Housing Coordinator – HOPWA

SUMMARY

The HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS) Program of StayWell Health Center provides housing assistance and supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. HOPWA enables eligible persons with HIV/AIDS and their families to secure decent safe and sanitary housing in the private rental market by subsidizing a portion of the household’s monthly rent.

The Housing Coordinator position provides outreach and housing case management to help individuals to obtain and sustain permanent housing. The Housing Coordinator will contact individuals at various locations to provide information and conduct screenings to determine eligibility for the program. Once an individual is accepted into the program, the Housing Coordinator will collaboratively develop an individualized housing plan.  The Housing Coordinator will support each individual’s efforts to complete the necessary steps to obtain housing and once housed, to retain that housing.

The nature of this position is extremely independent, requiring excellent interpersonal relationship and communication skills, organization and time management skills, common sense regarding personal safety, creative thinking, multitasking, and conflict resolution skills.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide outreach and housing-focused case management services:
• Conducts initial interviews and applications for HOPWA program with persons living with HIV / AIDS.
• Assists in the development of procedures, operating practices and application forms for the Housing Opportunities Program for people living with HIV and AIDS.
• Conducts services that comply with the established Standards of Care.
• Assists the individuals with HIV and AIDS to identify goals and develop an independent living plan for the Housing Opportunities Program.
• Coordinates and makes referrals to appropriate community resources and to programs within StayWell agency and the Greater Waterbury area.
• Empowers the individual to become his or her own advocate, and may advocate on their behalf, when appropriate.
• Conducts outreach activities to community providers and consumers on the Housing Opportunities Program.
• Provides comprehensive coordination of services for persons receiving rental subsidies with the Housing Opportunities Program.
• Provides peer counseling and independent living skill instruction when requested.
• Conducts required housing inspections.
• Maintains and keeps current consumer records (including data collection activities for electronic records and management information systems), completes all reports, statistics, etc., and submits when due.
• Conduct screenings to determine individual eligibility for the program.
• Collaboratively develop, with each eligible individual, a detailed housing plan which outlines the steps necessary to obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.
• Support each individual’s efforts to follow through on every aspect essential for housing, such as obtaining ID, addressing legal issues, housing search, meeting with property managers, etc.
• Develop and maintain a working relationship with program partners and referral sources to facilitate effective collaborative efforts and prevent duplication of services.
• Provide services consistent with HOPWA program policies and procedures.
• Attend HOPWA team meetings and other required meetings with program partners.
• Document activities according to agency, contract and state requirements.
• Local travel on behalf of the agency is a job requirement. Use of own vehicle to make home visits.
• Attends all in-services, trainings and meetings, as requested.
• Represents StayWell at local/statewide meetings as requested.
• Process Housing and Emergency Financial applications for the Part A grant.
• Access to a reliable form of transportation is required.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

·        Bachelor’s Degree, in a social service related field, highly preferred OR

·        Associate’s Degree, in a social service related field, or equivalent experience will be considered

·        Minimum of two years’ experience in work related to outreach or social work required

·        Familiarity with services for individuals experiencing homelessness highly desirable

·        Employee is required to be free and clear of signs and symptoms or evidence of communicable diseases that could be expected to be transmitted during the course of normal scheduled work activity at medical, dental, and behavioral health center.

·        Receipt of completed Employee Health Certification required biannually including specific immunizations and appropriate frequency as determined by Regulatory Agencies confirming employee has been found to be in adequate mental and physical health and capable of performing their position title.

·        StayWell Health Center will check the motor vehicle records annually for all current employees and all job applicants with driving responsibilities or those who use rental cars for business travel purposes.

·        Unrestricted, valid Connecticut driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and current motor vehicle insurance according to legal specifications required

·        In lieu of Connecticut driver’s license, reliable transportation required including the capability to travel between sites and/or attend offsite training, as necessary

·        Basic Annual Safety Training

·        May require some evening / weekend hours

Skills and Experience

• Excellent communication skills.
• Experience working in a social service environment
• Ability to receive supervision and work independently, problem solve and be solution-oriented.
• Knowledge and skill working with diverse populations.
• Must be able to speak and write English language in an understandable manner.
• Bi-lingual English / Spanish strongly preferred.
• Display a positive, outgoing and flexible professional demeanor and be resourceful, non-judgmental and tactful
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions.
• Demonstrate good organizational skills.
• Ability to write reports, correspondence and maintain accurate records.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Work may require sitting, standing, walking, stooping, bending, and stretching.
• Requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, multi-line telephone, copier, fax server, document scanner, and other such office equipment as necessary
• Requires ability to work in a stressful office environment where interaction with others is constant and interruptive
• May be exposed to the public and clients who have low impulse control, and angry temper outbursts requiring safety precautions and measures
• Work is normally performed in a typical/office work environment as well as offsite in the community
• This role involves exposure to potentially dangerous situations that require following extensive safety precautions and may include the use of protective equipment.
• The work environment involves the normal risks and discomforts typical of a community health center

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.50 – $23.00 per hour