Family Advocate

Job Title: Family Advocate (Social Services/Case Management)

Group: Community Programs for Social Justice

Reports to: Community Programs Manager

FLSA Status: Non- Exempt

Hours/Week: Full time (40 hours/week), generally 8-5 M-F.

Compensation: $21.65- $25.70/ hour, depending on experience

Benefits: Generous benefits package; see below for details

Primary Work Site: The Aurora Apartments, Portland, OR

Want to help make a difference? Our Just Future (OJF) counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity - today and for future generations.

We partner with people and communities impacted by poverty so they can achieve long-term housing and economic security. We invest in affordable housing and community assets that contribute to strong, inclusive neighborhoods. We advocate with our community for policies and investments that expand housing and economic opportunity, eliminate wealth inequality and end poverty.

East Portland/East Multnomah County, Oregon is our home and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.

Our Just Future envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share in the security, hopes and advantages of a thriving, supportive community.

Our Just Future operates as a nimble, financially strong organization driven by our passion, strategic goals and guiding principles.

Diversity, inclusion and equity are fundamental values for Our Just Future’s, both internally and externally. OJF has an Anti-Oppression Diversity Committee, which serves as a sounding board for new internal policies and procedures to make sure that we’re taking into account diversity and inclusion. It also helps with diversity-related projects, such as coordinating staff diversity trainings and providing ongoing input into our equity work.

Our Just Future is working to end homelessness and poverty in our community because every one of us deserves a safe place to call home.

What Our Just Future Can Offer You: We offer a comprehensive array of benefits in support of your physical, emotional and financial well-being. A few highlights:

• Employer paid premiums for employee health insurance.
• Generous paid time off, 13 paid holidays, a floating birthday holiday and the ability to maintain a great work/life balance.
• Employer paid premiums for short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Access to an employee assistance program.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• Professional development opportunities, including employee driven committees and monthly optional staff workshops.
• Access to wellness initiatives and resources including things such as walking groups, weekly yoga classes and workshops on stress management, self-care and healthy living.
• Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement plan with a 2% employer match after three months of employment.
• A six-week paid sabbatical after every seven years of consecutive employment with OJF.

SUMMARY

The Family Advocate at The Aurora, an affordable housing property within Our Just Future’s portfolio, will provide strengths-based family services/advocacy for 16 families who are or were homeless/at risk of becoming homeless. This is a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program contracted with the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department (HSD, formerly JOHS). This position will work closely with property management and the Family System Coordinated Access (CA) team to support referred families through housing barrier navigation and the lease-up process. All 16 units are Project Based Vouchers (PBV) through Home Forward. This position will also work with LifeWorks NW to ensure that all PSH families have access to behavioral health services available through that partnership if those services are desired.

The Family Advocate will regularly communicate with The Aurora Resident Services Specialist and the Property Manager to address concerns that may arise for any of the 16 PSH families. This position will deliver services that are culturally responsive within the framework of Assertive Engagement and Trauma Informed Care to help them achieve their aspirations and address barriers to housing stability. They will work in collaboration with each of the participant household’s family on holistic goal planning. They will provide intakes for program eligibility and will maintain files in compliance with the funder requirements. They will maintain ongoing in-person contact and case management with families during their time in the program, provide supportive services, and connect households to community resources.

DUTIES & RESPONSBILITIES

Essential

• Conduct an in-depth eligibility and assessment with applicants.
• Work closely with the family system of Coordinated Access and attend pre-lease-up meetings.
• Collaborate with household members to develop and implement an individualized and flexible action plan with specific goals.
• Apply program funds appropriately to each household based on their goal plan and assess the duration of participation in program based on the identified needs of the household.
• Utilize Assertive Engagement and Trauma Informed Care skills in a culturally responsive approach to effectively move families forward with the goals they set for themselves.
• Assist families during lease up, helping them to overcome barriers to housing.
• Assist families in preparing for inspections and re-certifications required by Property Management and Home Forward.
• Be responsive to property managers as concerns arise in order to support participants in successfully stabilizing in their housing and preventing eviction.
• Collaborate with Property Management, Resident Services and other services providers. Attend meetings to discuss ongoing issues and problem solve.
• Become familiar with housing community rules and lease provisions.
• Assist in supporting participants with required inspections and understanding the requirements of maintaining their homes.
• Provide support in identifying and engaging in opportunities for community connection.
• Provide healthcare navigation, including linkages to peer support, routine and preventative physical healthcare, mental and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder services, assistance applying for medical benefits, consultation with mental or behavioral health professionals, and in-home supports, as needed.
• Provide life skills coaching to participants, helping them learn new skills for independent, successful living.
• Maintain regular communication and coordination with LifeWorks NW.
• Engage with households at least once a month to update progress, address other needs, and provide any other ongoing supportive services.
• Use creativity and resourcefulness to ensure that families are aware of all community resources available for them and advocate with other service providers for the needs of families as appropriate.
• Provide crisis intervention and management.
• Provide transition planning for participants who are transferring or exiting PSH services.
• Organize and maintain files up to standards required by the funders.
• Maintain accurate, complete, up-to-date documentation of service activities using OJF procedures, forms and data reporting systems. Submit paperwork in a timely manner.

Secondary

• Conduct telephone or written follow-ups with each household in accordance with requirements of funding sources.
• Participate in regular supervision check-ins, monthly department staff meetings and all staff trainings.
• Participate in community meetings/outreach events as appropriate, including but not limited to information and referral and interagency partnerships.
• Other duties as assigned. It is impossible to predict the many requests and assignments that can and will be made in this position. Flexibility and a cooperative spirit are important for the successful operation of Our Just Future.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and abilities required.

Knowledge of:

• Social, economic, and systemic issues creating poverty, working successfully with practices and techniques related to people with low income to achieve greater housing stability.
• Behavioral healthcare practices and supports.
• Community resources and agencies providing social services needed by homeless and low-income population.
• The effects of trauma and how trauma can impact families experiencing homelessness and poverty.
• Mediating difficult situations and de-escalation techniques.

Ability to:

• Partner with participants to identify their strengths, needs, options and effective solutions.
• Non-judgmentally elicit information and help problem solve around sensitive issues including, but not limited to, alcohol and drug use, domestic violence, child abuse and mental health, and criminal background.
• Provide support and resources to participants living in PSH.
• Empower and support homeless and low-income participants in life choices and change.
• Knowledge of, and/or willingness to learn and apply an Assertive Engagement model of providing services and incorporating Trauma-Informed principles to services rendered.
• Ability to engage in difficult conversations with households in an effort to maintain their housing and move forward in meeting self-selected goals.
• Ability to explain the implications of lease violations and assist residents in developing corrective action plans.
• Work cooperatively with all volunteers and staff.
• Develop and maintain productive working relationships within Our Just Future, with public and private agencies, the general public and participants.
• Be culturally sensitive and competent when working with diverse populations.
• Prepare and maintain clear, accurate, complete and timely records and reports.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries with all households served.
• Understand and follow complex written and oral instructions, rules and procedures.
• Work independently and be a vital and contributing part of a team.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Any combination of education and work experience in a Behavioral Healthcare setting with case management totaling two years or a Bachelor's Degree in social service/social sciences field with at least six (6) months of case management experience.
• Experience with crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
• Experience with community networking and resource development.
• Experience delivering services in a culturally responsive approach using Assertive Engagement techniques
• Bi-Lingual/Bi-Cultural preferred but not required.
• English fluency required, written and spoken.
• General computer and word processing skills and willingness to advance computer skills.
• Experience and intermediate skills with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

In office work environment is expected. In person meetings with households in the office, community or in their home is expected.

TRANSPORTATION

This position requires working in the community with the ability to get around timely, flexibly and effectively to meet the needs of participants. A current driver’s license, reliable and consistent access to an automobile and current auto insurance carrying 100/300 limits of liability.

What Our Just Future Can Offer You: We offer a comprehensive array of benefits in support of your physical, emotional and financial well-being. A few highlights:

• Employer paid premiums for employee health insurance.
• Generous paid time off, 13 paid holidays, a floating birthday holiday and the ability to maintain a great work/life balance.
• Employer paid premiums for short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Access to an employee assistance program.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• Professional development opportunities, including employee driven committees and monthly optional staff workshops.
• Access to wellness initiatives and resources including things such as walking groups, weekly yoga classes and workshops on stress management, self-care and healthy living.
• Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement plan with a 2% employer match after three months of employment.
• A six-week paid sabbatical after every seven years of consecutive employment with OJF.