfax County to meet participants as well as works an adjusted work schedule including evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Informally engages participants through the provision of emergency supports such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and similar supports. As participants are engaged, provide case management, information and referral to supportive services as needed including treatment for medical, dental, mental health, substance abuse problems as well as social services, and employment services.
• Provides transportation to medical services sites and dental services as well as information on other resources the individual may access to improve their health and/or level of self-sufficiency.
• Documents all services identified and provided, referrals made, and transportation provided. Enters all data into HMIS.
• Plans and coordinates life skills groups.
• Addresses and if necessary, diffuses crisis situations with participants. Assesses safety issues and assists participants to access emergency services as needed (e.g., mental health services, adult protective services, medical services).
• Assists in managing the FACETS budget for program expenditures.
• Prepares proposals, reports, and statistics for submission to HUD with the Deputy Executive Director’s supervision.
• Represents FACETS in the community, in accord with Agency Mission, Vision, and Code of Ethics.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Additional Information
Minimum Qualifications:
• Master’s Degree plus two years of professional social work/case management experience with homeless and/or at-risk populations. MSW with two years post-masters experience a plus.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish.
• Requires strong familiarity with the VI-SPDAT and the chronically homeless medically vulnerable population.
• Requires knowledge and belief in “Housing First” philosophy and strategies.
• Knowledge or understanding of tenant’s rights and responsibilities as well as “strengths based” case management.
• Knowledge of current social service, homeless, and housing issues and methods/approaches to address issues.
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment and manage an intensive caseload with minimal supervision.
• Excellent data entry and data quality skills.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.
• Ability to use HMIS to establish and maintain case records and to facilitate data collection.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Candidate must be able to lift items weighing 10-20 pounds.
• Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, good driving record, and personal car insurance. Candidate must be able to drive 15 passenger van.
• Candidate will be required to pass criminal background and Child Protective Services background checks.
