COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST

The Center for Health Care Services; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Center for Health Care Services in San Antonio seeks a Community Outreach Worker to educate and engage individuals experiencing homelessness, using lived recovery experience to connect clients with essential services.

The role involves coordinating with partner agencies, documenting thoroughly, and assisting with immediate needs while guiding clients through complex systems to access housing, healthcare and ongoing support.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalency required.
• 1 year of experience with homeless populations or mental health/substance use settings.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate between partner agencies to advocate and link clients to services.
• Ensure documentation meets Center standards and requirements.
• Gather demographics, homelessness duration, legal, medical and financial info.
• Link consumers to community supports for stabilization and ongoing services.
• Use lived experience to help navigate recovery systems.
• Provide referrals and assist with immediate/basic needs.
• Participate in all scheduled community outreach events.
• Perform outreach, including bringing individuals into services.

Skills

Advocacy

Organization

Time management

Communication

Education

High School diploma or equivalency

Job description

GENERAL SUMMARY

Performs community education and outreach engaging individuals experiencing homelessness. Uses personal lived experience in recovery from a mental health or substance use condition to provide support services to consumers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of a function does not preclude management from assigning essential duties not listed herein if such duties relate to the position.

• Coordinates between partner agencies and the community to advocate and link clients to services.
• Ensures documentation is submitted in accordance with Center standards and meets all designated requirements.
• Gathers information pertaining to demographics, time homeless, emergency notifications, legal information, medical information, financial review, third party coverage, and previous mental health treatment.
• Links consumers to community-based supports designed to stabilize and provide ongoing supports and services for individuals with mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Utilizes lived experiences to assist consumers with navigating systems essential to recovery and growth.
• Offers support while assisting with immediate and basic needs. Provides referral to appropriate resources.
• Participates in all community outreach events as scheduled by program.
• Performs community outreach, including bringing individuals into services and programs.
• Performs other related duties as required.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• High School diploma or equivalency AND
• One (1) year of experience working with the homeless and/or those with mental health, substance abuse, or dual diagnosis.

Licenses or Certifications

• None

Other Requirements

• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and automobile insurance coverage, be able to travel as needed, and be able to meet on a consistent basis the driving record requirements of the Company’s auto insurance carrier if you drive your vehicle during company business.
• Must maintain required credentials and mandatory training requirements to ensure compliance with all State regulations and CHCS policies.
• Must be able to meet the physical requirements to complete Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) and CPR training including lifting up to 12 lbs. and supporting up to 55 lbs.; bending, stooping and getting on and off the floor without assistance.
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) is a proven safe and harm-free method of behavior modification. All consumer-facing employees of CHCS must take NCI courses facilitated by the CHCS Training team within the first 45 days of employment.
• NCI is intended to support human service professionals in giving aggressive, disruptive, or out-of-control people the best care and welfare possible, even in the most violent situation.
• NCI training provides staff with the skills to safely recognize and respond to everyday crisis situations that may involve more challenging behaviors. It focuses on prevention and offers proven strategies for safely defusing anxious, hostile or violent behavior at the earliest possible stage.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred. Language Proficiency Pay (LPP) payments are subject to successful testing, certification by CHCS Payroll, and availability of funding. Funding may be renewed in subsequent fiscal years but is not guaranteed.
• Personal experience with substance abuse, mental health diagnosis and or homelessness.
• Obtain CPS (Certified Peer Specialist) certification within one (1) year of employment if lived experience is to be recognized.
• CHCS programs may require one or more of the following Certified Peer Specialist certifications such as:
• Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS) supports those working in Recovery support within the field of mental health and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) supports those working in peer recovery support within the field of chemical dependency, mental health and/or co-occurring disorders. (Must hold the RSPS/MHPS certification prior to applying for the PRSS)
• Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) supports those working in Recovery Support Peer within the field of chemical dependency, mental health and/or co-occurring disorders.
• Certified Peer Specialist that will provide services through Medicaid must hold the Mental Health Peer Specialist (MHPS) certification through the Texas Certification Board or Wales Education Services

SUPERVISION

• Job has no responsibility for the direction or supervision of others.

COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE OF JOB DUTIES

Knowledge of:

• Applicable software applications
• Community resources and community engagement
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment

Skilled in:

• Advocacy
• Organization and time management
• Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratios

Ability to:

• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files.
• Assess consumer needs.
• Comply with and participate in quality assurance and quality improvement processes.
• Effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Maintain accurate and complete records.
• Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries.
• Meet schedules and deadlines of the work.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.

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.

• Must be able to meet the physical requirements to complete Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) and CPR training including lifting up to 12 lbs. and supporting up to 55 lbs.; bending, stooping and getting on and off the floor without assistance.
• Must have adequate mobility that requires frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching (vertical and horizontal), using fingers, hands, feet, legs and torso in various care.

Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm 1 Haven for Hope Way