Housing Outreach Worker

DISCLAIMER: regarding COVID-19:

The Goddard Riverside Downtown Outreach Team is an essential program during this COVID-19 public health crisis.  Goddard continues to provide 24/7 outreach to our street homeless community.  As such, the program follows CDC guidelines to ensure the safety of our clients and our staff members.    At this time, our programs follow a reduced staffing schedule in the field with some days working remotely.  We look forward to reviewing resumes from individuals that understand our most vulnerable need to be engaged and checked for safety at all times, including during this public health crisis!

Intro/Program Description: The Manhattan Outreach Consortium provides outreach and housing placement services to adults who are street homeless. The Downtown team serves lower Manhattan and collaborates with various community partners and healthcare agencies throughout Manhattan. The catchment area includes 23rd St and below, river to river.

Purpose of Position: The Housing Outreach Specialist works to creatively and effectively engage individuals living on the street through outreach in the community. The position serves as a case manager for adults experiencing street homelessness, with the goal of placing them into transitional and permanent housing. The position works collaboratively across teams and organizations to achieve this goal.

Schedule: Monday through Friday - 9:00am to 5:00pm

Roles, Responsibilities & Essential Duties

• Serve as case manager for homeless adults, with a goal of placing them in transitional and permanent housing
• Perform intake, assessment, service planning, advocacy, referral and escort services
• Maintain client case records and enter data in computer database using handheld and desktop computers
• Provide follow-up case management for clients placed in housing, to promote retention and document outcomes
• Attend staff meetings, case conferences, training programs and supervision meetings; participate in program evaluation and improvement
• Communicate with evening/weekend staff and with staff of other agencies to coordinate client service
• Participate in outreach trips to identify and communicate with homeless clients
• Drive outreach van
• Participate in the annual HOPE count and quarterly counts of homeless individuals living on the street, 4 overnight counts completed annually
• Other duties as required

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Prior experience with the homeless and/or mentally ill population preferred
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets the agency’s auto insurance guidelines (including at least one year as a licensed driver and no suspensions within the last 3 years)
• Flexibility in work hours; available to work evening, overnight and weekend shifts when required

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Understanding of housing first and other harm reduction models
• Ability to multitask
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong written and verbal skills
• Team player

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should be:

• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook
• Experience with, or ability to learn, computer databases such as Streetsmart, MOCapp, and CARES

Physical Requirements

• Frequent walking and standing
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs

Work Environment

• Indoors and outdoors; all weathers