Bilingual Youth Homeless Outreach Specialist-Montgomery County

Job Description

Pathways to Housing DC serves people in the District and Montgomery County, MD. We are an innovative and nationally recognized nonprofit committed to ending homelessness for individuals with complex health challenges. Pathways DC is one of the originators of the “Housing First” model to end homelessness. We believe housing is healthcare and that housing is a basic human right. Pathways provides an array of services, including housing, street outreach, case management, drop-in services, and behavioral health support. Our model is based on client choice and the idea that the people we serve are the architects of their recovery.

We are a trauma-informed workplace that actively recognizes and understands the impact of trauma on employees and works to create a supportive environment where individuals who have experienced trauma feel safe, respected, and empowered to manage their experiences while at work.

The Montgomery County Youth Outreach Specialist is focused on addressing homelessness among youth ages 18-24, ensuring effective service delivery through an understanding of the unique needs and nature of youth homelessness and housing insecurity.

Key Details:

• This is not a desk position.
• Full-time role with occasional evening shifts and weekends, depending on client needs during cold and heat emergencies.
• Primarily in-office and community-based with limited work-from-home opportunities.
  
  

Responsibilities:

• Identify and engage individuals in need of services, assess needs, and manage a core caseload of up to 25 clients.
• Create and implement plans to meet the unique needs of youth experiencing homelessness, particularly those not seeking services independently.
• Assess the overall needs of youth in the street and encampments to allocate time and resources strategically.
• Proactively initiate non-judgmental, culturally humble conversations that address the vulnerabilities of this population, including gender and sexual diversity, immigration status, race, ethnicity, and country of origin.
• Provide consistent case management and address housing needs, offering clothing, hygiene articles, snacks, and other essentials.
• Collaborate within a larger continuum of care to address barriers and complex needs.
• Assist clients in applying for benefits and identifying community resources, including housing, medical, and mental health services.
• Facilitate smooth transitions to other service providers through in-person assistance and warm handoffs.
• Respond promptly to calls about homeless individuals needing assistance.
• Maintain accurate records in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) regarding service transactions, case plans, incident reports, referrals, and housing assessments.
  
  

Qualifications:

• Bilingual Spanish strongly required.
• Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field required (may substitute with 4 years of experience working with the homeless population or lived experience as a Peer Specialist).
• Excellent communication, writing, database management, and computer skills.
• Minimum 1 year of experience in homeless outreach or direct service to homeless populations preferred.
• Knowledge of harm reduction theory and applications is a plus.
• Familiarity with mental health and substance abuse clinical skills is beneficial.
• Valid driver’s license required.