Wellness Access Specialist - Doreen's Place Shelter

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position:        Wellness Access Specialist I

Location:       Doreen's Place

Supervisor:    Wellness Access Program Manager

Hours:            Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Wage:             $23.97 per hour

            Eligible for Language Differential

Benefits:        Competitive Benefits Package

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide services to assist participants to engage and effectively link to medical, mental health and substance use disorder providers. Working as part of team of peer health navigators, housing case managers, provide support to participants to successfully gain and maintain stable housing. This is a non-exempt, represented full-time position.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide groups to engage, educate, and support participants to access physical health, mental health, and substance use disorder services where needed.
2. Provide individual sessions to participants to support and facilitate connections to community support services.
3. Develop comprehensive knowledge of community physical/mental health resources and substance use disorder services and maintain effective relationships with these providers to assure service availability for participants. Maintain knowledge of available resources for low-income and homeless population.
4. Work in cooperation with program staff to provide intervention plans with residents who violate alcohol and drug or behavioral rules where appropriate.
5. Coordinate with housing case managers and residential advocate staff to ensure services are participant-focused, effective, and efficient.
6. Enter participant data into data collection systems.
7. Attend meetings as requested.
8. Other duties as assigned.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Each Transition Projects employee must:

1. Represent the organization professionally at all times.
2. Serve as a positive role model to staff, participants, and guests.
3. Maintain positive relations with program participants, volunteers, co-workers, staff from other agencies, agency funders, and the general public.
4. Acquire First Aid and Adult CPR-AED certification within 30 days of hire and be retested biannually thereafter throughout employment.
5. Complete Bloodborne Pathogens and Narcan Training within 30 days of hire and be retested annually thereafter throughout employment.
6. Demonstrate effective communication skills by conveying necessary information accurately, listening effectively and asking questions when clarification is needed.
7. Plan and organize work effectively and ensure its completion.
8. Exercise necessary cost control measures.
9. Demonstrate reliability by being present for work as scheduled, arriving and leaving on time and taking breaks in expected time frames.
10. Interact effectively with persons of diverse ethnic backgrounds, religious views, cultural       backgrounds, and sexual orientations and treat each individual with respect and dignity.
11. Embrace teamwork and promote a team-oriented environment.
12. Demonstrate initiative.
13. Make decisions that reflect consistency with Transition Projects philosophy, policies, and procedures.
14. Participate in ongoing development and improvement of all program processes and relationships.
15. Attend agency and program staff meetings.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee, with or without accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

1. Hearing and vision adequate for interaction with program participants, interaction with staff and interaction with the general public.
2. Hearing adequate for telephone work. Vision adequate for close work.
3. Hand and finger dexterity adequate to operate standard office equipment.
4. Ability to walk, bend, stand, sit, reach, stoop, pull, climb stairs, and squat.
5. Position includes significant time sitting at a desk completing paperwork and working on a computer.
6. Ability to perform CPR for fifteen minutes continuously.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The right individual for this position has a passion for helping others and a desire to work in an organization that serves people who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. 

1. Associates Degree in a related field OR one year of experience in social services required AND the ability to demonstrate understanding of the issues surrounding homelessness, chemical dependency, domestic violence and sexual assault.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of chemical dependency and mental health issues and appropriate treatment resources. Candidates possessing CADC or similar certification will receive priority consideration.
3. Demonstrated ability to engage people experiencing homelessness in a trauma informed manner.
4. Applicants who are themselves veterans will receive priority consideration. Bi-lingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
5. Demonstrated ability act as a broker with other agencies in developing and providing services to clients; including ability to advocate on behalf of clients for services with other agencies.
6. Up-to-date familiarity of community resources and services available to assist the homeless.
7. Demonstrated knowledge of services available to assist the homeless.
8. Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team in the delivery of services to clients.
9. Computer literacy. Demonstrated ability to use word processing, database, spreadsheet, e-mail, and Internet programs.
10. Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate and comprehensive client files.

Transition Projects, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, source of income, union participation or activities, or any other status legally protected by applicable local, state or federal law.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.