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Title: Housing Specialist for Substance Use Services

Program: 820 Program

Salary Range: $57,045-$62,045 annually

Program Overview:

The Program is an OASAS part 820 residential stabilization and rehabilitation services facility. Participants receive substance use services in accordance with OASAS guidelines. Clients in the program receive services from LPN’s, RN’s, occupational therapists, social workers, addiction counselors, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians. The program is designed as a holistic and highly individualized model of treatment and focuses on client-centered and trauma-informed approaches to helping people with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Position Overview:

Under the direction of the Program Director, with some latitude for independent action and decision making, the Housing Specialist is responsible for identifying housing options for the clients and assisting the clients in preparing and submitting applications so they can start the process of acquiring permanent housing placement that matches their individual needs. The Housing Coordinator will work as part of the clinical team, participating in regular case conferences, facilitating client groups with a particular focus on housing-related services, coordinating referrals and appointments related to housing applications and supporting other team members as the housing resource expert.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

The essential duties of the Housing Coordinator include but are not limited to the following activities:

+ Complete applications for housing eligibility (2010e; CityFheps)

+ Acts as primary liaison with HRA for scheduling interviews and other housing related items.

+ Visit housing providers to develop and maintain positive working relationships.

+ Prepare clients for housing interviews, accompany them on tours to facilities, and will generally coordinate the housing referral process.

+ Maintains an updated resource manual on available housing.

+ Create and maintain a system to track housing applications and their status.

+ Consults with 820 interdisciplinary staff regarding housing options for individual clients and adherence to their Individual Living Plans, identifying short and long-term objectives to be achieved.

+ Coordinate with other housing specialists in the agency to share referrals and resources.

+ Input all client information and updates in a timely fashion into appropriate systems for service management (e.g., eCW, CARES).

+ Work collaboratively with the clients and other staff to identify and obtain financial entitlements, housing and other concrete services

+ Counsel clients through individualized and group sessions on issues such as achieving housing goals, finding permanent or alternative housing and employment opportunities.

+ Organize and educate clients through sessions.

+ Maintains accurate and up to date written client documentation as required and in accord with city and state oversight agency guidelines

+ Provides escort services to clients as needed.

+ Performs other duties as assigned by the Program Director or Assistant Director.

Physical Activities

While performing the duties of this position, the Housing Coordinator must be able to navigate the facility by foot, climbing up and down the stairwells, in order to observe staff and clients. The Housing Coordinator must be able to stand and bend in order to review client files, put them away, and close them out. It is also part of the role to sit at the computer workstation for extended periods to review the client data and update the information in the case management systems. The Housing Coordinator must be able to lift or move material and equipment weighing up to 15 pounds.

Qualifications:

+ A bachelor’s degree in social work, public administration, psychology, education, sociology, occupational or physical therapy, or other related human services fields with a minimum of two years of experience

+ An associate’s degree in these fields with three years of relevant experience.

+ A High School Diploma or GED equivalent with four years of relevant experience.

+ Bilingual or multilingual a plus.

+ Clinical experience working with people who use drugs.

+ CASAC, CASAC-T, or CASAC-P eligible (or equivalent).

Preferred Skills

+ Leadership: Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate staff to accomplish stated program goals and objectives while developing their individual and group skills.

+ Team building: Ability to develop and foster, through demonstration, a team spirit, enabling staff to overcome the challenges of providing needed services to a special client population.

+ Communication: Excellent oral, writing, and listening skills are a must.

+ Organizational: The ability to work well within a highly pressurized, deadline environment, while meeting the short-term and long-term mandates of the program. Must collaborate with our Performance Evaluation and Quality Assurance Department (PEQA) and develop/ exhibit the ability to independently evaluate and manage program performance using data.

+ Interpersonal: An ability to interface with clients as well as all levels of staff.

+ Computer: Knowledge of case management software as well as proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

Job Details

Pay Type Hourly

Employment Indicator Regular

Hiring Min Rate 31.34 USD

Hiring Max Rate 34.09 USD