Housing Specialist

Get ready for something extraordinary! Picture this – You've got 6 weeks of paid time off in your first year, plus 12 days of paid holidays. That's just the beginning of the perks at Vivent Health. There is 401k with 100% employer match up to 5%, 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, employer subsidized medical, dental, vision benefits, and gender-affirming care benefits. And that's not even scratching the surface. Our complete package also includes employer paid short and long-term disability, tuition reimbursement, certification and licensure assistance, and so much more. We also offer benefits for part-time roles!

But here's the real deal. Your journey with Vivent Health isn't just a job. It's a chance to join an organization, to be a part of something bigger, and make meaningful impact in our communities and the lives of the amazing patients we serve.

Here are a few highlights of what working at Vivent Health may offer you:

• Professional Growth: Opportunities for professional development and advancement.
• Collaboration on an inter-disciplinary team: Within our integrated HIV care and prevention model, we employ a high level of collaboration across disciplines. That means that, in your role, you will have the opportunity to be exposed to whole person-care across medical, behavioral health, pharmaceutical, research, and more!
• Delivery of quality patient care: Our integrated HIV care and prevention model is proven to help patients achieve positive health outcomes.

Working at Vivent Health, you can truly serve the underserved and become an impactful part of their health journey.

Position Purpose

The Housing Specialist position provides intensive assistance to clients who are homeless or struggling with housing instability, especially those whose HIV health outcomes are impacted by their housing status. Through achievement of safe, affordable, and stable housing, health outcomes will be improved, and viral suppression attained.

Essential Functions

• In collaboration with Vivent Health Case Management, Housing, Medical and Quality staff, identify Milwaukee and Madison area clients/patients who are not virally suppressed, with housing instability as a major contributing factor. Perform outreach to Milwaukee area clients to offer linkage to case management and housing services, referral to other agency and community services, education to improve housing literacy, and assistance with housing searches. Link Madison area clients to a local Vivent Health Community Case Manager for intensive housing services.
• Identify and interview clients for eligibility for application to HOPWA and Ryan White Housing programs. Assist with applications to programs and facilitate assistance.
• Assist in locating affordable housing for homeless clients or those applying to or on HOPWA or Ryan White housing programs. Evaluate credit and criminal background checks for clients to gain full understanding of eligibility factors and barriers to housing. Verify property ownership and conduct Housing Quality Inspections for potential units. Negotiate fair market rents with landlords and coordinate lease-signing with clients and landlords. Advocate for the clients and mediate disputes or conflicts between landlords and tenants. Refer to and coordinate with the Legal Services Program for cases with unresolved landlord / tenant problems.
• Work with HOPWA and Ryan White Housing clients to transition clients to long-term, stable and independent living. This will be accomplished through identifying new or increased income sources, either through employment or disability income, with referrals given to employment services as needed. Exploration of permanent, subsidized housing programs, such as Section 8 and VA Housing, will also be performed.
• Provide individualized, intensive housing education appropriate to the client’s current and future living situation, including on rent affordability, appropriate income to rent ratios, components of tenant leases, and good tenant and neighbor behavior. Apply knowledge of residential lease contracts to educate clients of their rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Assist with development of and encourage adherence to a personal budget through proactive housing and budget counseling sessions that review income, expenses, and past due debt.
• Identify unmet client needs and provide appropriate referrals and resources, both those within Vivent Health and those in the community. Collaborate with case manager and/or housing program personnel on the creation of multidisciplinary service plans.
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationship with key community partners to locate and assist those living with HIV who seek care and services elsewhere to address their clients’ housing needs. This includes other HIV/AIDS Agencies such as 16th Street Clinic, Froedtert Infectious Disease, Milwaukee Health Services, Outreach Health, and UW Hospitals and Clinics, as well as homeless shelters and community housing agencies.
• Maintain current documentation of all client activities and assistance in Provide Enterprise and document required activities in the HMIS / Service Point system.
• Contribute as an active member of the Social Services Department by participating in staff meetings, client staffing, in-service trainings and workshops, department or agency planning activities, assisting in special projects, and providing support, peer mentoring and training to co-workers.
• Gain and maintain knowledge of areas regarding HIV disease, HIV and STI risk reduction, mental health issues, case management activities, housing resources, Fair Housing, HOPWA and Ryan White programs, and other related issues through self-study and participation in trainings, workshops, and in-services in consultation with supervisor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university OR three years of experience.
• Minimum of two years’ experience offering direct client contact in a community based social service or health service agency.
• Knowledge of housing laws and regulations.
• Ability to establish rapport and maintain effective communication with culturally diverse populations from a wide range of life circumstances and backgrounds.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including counseling and assessment skills.
• Ability to effectively organize work products and files, keep clear records, and manage time well so as to optimize efficiency and productivity.
• Willingness to travel within the designated territory and willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to the HIV/AIDS patient population, and/or an eagerness to learn about this community.
• Adheres to all agency policies including, but not limited to, Employee Handbook, Confidentiality, Healthcare Corporate Compliance Plan, Standards of Conduct, and other policies.

Salary

Starting at $48,000/annually (Depending on Experience)

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

**Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer* *

Vivent Health is an equal opportunity employer and will recruit, hire, promote and transfer qualified persons into all job classifications regardless of race, gender, religion, skin color, national origin or ancestry, physical disability (including pregnancy) or mental disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, legally protected medical condition, family care status, marital status, veteran status, genetic characteristics or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. Vivent Health complies with other expanded protected classifications that may be mandated by specific county or municipal regulations. As a recipient of federal funding, Vivent Health will not hire nor enter into a contractual relationship with any party that is debarred, suspended, or excluded from federal assistance programs.

Public Student Loan Forgiveness

Employment at our organization may qualify you for federal student loan forgiveness programs. We do not directly pay for – nor forgive – federal student loans; however, our status as a not-for-profit organization under Section 501 c 3, makes us an eligible employer. There may be other determining factors for one to qualify.

Please follow this URL to review one such program and their requirements:

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

To express interest in this role, kindly submit your application through the following link: https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/VIV1002VIVHE/JobBoard/47c9bc3a-8c84-4a15-a882-998936cd7f40/Opportunity/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=c12ce480-90ad-4c3d-aaf6-50079a647b63

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $48,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Detroit, MI (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Detroit, MI: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person