Housing Specialist

CAMBA; New York (NY); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

CAMBA is seeking an Assistant Program Director to support homeless individuals in New York. This role involves formulating housing plans, engaging clients requiring assistance, evaluating their needs, and connecting them with community resources. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in social work or related field and experience in social service. Responsibilities include maintaining client confidentiality, organizing workshops, and advocating for clients’ housing stability.

Qualifications

• Experience in social service assistance and client engagement.
• Ability to maintain professional relationships and client confidentiality.
• Knowledge of community resources for housing and social services.

Responsibilities

• Formulate housing placement plans for clients.
• Engage clients needing social services and assist with applications.
• Conduct assessments and establish Independent Living Plans.

Skills

Client assessment

Community resource knowledge

Housing placement strategies

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work or related field

Job description

Program Overview

CAMBA operates five single adult homeless shelters and one single adult drop-in center, funded by New York City Department of Homeless Services. Each shelter offers clients a supportive, structured, therapeutic, safe, and drug-free facility. Homeless (often mentally-ill and substance-abusing) men and women are provided with comprehensive services to stabilize their condition in order to successfully transition into permanent and/or supported housing. Specifically, CAMBA’s Atlantic House Men’s Shelter located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn serves 200 MICA (mentally ill chemical abusing) men. The Park Slope Shelter for Women located at the Park Slope Armory in Brooklyn serves 100 MICA women. The Broadway House Women’s Shelter located in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn serves 165 women, approximately 37 of whom are MICA. CAMBA’s Magnolia House located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn serves 200 MICA women. CAMBA’s Opportunity House (COH) located in downtown Brooklyn serves 62 men. The Gathering Place located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn is a drop-in center serving 75 homeless men and women.

Position Overview

The person filling this position is expected, under general supervision, to: (1) immediately formulate a plan and prepare clients for permanent housing placement; (2) engage individuals requiring social service assistance; (3) interview and evaluate clients, formulate Independent Living Plans and goals; and (4) locate and refer to appropriate community resources for clients; including the following:

1. Plan and prepare clients for permanent housing placement.
2. Engage individuals requiring social service assistance.
3. Interview and evaluate clients; formulate Independent Living Plans and goals.
4. Locate and refer to appropriate community resources for clients.

What Does A/the Assistant Program Director Do

• Maintain professional relationships with clients and client confidentiality.
• Practice Universal Precautions/Standard Protocol & Procedures.
• Comply with any and all Federal, State, City and CAMBA security and privacy polices intended to protect the security and privacy of individually identifiable health information.
• Serve as a liaison with outside organizations regarding such matters as education, healthcare, housing, social services, legal issues, etc.
• Assist clients in attaining their Housing related goals by identifying and referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA.
• Conduct housing search efforts for each housing ready client referred (i.e., referrals to housing providers, contact landlords, search for apartment listings, etc.).
• Develop curriculum to address clients’ Housing and Independent Living related needs including, permanent housing search process and options.
• Develop and facilitate a series of Housing Workshops.
• Develop materials to be posted on a Bulletin Board that serves to provide relevant Housing related information.
• Provide individualized counseling on housing related topics.
• Organize and schedule presentations by supportive housing programs, local real estate experts and/or landlords.
• Provide housing related support, training and coordination with the other social services staff.
• Establish linkages with community-based organizations (i.e., supportive housing programs, DHS Housing Unit, etc.) and local landlords.
• Review all approved housing packages to determine appropriateness of housing providers.
• Escort clients to appointments (i.e., housing interviews, apartment move-ins, housing fairs, etc.).
• Ensure that quality housing placements are achieved via web-site checks (DOB, HPD) and all payments to landlord/utilities are up-to-date with apartment in move-in condition.
• Follow-up with clients for a period of time after move-out to assure client stability.
• Conduct initial intake and assessment of clients’ needs and periodic re-assessments.
• Create and maintain client electronic and paper files.
• Prepare initial psychosocial evaluation and update according to regulations.
• Obtain and maintain relevant documentation and release forms from clients (i.e., birth certificate, proof of income, medical documents, release of Personal Health Information, etc.).
• In collaboration with clients, conduct periodic revisions of independent living plans including short-term and long-term client goals.
• Assist clients in attaining their goals by identifying community resources and by referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA (i.e., On-site medical services and psychiatric services, etc.).
• Work with clients to break through barriers to their goal(s) attainment.
• Assist clients in advocating for themselves in order to gain housing stability.
• Recommend and implement strategies to persuade clients to participate fully in the process in order to transition into permanent housing.
• Monitor clients\' progress toward their goals via regularly scheduled face-to-face contacts/sessions.
• Document all client encounters via progress notes using DHS CARES Database and printout notes for client’s paper file.
• Ensure CARES Database is updated to reflect client request for services (i.e., car fare, appointments, passes, referrals, etc.).
• Follow-up with clients and with referral organizations regarding client contact and progress with referral organization.
• Provide all required information for weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reports.
• May act as client liaison/client advocate with outside organizations regarding such matters as education, healthcare, housing, legal issues, etc.
• May schedule appointments for clients with referral organizations.
• May assist clients in completing applications for benefits and entitlements and may process applications on clients' behalf.
• May prepare marketing materials for the program.
• Tasks may be modified, and expanded and/or assigned over a period of time.