Consumer Advocate, Outreach Queens

Breaking Ground; Jamaica (IA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Breaking Ground in Manhattan seeks a Consumer Advocate, Outreach to engage people experiencing street homelessness and living with chronic medical conditions. You will connect clients to social and medical services and secure appropriate housing solutions through motivational interviewing and client-centered planning.

The role involves field-based outreach in vehicles or on foot, accompanying clients to appointments, and maintaining required data in databases.

Qualifications

• Two years of related experience.
• Lived experience with homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and/or immigration issues.
• Knowledge of local benefit agencies and resources.
• Strong communication and liaison skills.
• Valid driver’s license in NY/NJ/CT/PA and good driving record

Responsibilities

• Engage homelessness clients and build rapport.
• Draw on lived experience to connect with clients and develop service connections.
• Conduct required assessments.
• Attend clinical supervision and training.
• Maintain records per agency and city/state standards.
• Collaborate with Parks Dept., NYPD, DSNY, MTA, and other agencies.
• Accompany clients to appointments and follow up on referrals.
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Skills

Oral and written communication

Bilingual English/Spanish

Rapport building

Stakeholder liaison

Job description

The Consumer Advocate, Outreach works with people experiencing street homelessness and living with chronic medical conditions in Manhattan with the objective of engaging individuals to connect them to appropriate social and medical services and, ultimately, to help improve their overall health and wellbeing and secure appropriate housing solutions.

The Consumer Advocate, Outreach will build a relationship with clients utilizing motivational interviewing to encourage the client to work towards self-identified housing, health, and other goals. The Consumer Advocate, Outreach will spend most of the shift in the field either in an automobile and/or on foot conducting street outreach, accompanying clients to appointments, and/or following up on service referrals. The incumbent will conduct necessary assessments, engage the client in self-directed service planning, and enter all required data into required database(s).

This position has a 35-hour work week and will work fully onsite at a program site/in the field.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Engage with identified persons currently experiencing homelessness and living with chronic medical conditions in Manhattan
• Draw on lived experience of homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and/or immigration issues to build rapport with clients and develop appropriate service connections
• Conduct required assessments
• Attend clinical supervision and training
• Maintain record keeping in compliance with agency standards as well as those of City and State agencie s
• Collaborate with Parks Dept., NYPD, DSNY, MTA, and other agencies
• Accompany clients to appointments and follow up on service referrals
• Perform other related duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years of related experience
• Lived experience with homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and/or immigration issues and willingness to appropriately use lived experience as a tool for building client rapport and developing service connection
• Knowledge of local benefit agencies (e.g., Public Assistance) and familiarity with substance abuse, mental health, immigration, and employment resources
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and electronic record keeping
• Valid NY, NJ, CT, or PA driver’s license with a good driving record, as defined by Breaking Ground, is a condition of employment
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred