Casa Housing Advocate

About The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless (MCH)

The mission of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless (MCH) is to create concrete solutions to housing, income, health, education, and racial inequalities in all parts of the Commonwealth.

Over 40 years ago, as the number of families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts rose, a group of concerned shelter providers felt that there needed to be an agency dedicated to working on long-term, systemic changes to the crisis. The group’s efforts launched The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in 1981, with a mission to work on lasting solutions to poverty and homelessness. Since its inception, MCH has worked on a multi-faceted approach to addressing housing insecurity through becoming a leader in shaping systemic change through public advocacy and creating programs and initiatives for those who are living in poverty and at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. MCH works to support its mission on three levels: systemic change fueled by public policy, direct services through homelessness prevention programs and the distribution of material needs such as clothing and beds for children.

POSITION SUMMARY

MCH Casa Project is an evidence-based program that has been providing housing-focused case management for the past 20 years and partners with community health centers, public schools, and non-profits.  The Casa Project is currently partnering with Accountable Care Organizations throughout the Commonwealth to assist their patients with housing stability case management services.  The Casa Project is also working with the City of Boston Office of Housing Stability to assist City of Boston residents having a housing issue to offer housing-focused case management. 

MCH is seeking an Advocate to be part of the Casa Project team.  The Advocate will be joining a team of 6 full-time employees. The Advocate will receive extensive training in the areas of housing stabilization, housing search, benefits, and long-term housing stabilization planning. The goal of the Casa Project is to work with households to be able to retain or obtain housing.  All staff are required to take a mediation training that is paid for by the Coalition so they can build appropriate skills to assist households with landlord and court mediation.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:

Ÿ Understands how to work within a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Ÿ Demonstrates strong interpersonal and negotiating skills.

Ÿ Demonstrates strong analytical skills, strong verbal skills, and written skills.

Ÿ Manages time effectively, handles multiple assignments simultaneously, and prioritizes projects.

Ÿ Demonstrates professionalism in appearance and actions.

Ÿ Good writing, computer, and communication skills required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

CASE MANAGEMENT DUTIES

Directly maintain a caseload of active clients.

Participate as part of a team and regularly collaborate with multidisciplinary/multiagency staff to monitor clients’ progress.

Establish an individualized plan or strategy to promote identified goals.

Provide advocacy for individual clients around entitlements and services with appropriate follow-up on all referrals.

Identify and address procedural or programmatic problems that create barriers for households at-risk of or experiencing homelessness who are attempting to access services and resources.

Keep abreast of trends and changes in policy in specific areas of expertise.      

Maintain required documentation in written form and computer databases and update clients’ records according to agency policy.       

Participate in case conferences with both internal departments and external providers.

Participate in regular supervision, team meetings, case conferences, and staff trainings.      

Accompany clients to housing court to assist them with their eviction cases.

Maintain a comprehensive database on participants that access the Casa Project and the services provided, which is then used to analyze public policy and for grant reporting.

Meet weekly to review cases and determine the best course of action to assist the client.

May need to meet clients in the field.

BENEFIT PACKAGE

Medical Plan MCH pays 75%

Vacation and Sick Time Benefits    

2-Weeks of vacation first year, 4 weeks there after        

10 Sick days       

10 Hours of flex time

3 Personal Days

13 Annual paid holidays

Employee discount program

401(K) retirement savings

Ongoing professional development training

Pay Range is Based on Work Experiences, Qualifications, and Education Level: $45,000 to $50,000 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The members of the community which MCH assists in are racially and ethnically diverse and encompass elders, individuals, families, youth, and children. The community is also diverse in religious beliefs, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, education, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, and includes people living with a disability. MCH has had a long, rich history of hiring not just on technical skills, but life skills. It is the life experiences of our team that reflect the members of the community that MCH’s work sets out to assist.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants should send their resume and cover letter to Robyn Frost, Executive Director:  robyn@mahomeless.org.

The Coalition is an equal opportunity employer.

To learn more about MCH, please visit our website at www.mahomeless.org

BENEFIT PACKAGE

Medical Plan MCH pays 75%

Vacation and Sick Time Benefits

·        2-Weeks of vacation first year, 4 weeks there after

·        10 Sick days

·        10 Hours of flex time

·        3 Personal Days

·        13 Annual paid holidays

·        Employee discount program

·        401(K) retirement savings

Ongoing professional development training