Case Manager (Street Outreach/Housing Navigation)

Case Manager (Street Outreach/Housing Navigation), Homeless Services Division

Location: Little Tokyo Service Center Office

Salary: $24-$27/hour depending on experience

Hours: Full-time, Regular, Non-exempt position with benefits

Supervisor: Director of Homeless Services

Benefits: Comprehensive Benefits package includes

• Paid sick leave, vacation leave, and monthly mental health days
• Paid holidays including your birthday and the week between Christmas and New Year's
• Full health coverage for employees through designated health plans
• Employer matching for 403(b) retirement plan
• Therapy stipend

Background:

For over 40 years, Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) has provided a safety net of social welfare and community development services to empower people and communities in need. LTSC provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services to the Japanese American community in the Southland, builds multi-family affordable housing projects to uplift low-income neighborhoods of color throughout Los Angeles, and promotes equitable development and cultural preservation in the Little Tokyo neighborhood.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.

Summary of Duties:

This position will be part of LTSCs Homeless Services Division, within the organizations Department of Service Programs. This Division will provide direct outreach, connection to services, and housing navigation for people experiencing homelessness in Little Tokyo and surrounding neighborhoods. We are seeking an individual who is compassionate and has experience serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

On a day-to-day basis, the Case Manager will conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness including encampments, and referrals from local businesses, institutions, and residents. The Case Manager will seek to develop relationships and trust with unhoused individuals and address their needs through case management services such as intake, assessment (including Coordinated Entry System assessment and intake), goal setting, monitoring and reassessment, life skills, counseling, individual benefit assistance, and referral and linkages.

The primary goal of this work will be to assess the clients housing needs and connect them with appropriate short-term housing, with the goal of moving clients into permanent housing. In addition, the Case Manager will work, in conjunction with LTSC community organizing and small business counseling staff, to build relationships with key stakeholders in Little Tokyo (small businesses, institutions, residents) to help address their concerns about the encampments, individual unhoused persons, and keep them informed about our work and progress.

Responsibilities Include:

Provide case management and other related services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

• Conduct outreach on a regular basis to people experiencing homelessness in the Little Tokyo area (including encampments, individuals living on the street, and referrals from local businesses and residents)
• Provide linkages to resources available for people experiencing homelessness (including health, mental health, substance abuse, workforce development, and other services)
• Provide individual case management and supportive services for all participants
• Maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date resource list for the homeless population
• If clients are not in the Coordinated Entry System (CES), do the assessment and intake into the system; maintain proper documentation and current case notes in a computerized database system (HMIS)
• Process housing applications using (CES) and provide support as the participant transitions into permanent supportive housing.
• Work with community partners to identify clients eligible for housing subsidy programs (HACLA, LACDA, EHV, and Rapid Rehousing).
• Work closely with the Housing Navigators in the program to support moving clients into housing.
• Coordinate with LTSC community organizing and small business counseling staff
• Build relationships with small businesses, institutions, residents in Little Tokyo who are impacted by the homelessness crisis, and keep them informed of the work.

Contribute to the day-to-day operations of the Homeless Services Division and LTSC as a whole.

• Identify and outreach to community members, particularly those experiencing homelessness
• Advocate for the needs and concerns of individuals experiencing homelessness
• Research resources, information and data for services, presentations, reports
• Interpret and translate information and documents as assigned by supervisor
• Contribute to the ongoing learning of staff by sharing information and training
• Assist with coordinating and/or facilitating staff meetings
• Take active participation in other duties, as deemed necessary, as an employee of the Homeless Services Division and LTSC
• Support activities that advance the mission of the organization and create positive change for people and places
• Other duties as may be assigned by your supervisor

*Execution of some of the above duties may require driving or use of public transportation to provide services at satellite office or in the field.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills:

• Experience in providing case management or outreach services to vulnerable populations (both professional and/or volunteer experience is sufficient)
• General understanding of homelessness as a social justice issue
• Any equivalent combination of education, experience, or training that has prepared you for the role
• Proficiency in computer applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, and internet research
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for building relationships
• Strong record-keeping skills for tracking metrics and participation

Equivalent education or experience can be substituted for all minimum qualifications, except when legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration, are required.