Homeless Outreach Specialist

Homeless To Housing Specialist

Liberation Programs is one of Fairfield County's leading behavioral health organizations specializing in treatment for all types of substance use disorders including alcohol, opiates, depressants and stimulants. Our goal is to help individuals and families overcome addiction in order to restore their lives and ultimately strengthen our communities. Liberation provides services for youth, adults and families that include two inpatient treatment programs, outpatient and intensive outpatient services, health education for older adults and people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses, treatment and resources for adolescents and their families, education and prevention efforts in the community, and permanent supportive housing for families. In operation since 1971, the agency has sites in Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport and served more than 2,400 individuals in our last fiscal year.

Liberation Programs' mission is to provide prevention, treatment and recovery services to help individuals and their families impacted by substance use and mental health conditions to foster hope and maintain wellness.

To support the work of the Fairfield County Coordinated Access Network (FC CAN), this position complements a service team model to support people experiencing unsheltered homelessness find and sustain stable, safe, permanent housing. The H2H Specialist will conduct outreach to persons residing out of doors and in places not meant for human habitation to assist them in locating permanent housing; once housed the program will continue to provide housing support services to ensure tenancy sustainability. This position will follow a "services follow the person" model of service delivery.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide street outreach through canvassing, with designated times outside of normal business hours, in collaboration with the FC CAN outreach team.
• Conduct CAN intake appointments and work with the client to identify emergency shelter opportunities while working on a housing plan.
• Work with households to collect all personal identification and documentation, income verification, homelessness verification, and disability verification (all when applicable and appropriate) and upload them into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
• Ensure all clients are added to the By Name List (BNL) and work on developing a Housing Services and Sustainability Plan.
• Comply with all HMIS training requirements including HMIS, maintain organized files and adhere to timely data entry into HMIS, Smart Sheet, and Ddap.
• Support the client in obtaining income through workforce development referrals, or connection to a SOAR specialist.
• Provide ongoing case management services, including connection to mainstream benefits, behavioral health services, and other identified needs (such as childcare, SNAP, etc).
• Actively participate in the local CAN housing solution meetings to advocate for housing opportunities for the client.
• Coordinating housing search, landlord recruitment, and relocation assistance. Identifying housing options in the community through ongoing housing search and cultivation of relationships with landlords.
• Providing information, referrals, and coordinating efforts to participating households for needed services such as, but no limited to: repairing credit and referrals for health, mental health, substance abuse services and social services sources. Encouraging early linkages to family and community support systems.
• Assist the client through the lease signing, tenant rights and responsibilities, and understanding of lease compliance.
• Once housed, complete required documentation, including the DMHAS Acuity and Assessment Index, Housing and Sustainability plan, and assessment every 6 months.
• Conduct regular home visits and face to face encounters for long term housing sustainability.

Skills / Experience Required:

• 2 years' experience working with homeless population and/or lived expertise.
• Must have experience and be comfortable with harm reduction approach, delivering harm reduction services and supplies, (including safer injection and safer smoking kits) and be able to embrace "meeting people where they are" without judgement or expectation.
• Must have excellent communication skills.
• Must be able to deliver services respectfully and ensure all participants are treated with respect and dignity, and feel supported.
• Highly motivated, creative problem solver
• Knowledge of, or ability to quickly develop competency with, issues related to homelessness, effective intervention techniques, and basic understanding of mental health and substance abuse issues
• Project a professional demeanor and exercises mature judgment
• Knowledge of community resources
• Must be able to work effectively with populations that have experienced vulnerability, trauma, economic poverty, incarceration, substance use, developmental delays, compromised mental wellness, brain injuries, literacy and numeracy issues, and/or, other conditions or situations that have impacted housing stability
• Strong organization skills and ability to coordinate and complete multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including telephone communication
• Ability to work independently and with a group, and maintain good working relationships with organizational staff and partners
• Must have a valid driver's license, insurance and be comfortable driving a large van.
• Familiarity with local support services, resources and recovery community preferred.
• Driver's license and daily use of a reliable and properly registered and insured motor vehicle
• Strong computer skills
• Must adhere to all professional standards and ethical practices, including creating and maintaining healthy boundaries and professional relationships with clients, co-workers, and others

What We Offer:

• Competitive Compensation
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Company Paid Basic Life Insurance
• Company Paid Short Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Health, Dependent Care, Parking and Transit
• 401K with Match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Generous Paid Time Off Policy
• HRSA Student Loan Forgiveness Participant
• Supportive Work Environment