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Outreach Case Manager - STAR Center

Seattle, WA (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=619+3rd+Ave+Seattle+WA+USA+98104) •STAR Center

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Job Type

Full-time

Description

**Days Off:** Thursday, Friday

**Shift:** Day (10:00am - 6:30pm)

**Insurance Benefits:** Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage), Dental, Life, Long-term Disability

**Other Benefits:** Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

**Union Representation:** This position is a part of a union and is represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

About DESC:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 3,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.

JOB DEFINITION:

The STAR Center is 24-hour 7 days a week shelter with a multi-disciplinary team that provides assertive engagement, intensive services and temporary shelter to people experiencing homelessness. The Outreach Case Manager provides outreach, engagement, and ongoing services to clients outside of the STAR Center. This position supports the case management team and the Neighborhood Coordinator in assisting individuals with obtaining temporary shelter through assertive engagement with those experiencing homelessness in the immediate vicinity of the shelter. This position also supports clients within the shelter as needed. This position requires a high degree of coordination and collaboration with other DESC programs as well as outside agencies to ensure successful transition of ongoing care for shelter guests.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Outreach & Engagement

+ Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team of a neighborhood coordinator, case managers, service coordinators, clinical staff, and peer support to provide a variety of services focused on accessing emergency services and stabilizing clients inside and outside the center.

+ Be a welcoming presence and actively patrol both the interior and exterior of the STAR Center, assertively and positively engaging clients and individuals congregating outside the building to build relationships, discouraging loitering, and providing resources (as appropriate).

+ Provide outreach and assertive engagement services to individuals experiencing homelessness or crisis in the immediate vicinity of the STAR Center.

+ Assist in training clinic staff on de-escalation skills and leading crisis response drills.

+ Intervene in crises and emergencies (medical, behavioral health, interpersonal) inside and in the immediate vicinity outside the building. Participate in both verbal and hands-on de-escalation in emergent situations and initiate action as required, including communicating with emergency response systems and facilitating a higher level of care.

+ Help ensure cleanliness of lobby area and other common spaces within the building.

+ Become certified in enhanced behavioral de-escalation training and maintain annual re-certification.

+ Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with DESC staff and other service and resource organizations to ensure full continuity of care for clients.

+ Participate in educating staff and guests regarding community resources for homeless clients with mental illness/co-occurring disorders.

+ Provide survival resources, hygiene products, and harm reduction supplies to meet basic needs and build rapport, as appropriate.

+ Maintain a clean and healthy environment inside and in the immediate vicinity outside the building.

+ Support clients with achieving and maintaining healthy living conditions in the shelter. This can include but is not limited to attending care conferences related to living conditions, outreaching and supporting clients in their shelter rooms with tools and skills to maintain their rooms, coordinating with other shelter staff, participating in cleaning out clients’ rooms, and documenting barriers to maintaining healthy living conditions.

+ Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

+ Current Washington Department of Health minimum credential as an Agency Affiliated Counselor or ability to obtain the credential upon hire.

+ Relevant bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science, OR

+ A combination of 1 year* of relevant paid work experience and demonstration of the ability to perform required job duties

+ *Internal applicants in direct, client facing positions can substitute 6 months of experience in lieu of 1 year

+ Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business, including a current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record.

+ Experience working with people experiencing homelessness, mentally illness, or substance using disorder.

+ Interest or experience in working with participants who are difficult to engage and refer to traditional programs.

+ Firm commitment to being part of innovative work in harm reduction and low barrier shelter provision.

+ Willingness to be flexible and work cooperatively with coworkers to accomplish all responsibilities of the team.

+ Ability to work flexible hours as required by program and staffing needs.

+ Ability to handle sensitive information with a high degree of professionalism.

+ Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.

+ Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.

+ Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

+ Master's degree in social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science or Bachelor of Nursing degree with specialty in mental health.

+ Knowledge of de-escalation skills, crisis intervention & stabilization.

+ Bi-cultural background/experience.

+ Bi-lingual English/Spanish.

+ Strong knowledge of relevant community resources and methods for accessing them.

+ Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional whose scope of practice includes independently conducting mental health assessments and making mental health diagnoses.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required sit for long periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Salary Description

$37.78 - $41.72 per hour