Housing Case Manager - THV

Job Summary:

The Housing Case Manager (HCM) performs the duties associated with case management services for Lifelong's clients living at the Tiny House Village (THV), including but not limited to engagement and rapport building; goal setting focusing on housing stability, financial stability, and overall health stability; and client personal goals of growth and well-being. The HCM must have acceptance and experience in support, assisting and interacting with clients who present with varying degrees of independence, mental stability, and/or substance use activity; and be able to use the framework of harm reduction for low barrier access to services.

The HCM also works with clients to help them acquire additional support resources such as household items and personal needs, re-connection with or access to additional health resources, and financial and employment resources.  The HCM helps ensure the desired outcome of increasing the clients' overall positive health outcomes and personal self-sufficiency.     

Essential Duties:

• Provides engagement and assistance to each person/family referred to Lifelong's Tiny House Village Housing Program.
• Builds rapport with clients to work to identify their strengths and to foster growth in self-sufficiency and resiliency needed to acquire the most stable housing possible. 
• Understands the King County Homeless Coordinated Entry System and the current housing crisis in this region and its impact on clients' overall health and well-being.  Also keeps up-to-date with the Landlord /Tenant Laws of the City of Seattle/King County.
• Develops and updates individual housing plans addressing any barriers to housing placement opportunities, including income instability and any current health/mental care needs.  Works with clients to identify their personal growth and well-being goals.
• Supports and assists clients as needed with current housing placement opportunities.
• Schedules and completes weekly in-person engagements as much as possible; builds rapport, addresses any village issues, and addresses housing barriers and any other ongoing issues with potential housing placements.
• Provides needed advocacy and support regarding village issues as they arise; addresses the issues and develops potential solutions that will help stabilize clients in their residency in the village. 
• Provides resource connections as needed for health, mental health care, and treatment options.
• Provides guidance for clients wishing to exercise their own self-advocacy in obtaining referrals and resources.
• Collects required documentation for program outcomes and compliance.
• Participates in individual supervision, team meetings, and departmental activities. 
• Participates in agency meetings and required agency activities.
• Performs other duties as required.

Core Competencies:

• Working understanding of Harm Reduction and Housing First principles within a Trauma Informed framework. 
• Proven experience working with government entitlement programs (e.g. Medicaid, Medicare, and Title XIX).
• Demonstrated ability to handle demanding work situations both emotionally and physically due to serving a high acuity client population.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.
• Excellent detail orientation with a high level of accuracy. 
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability.
• Proven clear understanding of professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of applications, including Excel and Word.
• Experience working in electronic case noting within a database and electronic document collection and storage.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both verbal and written form.
• Well-developed professional phone skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to respond quickly to change.
• Well-developed ability to build strong working relationships with internal and external providers and partner agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under stressful conditions, exercising crisis management and de-escalation skills.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in a social services field or equivalent experience.
• Two years of experience in direct social service or advocacy work, including assessing client needs and/or determining client benefit eligibility.
• Two years of proven experience working with marginalized populations, along with a well-developed understanding of the difficulties that arise due to chronic homelessness, past or current substance use/abuse, and ongoing mental health instability.
• Experience working with culturally diverse populations.
• Bilingual in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Tigrinya, and/or Amharic a plus.

Work Environment:

• Fully on-site role.
• All staff are currently required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination prior to hiring. The use of personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to COVID-19 may be required in the future should exposure warrant it.

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About Lifelong:

Lifelong is a community health organization committed to removing barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone can have the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

We are looking for passionate, dedicated people to join our talented team and make real, meaningful changes in the daily lives of those living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses in their community. Lifelong offers exceptional benefits, including paid time off, medical and dental coverage in addition to a balanced work-life integration.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Lifelong, we are dedicated to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

EEO Statement:

Lifelong is committed to creating an accessible, supportive environment and experience that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of what we do.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and as such, we do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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DISCLAIMER: INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Job descriptions assist organizations in ensuring that the hiring process is fairly administered and that qualified employees are selected. They are an integral part of a compensation system, effective performance review system, related promotion, transfer, layoff, etc. decisions.

All descriptions have been reviewed to illustrate the job functions and basic duties, in addition to peripheral tasks or that could generally be considered as other duties as assigned.

In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities and requirements be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. Requirements, skills and abilities included have been determined to illustrate the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions.