Community Support Specialist

Community Housing Advocates

An Affiliate of Mercy Housing & Shelter Corp. and My Sisters’ Place

Job Title:Community Support Specialist – Homeless 2 Housing

Department: Diversion

Reports to: Clinical Outreach Supervisor – Homeless 2 Housing

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

PHI Access Code Level 2

Scheduled Work Times/Locations

Tuesday – Saturday, hours: TBD. Some evening shifts required.

Location: Hartford, CT.

Job Summary:

The Community Support Specialist (CSS) will work as part of the Hartford Homeless to Housing Program (H2H). As a part of this outreach team, the CSS will utilize various methods to locate and engage people who are experiencing homelessness including but not limited to canvassing for people living in woods/encampment areas, abandoned buildings, parking lots, emergency departments, soup kitchens, and any other area where a person is reported to be living “unsheltered”. The CSS will assess client needs related to housing and basic needs, help them find appropriate safe shelter and identify affordable housing opportunities, advocate for clients, and ensure individuals are successfully linked to resources quickly.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Client Services

• As a part of the outreach team, canvass streets, woods, and other areas identified as places where unsheltered people are living.
• Establish rapport with individuals experiencing homelessness to obtain documents, IDs, birth certificates, homeless verifications, and income verification in preparation for housing services.
• Coordinate disability verifications being completed by appropriately credentialed staff as applicable.
• Provide targeted services to individuals experiencing homelessness, resulting in individuals being diverted to immediate housing options, being added to the CAN By Name List, shelter waitlist, and/or connected with longer term housing.
• Collaborate with a network of CAN community partners including outreach and diversion workers, shelter case managers, housing, and other service providers, and understand all roles and responsibilities within the CAN in order to help the identified individual become housed quickly.
• Provide creative, person-centered outreach and engagement activities to connect with clients on caseload to assess needs, plan support services, reduce risk and assist in skill building to meet goals, and to support the physical and emotional well-being of the participants.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with a variety of providers to provide linkages to employment and job training supports, transportation, medical and behavioral care, benefits and entitlements as well as crisis prevention/management to individuals in need.
• Assist clients with housing search, application, inspection, lease-up, and apartment set up and move in processes.
• Ensure housing first and harm reduction approach is incorporated into work; utilize strategies from Motivational Interviewing, Seeking Safety, etc.
• Attend and represent the program/agency at identified community meetings.
• Provide services in a culturally competent manner and ensure trauma sensitive care.
• Work to avert crisis; manage and report crisis and other emergency situations according to policy, training, and direction; involve supervisory/management personnel.
• Participate in program and agency trainings, committees and events as assigned.
• Responsible for collection, monitoring, and reporting of required goals and outcomes.

Data tracking

• Utilize and enter data into HMIS and Smartsheet (Case notes, verifications, documentation, assessments).
• Enter client information into the data management system, including but not limited to intakes and progress notes.
• Maintain any additional client records as required.

General:

• Maintain a thorough knowledge of agency policies and procedures including safety, communication and confidentiality protocols.
• Perform any other task that will assist the agency in carrying out its mission.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college/university or two-three years’ related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience, preferably with homeless persons, persons with mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills

• Knowledge of case management principles, practices, and procedures.
• Ability to manage, organize and prioritize flow of work, ability to motivate clients.
• Experience operating with cultural humility and competency, as well as trauma-informed
• Knowledge of harm reduction and housing first principles preferred.
• Computer proficiency (i.e., databases, Microsoft Word, Excel), required.
• Bilingual fluency (English/Spanish) preferred.

• Ability to physically navigate different types of terrain.

Licenses and Certifications

• Must have valid Connecticut driver’s license and clean driving record with proof of automobile insurance.

Compensation & Benefits

• $22-$24 per hour, based on experience plus generous incentive compensation plan

• Community Housing Advocates provides a generous employee benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, with competitive premiums, FSA options, retirement, short- and long-term disability, and tuition reimbursement.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands associated with the essential functions of this job are intermittent physical activity, such as walking, sitting and occasional lifting, stooping, bending, and reaching.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

CHA, My Sisters’ Place and Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.