STREET OUTREACH WEST COOK OPIOID PREVENTION

Job Description

Job Description

Description :

DEPARTMENT FUNCTION :

The Street Outreach team identifies and engages people living in unsheltered locations, such as cars, parks, abandoned buildings, encampments, and on the streets. Using a Housing First approach, the Street Outreach team makes referrals to permanent housing, shelter, or other temporary housing, without preconditions.

JOB SUMMARY :

The Street Outreach Specialists, individually and collectively, reach people who might not otherwise seek assistance or come to the attention of the homelessness service system. This position works to meet unsheltered people’s basic needs while supporting them along the path toward housing stability. Street Outreach Specialists embrace a person-centered approach that inherently requires flexibility, patience, strong engagement techniques, and empathy. Due to the independent nature of frequently working solo and directly in the community, Street Outreach Specialists must be skilled in handling encounters and interactions that require problem-solving and independent judgement in situations such as individuals needing immediate housing, medical care or psychiatric hospitalization.

This Opioid Overdose Prevention Project reduces negative physical and mental health outcomes associated with opioid use. This is accomplished through access to wrap around clinical and supportive services for homeless / housing unstable Opioid users in Maywood, Broadview, Berwyn & Cicero at trusted community based organization locations.

The Outreach Specialist coordinates outreach activities with two partner organizations in the project and other stakeholders to provide mobile and “on-site” services to substance users who may be experiencing homelessness.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES :

Street Outreach

• Provide targeted street outreach, assuring appropriate geographic coverage, to communities within Housing Forward’s service area to identify unsheltered homeless persons living on the streets or other places not meant for human habitation.
• Establish rapport and reduce harm by providing critical resources such as food, water, clothing, blankets, and other necessities.
• Determine the person’s immediate safety needs.
• Using a trauma-informed approach, provide crisis intervention, and other skills and strategies as needed for engagement.
• Perform assessments and prioritize for assistance as sheltered person assessed through the coordinated entry process. Refer unsheltered families to the Family Support Specialist and unsheltered homeless youth to the System Navigator.
• Perform intake and assessments, including a Diversion Assessment, with individuals who desire assistance.
• Collect required program documentation and input complete and accurate data and upload documentation into the HMIS system or agency SharePoint site within 48 hours of intake, assessment, encounter or service provision.
• Work as a team with the other Street Outreach Specialists to alternate responsibilities and negotiate tasks to ensure safety protocols are met.
• Increase safety for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and opioid use challenges through material goods and supplies.

Service and Housing Coordination responsibilities :

Partnership Relationships and Stewardship :

Other :

Requirements : QUALIFICATIONS :

Job Experience :

Required Licensure and / or Certification : N / A

KEY COMPETENCIES :

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 30 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, drive a vehicle and use a computer.

ENVIRONMENT / WORKING CONDITIONS :

This position operates in a professional office work environment. The workplace is a smoke and drug free environment. Work schedules and / or locations may vary, depending on the department's scheduling needs. May be required to attend meetings at other locations; require travel outside of normal work hours. This position requires constant traveling and driving in western Cook County. Ability to tolerate being outdoors in all weather for several hours at a time. This position also includes evening hours to be determined.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement : External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential job specific functions (listed within each job responsibility) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the organization on a case-by-case basis.

Housing Forward does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits and training. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, or disability.

Job descriptions are not intended and should not be construed to be all-inclusive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with a job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties, as necessary. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

BENEFITS :

Salary : $50,000