Family Housing Case Manager I, Direct Services Program

JOB DESCRIPTION: Family Housing Case Manager I

Housing Families First (HFF) gives families facing homelessness the opportunity to build a family legacy by providing a path to a permanent home. The agency not only assists families and youth in finding permanent housing, but also ensures access to the supportive services and community connections necessary to maintain it after leaving Housing Families First programs. The Family Housing Case Manager I (FHCM-1) position supports direct services in HFF Crisis Response, Community Housing and Youth Housing programs. These youth and young adults and families with minor children served are experiencing literal homelessness (as defined by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD) and are referred for services through the Coordinated Entry System within the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care. Highly mobile, unstably housed families with students (defined as homeless by the U.S. Department of Education) in one of three local public school systems are referred by specified partners.

General Description: The Family Housing Case Manager I performs a full range of housing-focused, person-driven case management supportive services for designated participants experiencing homelessness, to achieve housing stability. The FHCM-1 provides intakes, housing-focused case management, housing search and placement services, community-based housing stabilization services, and discharge planning for households referred to the designated programs.

This position directly reports to the Program Manager with occasional task supervision under the Senior Manager. This position serves on the agency emergency on-call rotation and may be called upon outside of work hours to provide input on participant related emergencies.

Hours: 40 per week Classification: Exempt

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as contact for referrals from Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC) access points and assists Senior Manager in coordination of unhoused participants from ‘Referral’ to ‘Intake’ to ‘Stably Housed’ to ‘Exit;’
• Provides intake and orientation for participating participants that includes comprehensive in-depth assessment;
• Carries a minimum caseload of 15 and maximum caseload of 20 participant households and successfully supports participants in transitioning to the best, viable permanent housing option.
• Partners with GRCoC Coordinated Entry, as needed, for participant engagement in order to promote youth connectivity to services and possible housing interventions;
• Participates in regular internal/external agency and GRCoC case conferencing and other workgroups and team meetings;
• Establishes supportive, respectful, trusting relationships with participants experiencing homelessness, including those who may also have severe and persistent mental illnesses, trauma, and co-occurring substance use disorders;
• Remains culturally sensitive to social, psychological, and healthcare needs;
• Regular case management provisions also includes but is not limited to: reviewing and assessing activities of daily living, having a community housing first approach, and coaching through safe community living such as basic apartment upkeep, budgeting, energy saving tips, lease compliance education, appropriate landlord maintenance requests, and landlord-tenant rights;
• Ensures commitment to the rights and abilities of each participant to live in community residences, work in market jobs, and have access to youth-centric community support services;
• Promptly and professionally addresses and diffuses crisis situations with participants. Assesses crisis/safety issues with active listening and crisis intervention skills, creates safety plans, and assists participants or staff to access emergency services, as needed;
• Partners with participants to prepare and implement individualized housing action plans and stabilization goals, and routinely re-evaluates these plans as goals or outcomes shift;
• Strategizing with participants on the quickest path to obtain relevant documents (i.e.IDs, birth certificates, social security cards) to support their housing narratives, at times using the HFF vehicle to transport families to meet these goals;
• Engages in housing counseling through housing search coaching, landlord navigation;
• Determines appropriateness of financial assistance, conducts home inspections, lease negotiations, and ensures the lease review, signing, and move-in conditions meet current funding regulations;
• Strategizing with participants on diversifying income sources and money management;
• Works closely and cooperatively with the HFF Program staff to recruit and maintain relationships with housing owners and landlords to connect youth with safe, affordable housing;
• Coordinates creative use of mainstream benefits and formal and informal community-based services, vocational rehabilitation and other employment services to support participants’ long-term housing stability;
• Organizes meetings among existing service providers working directly with you and identifies and fills gaps in service providers;
• Maintains data integrity while using the Homeward Community Information System database. Upholds data quality standards as outlined by the GRCoC;
• Maintains program and financial documents as outlined by agency and funder requirements;
• Regularly audits case files, data quality, participant progress, overall program targets and outcomes for compliance and program achievements;
• Executes program evaluations and participant surveys;
• Provides participant stories for public relations and community engagement in an ethical manner; acting as a liaison between media and participants for interviews as directed by agency leadership;

Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Dedicated to the mission, vision, and values of Housing Families First;
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work/Human Services field required or equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities; Certified Housing Counselor preferred;
• Impeccable judgment, ability to comply with grant regulations, and strong detail orientation are a must;
• Ability to analyze information, problem solve, and reach sound decisions;
• Strong knowledge of the housing first approach, low-barrier services model, conflict dynamics and de-escalation techniques;
• Ability to efficiently work in a team, as well as independently, in an environment with minimal supervision;
• Ability to practice self-awareness and routinely manage emotional health while promoting trauma-informed, responsive services;
• Knowledge of current social services trends, homeless and housing interventions, and best practices;
• Experience and comfort working with individuals with serious mental illness in a trauma-informed, responsive manner;
• Strong knowledge of the complexity of homelessness, including but not limited to: mental illness, substance abuse, harm reduction and recovery, domestic violence, human trafficking, systemic and/or carceral policies that negatively affect housing opportunities for low-income and historically disenfranchised communities, and the residual impacts of these concepts on the intersectionality of BIPOC and LGBTQ participants;
• Dedication to closing the gap in racial disparities by advancing the equity of access for participants;
• Ability to practice the principles of Positive Youth Development and Housing First.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; proven ability to communicate case management notes clearly, concisely in a culturally competent manner with diverse audiences (youth, families, partners, specialists, landlords, coworkers, funders);
• Ability to use a computer for database management, to establish and maintain case records, and to facilitate data collection;
• Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of participant information;
• Background check clearance required; valid Virginia driver’s license; acceptable driving record.
• Desired but not required: Fluent in Spanish

Services, employment opportunities, and volunteer opportunities are open to qualified applicants regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran’s status, political affiliation, or socio-economic status.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 - $44,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $40,000 - $44,000