Homeless Outreach Technician

City of La Mesa; Kansas; On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A city department is seeking a Homeless Outreach Technician to support the community's homeless population through outreach, case management, and service coordination. The ideal candidate will have experience in community engagement and crisis intervention, providing critical support as part of a dedicated team.

Qualifications

• Three years of experience working with the homeless population.
• Experience in behavioral and mental health assessments.
• Ability to develop positive relationships with community members.

Responsibilities

• Perform outreach and engagement with homeless individuals.
• Coordinate services and referrals for clients.
• Provide ongoing case management support.

Skills

Case Management

Community Engagement

Crisis Intervention

Outreach

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work

Job description

The City of La Mesa is currently seeking candidates passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of others to join the Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) team serving the community as a Homeless Outreach Technician.

In February 2021, the La Mesa City Council unanimously adopted the2021-2026 Homeless Action Plan. The Plan establishes programs designed to prevent homeless and housing insecurity, provide comprehensive outreach and mental health services, and address future transitional and permanent supportive housing needs in East San Diego County. The City will continue implementing and updating theHomeless Action Planto provide additional programs and resources.

As our Homeless Outreach Technician, you will perform a wide variety of specialized, non-sworn duties in support of the Police Department’s Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME) Program to address chronic homelessness and focus on providing high intensity case management including individualized and comprehensive support throughout the transition from street to housing; initiate and engage in outreach and advocacy activities with the Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist in known homeless communities and in response to community requests; collaborate and coordinate between several homeless service providers to facilitate linkage to an array of services and resources such as: healthcare, education, and disability benefits, mental health services, substance abuse programs, legal services, employment opportunities, and housing referral and placement; and to develop relationships within the community to identify new and existing opportunities to better assist clients during the transition to permanent housing. This position operates in support of the City’s Homeless Action Plan.

The Homeless Outreach Technician is distinguished from the Clinical Homeless Outreach Specialist by assisting clients with a multi-faceted approach to addressing housing and related needs. This position also provides additional administrative activities in support of the HOME program. This position does not require registration with the Board of Behavioral Sciences. For more detailed information, please review the detailed job description.

IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate for the Homeless Outreach Technician role will have experience in a case management-focused outreach setting. The Homeless Outreach Technician should be comfortable going to homeless encampments to conduct case management meetings and provide the proper referrals and linkages to needed resources. The candidate should also have experience developing and maintaining positive relationships with community members and referral agencies in the appropriate outreach region.

*This position will receive a6% salary increase effective the first full pay period on or after July 1, 2025.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Provide administrative support to ensure successful implementation, coordination of participant services, achievement of program performance measures, and evaluation of services provided.
• Perform persistent and frequent outreach throughout the City where those experiencing homelessness reside and congregate, and respond to community requests for street outreach intervention.
• Receive and respond to community calls for service related to homelessness.
• Respond to requests from City departments, merchants, community groups, and citizens to assist individuals found at-risk in places not meant for human habitation.
• Coordinate intake and conduct initial interview, including completion of the Vulnerability Index & Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), for all clients to determine appropriate intervention and supportive services.
• Obtain client’s social and medical history, and integrate with assessment results to either collaborate with clients to develop individualized service plans (ISP) that address barriers to obtaining housing and services, or appropriately facilitate a warm handoff to a primary provider for case management services.
• Provide ongoing case management support to support ISP goals including advocacy assistance with procuring documentation and services such as identification or disability income, and transportation to appointments.
• Provide crisis intervention services for individuals experiencing homelessness in the community.
• Maintain expertise of pertinent government and community services and resources to effectively provide information, referrals, linkages, and advocacy that assist clients in obtaining permanent housing.
• Identify appropriate permanent housing options for clients based on their needs, provide assistance with housing location and application, and advocate for clients with prospective landlords.
• Develop relationships within the community, including local businesses, landlords, and other service providers, to identify new and existing opportunities and build relationships to better assist clients in accessing resources, employment services and housing.
• Maintain timely and accurate documentation according to program requirements.
• Prepare, complete, and submit reports, according to program requirements and as needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training:
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work, Behavioral Health, Business Administration, Public Administration, Human Resources, Criminal Justice, or other research-intensive field.

Experience:
Three (3) years of recent experience working with the homeless population, especially performing street outreach, behavioral and mental health assessments and case management, and coordinating/collaborating with community and government organizations to provide services as appropriate for individual clients; some responsible administrative, analytical and/or budgetary experience including experience specific to area of assignment is desirable.

License or Certificate:

• Possess or be able and willing to obtain CPR/First Aid training and certification within 90 days of hire.

• Possess an appropriate, valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record.

Other Working Conditions:
4/10 (10 hours a day, 4 days a week) or traditional 5/8 (8 hours a day, 5 days a week) work schedule and work days may include weekends and holidays.

Interested applicants must submit an online application and supplemental questionnaire. Please include a cover letter and resume. Candidates whose qualifications must closely meet the needs of the City will be invited to participate in the examination process for this position. The examination process may consist of any or all of the following components: written exam, practical skills assessment, writing assignment and appraisal interview. Eligible candidates will be notified when testing/interview dates have been established.

NOTE: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment medical evaluation, including drug screen, polygraph, psychological evaluation and a thorough background investigation.

*SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Monday, July 7, 2025 - Recruitment Closes
Thursday, July 31, 2025 -Initial Interview Panel
*Please note, all dates and/or timeframes are subject to change.

The City of La Mesa is an Equal Opportunity and ADA compliant employer. All qualified candidates and veterans are welcome to apply!