Case Manager (Housing Navigation)

Position Overview
Case Managers (CMs) provide housing-focused case management and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, primarily through street outreach. They meet clients where they are, supporting them in achieving goals and developing long-term housing plans. CMs connect clients to essential resources, such as medical and mental health care, counseling, and permanent housing. Working in partnership with nonprofits, government entities, law enforcement, and healthcare providers, CMs ensure clients receive coordinated care to obtain and maintain permanent housing as quickly as possible.

Key Responsibilities
Client Needs Assessment

• Meet with clients over multiple interactions to help them prioritize and obtain the housing and supportive services available to them, with the patience and understanding that it takes an average of 8-10 contact attempts before a client begins to trust the CM and voluntarily engage in case management services.

Housing Placement

• Help clients find and access housing programs
• Complete housing applications
• Create and execute a long-term housing plan

Linkage to Supportive Services

• Screen clients for eligibility and provide referrals to appropriate services
• Find resources using 2-1-1 and other community resources approved by the team supervisor
• Complete a “warm handoff’ or other coordination assistance with partner agencies

Advocacy

• Call, email, provide verification of homelessness, or offer other communication to partner agencies to help clients access resources
• Offer to accompany clients to appointments if the client has difficulty navigating services or representing their needs
• Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with various stakeholders to help clients achieve their goals and maintain City Net’s positive reputation in the community.

Data Collection

• Thoroughly, accurately, consistently, and timely gather and document various types of data…
  • To better understand client needs o To accurately assess client eligibility for community resources-to share with funders and stakeholders to improve the county’s service landscape
  • To enter into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and the county’s Coordinated Entry System (CES)
• Follow all Coordinated Entry System protocols and organizational procedures

Compliance and Goal-Meeting

• Consistently meet all assigned productivity and outcome goals
• In all activities, comply with all contracts, funder requirements, and City Net procedures and policies
• Meet or exceed all goals and requirements established for this position

Requirements:

• Upbeat passion for ending homelessness
• Must be eligible to drive a company vehicle to transport clients. For insurance purposes, drivers need to be at least 21 years old, must have a valid drivers’ license, and be approved to drive a City Net vehicle by our insurance company.
• Desire to make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors during this time of uncertainty and beyond
• Empathetic, self-motivated, flexible, dynamic
• Experience cultivating and maintaining productive, professional relationships with various stakeholders required
• Understanding of the importance of quality and timely data collection and reporting
• Excellent professional boundaries
• Professional verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and time management skills
• Effective and professional networking and relationship management skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency in PCs and Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to accomplish goals and produce valuable results with minimal supervision
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining creativity and strategic thinking and continuing to meet or exceed goals
• Ability to work well with people from diverse backgrounds with varying degrees of experience
• This position may involve variable scheduling including early mornings, late evenings, and weekends.
• Frequently moves about inside the office, in the field (both indoors and outdoors), or at meetings/events to access people, file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Must be able to move oneself quickly in certain urgent/emergent situations (e.g. to avoid falling or projected items, or to administer Naloxone/Narcan to a client who has overdosed)

Nice To Have

• Spanish Fluency
• Case management experience with City Net’s target populations (people affected by homelessness, substance use disorders, chronic health and mental health concerns, domestic and intimate partner violence, and/or human trafficking) strongly preferred
• Experience gathering and maintaining confidential client records, including intake paperwork, case notes, and client management system data entry
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Social Work, Human Services, Sociology, Psychology, or a related field