Housing Specialist

Recovery Options Made Easy; City of Olean (NY); On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Recovery Options Made Easy seeks a Housing Specialist I to assess, refer and link individuals with mental illness to housing, treatment and community services. The role uses local resources to help clients obtain and maintain housing, including assisting with rental stipends where applicable.

Key duties include managing a caseload, completing intakes, advocating for clients, coordinating with service providers, and documenting activities.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Completion of a peer advocacy training program or related certification; certification within 6 months if not currently certified.
• Must have a valid Class D Driver License and reliable transportation.
• Active participation in mental health self-help activities or peer advocacy programs.

Responsibilities

• Manages a caseload and meets with recipients as required by contract.
• Completes and processes intakes in a timely manner.
• Provides advocacy services per Recovery Options Made Easy policies.
• Assists with referrals and linkages to community services and programs.
• Provides transportation and teaches alternative options.

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Peer advocacy training program or related certification

Valid Class D Driver License

Active participation in mental health self-help activities or peer programs

Tools

MS Word/Excel

Internet

Email

Job description

Theposition of Housing Specialist I assesses, refers and links individuals withmental illness to services including but not limited to housing, treatment, andcommunity services. With a workingknowledge of the resources in the community to meet the consumer's needs, theHousing Specialist I assist in providing housing support services to personsreceiving government rental stipends in all Recovery Options programs. This mayinclude but is not limited to assisting in finding and securing housing in theconsumer's community of choice and assisting the consumer in maintaining thehousing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Carries a caseloadand meets with recipients as required by program contract.
• Completes andprocesses intakes in a timely manner.
• Provides advocacyservices according to recipients expressed need and Recovery Options Made Easypolicies and procedures.
• Assists withreferrals and linkages to community support services and programs.
• Providestransportation as appropriate to recipient's needs, while teaching and showingthem alternative options.
• Assists consumerswith budgeting and shopping skills.
• Charts and filesall documentation in a timely manner.
• Works inconjunction with other service provider, attends and participates in weeklystaff meetings and monthly agency staff meetings.
• Participates inthe County annual point-in-time count for HUD.
• Attends and participates in County or State planningsessions as assigned.
• Assists consumers with accessing benefits andentitlements such as public assistance and SSI/SSD.
• Assists consumers in becoming empowered and reducingtheir need for service.
• Work with individuals on our waiting list inpreparation for housing placement
• Follow-up with individuals who have exited our programand check present welfare
• Work with individuals seeking peer services only,integrating them into community and referring them to the Recovery Centerand/or other community resources.
• Work with anyone in the community seeking peer servicesto assist in their recovery efforts.
• Complete and submit to administration a monthly statform
• Answers office phone and/or performs routine filing.
• Keeps desk and work area clean and tidy; assist withoffice upkeep as needed.
• Serves as a back-up to others on vacation, or asassigned.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Please note this jobdescription is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing ofactivities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee forthis job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time withor without notice.

COMPLEXITY OF WORK AND DECISION MAKING:

Worksin accordance with policies and regulations which may require judgment,initiative, creativity and the ability to deal with complex factors and makingof decisions based on conclusions for which there may be little precedent.

AUTONOMY AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

Worksfrom general objectives (such as governmental and agency compliance standards)and broad and varying policies, procedures, rules or precedents withsignificant functional guidance. Refers specific cases to supervisor forclarification or interpretation. Review by supervisor focuses on achievement ofthe objective and not necessarily on the means, except when required to ensurecompliance with regulations.

TECHNOLOGY,EQUIPMENT OR TOOLS:

Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Word and Outlook. Evidence of skills demonstrated by theability to perform all the basic functions within each program; including butnot limited to maintaining a calendar, sending e-mail, creating letters as wellas the ability to create and edit workbooks.

General office equipment is used including faxmachine, computer and phone system.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Thephysical 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 disabilitiesto perform the essential functions.

Workfollows established practices and operating procedures with some latitude forindependent judgment. Maintains strictvisual contact with work. Mayoccasionally lift to (35) thirty-five pounds without mechanicalassistance. Work involves sitting,driving, and ambulating from task to task.

Thenoise level in the work environment is usually light.

EDUCATION& EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED)
• Completion of a peer advocacy training program or related certificationis preferred. Academy of PeerServices Certification must be completed within the employees first 3 months in this position if the employee is not currently certified.
• Must have a valid Class D Driver License, reliable transportation andautomobile insurance.
• Must have had active participation in mental health self-helpactivities, peer support or peer advocacy programs or recipient-runorganizations or similar experiences or programs.

KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Must possess advocacy skills; attention to detail; effectivecommunication, writing and documentation skills.
• Ability to take direction and follow-through on assignments bothindependently and with limited supervision.
• Must have an understanding and working knowledge of confidentiality lawsregarding recipient's records and personal/health information.
• Ability to demonstrate understanding ofcommunity services.
• Must be proficient in MS Word/Excel,internet and e-mail.

Wage is $18.01 per hour for a 37.5 hour work week and a bi weekly pay of 75 hours

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination byemployers, in compensation and employment opportunities, against qualifiedindividuals with disabilities who, with our without reasonable accommodation,can perform the ?essential functions? of a job.A function may be essential for any of several reasons, including: thejob exists to perform that function, the employee holding the job was hired forhis/her expertise in performing the function, or only a limited number ofemployees are available to perform thatfunction.

Recovery Options Made Easy, is committed to equalopportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin,citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status,disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. RecoveryOptions Made Easy, will make reasonable accommodations for known physical ormental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants withdisabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operationof our business. If you are interested in applying for an employmentopportunity and feel you need a reasonable accommodation pursuant to the ADA,please contact Colleen Hutchinson at Recovery Options Made Easy.

EDUCATION& EXPERIENCE:

High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED)

Completion of a peer advocacy training program or related certificationis preferred. Academy of PeerServices Certification must be completed within the employees first 6months in this position if the employee is not currently certified.

Must have a valid Class D Driver License, reliable transportation and automobile insurance.

And

Must have had active participation in mental health self-helpactivities, peer support or peer advocacy programs or recipient-runorganizations or similar experiences or programs.