Outreach Specialist Co-op
Company: Pine Street Inn
Location: Boston
Posted on: May 28, 2023
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Job Description:
Outreach Specialist Co-op
Department: Daytime and Veterans' Outreach -- O & T
Office: Chauncy Street
Location: Boston, MA
Position Type: Direct Care
Hours/Shift: Morning - First Shift
Employee Type:: Regular Full-time
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SCHEDULE: 40 hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Pays $17.00 per hour
LOCATION: On the street in either Back Bay/Kenmore/Haymarket North
Station or Downtown Crossing, Common, South Boston, Dorchester,
Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain, East Boston, Logan International
Airport, and Mattapan
JOB DESCRIPTION:
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:
The Outreach Specialist Co-op will provide outreach and engagement
case management services to include identification of chronically
homeless individuals, assessment, service planning, referrals for
substance abuse/health/mental health care and Housing placement for
targeted clients living in a defined area of the streets of Boston
as part of a two (2) person team. The Outreach Specialist Co-op
will utilize a triage assessment tool for persons on the streets
assisting with identifying the appropriate level of service need,
diverting individuals from homelessness whenever possible. The
Outreach Specialist Co-op will work closely with the Coordinated
Access System, (CAS Match) to match chronically homeless
individuals with both needed services, and a housing pathway.
QUALIFICATIONS:
All Outreach Specialist will possess and exhibit the following
competencies in their roles;
Client Focus: Provides service excellence to guests. Responds to
needs in a timely, professional, helpful, and courteous manner.
Keeps guests up to date on progress of services they are receiving
and changes that affect them. Appropriately prioritizes needs of
guests
Attention to Detail: Works in a conscientious, consistent and
thorough manner. Demonstrates clear understanding of documentation
requirements for Outreach Specialist role and maintains current
accurate documentation.
REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION/TRAINING:
REQUIRED:
High School diploma and current college enrollment working toward
Bachelor-s Degree in a social science field.
Completion of at least 60 college credits towards this degree
Good written and verbal communication skills, good internet and
email etiquette
Good computer skills, particularly in internet research and MS
Office, including Excel
PREFERRED:
Associates degree or 60 college credits and in a human services
field and,
Interest in possible certification in future focused on LADC (LADC
and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program Licensing) or CADC
(CADC (Certified Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counselor)
preferred experience working with a homeless population
Interest in gaining experience delivering community-based case
management services to individuals with SUD (Substance abuse
disorders), SMI (Serious Mental Illness), and COD (Co-Occurring
Disorders).
Valid driver-s license in good standing
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:
REQUIRED:
High degree of cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively
with diverse people and situations
Knowledge of and strong commitment to harm reduction philosophy,
principles and practices
PREFERRED:
Some substance abuse, mental health counseling or case management
experience
Knowledge, and experience providing case management services to a
complex and vulnerable population
Knowledge of Stage of Change work as it relates to addiction & MH
with individuals experiencing substance abuse, mental illness,
trauma, homelessness and/or other complex disorders
High degree of cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively
with diverse people and situations
Exposure to (client management software) ETO or HMIS systems
Strong demonstrated experience in readily applying both
motivational interviewing and stage of change work.
Training in and/or experience providing services to racial,
cultural and ethnically diverse populations
Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred
PHYSICAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:
REQUIRED:
Ability to stand for extended periods of time
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds (assisting in physically lifting
clients/containers)
Ability to stretch and bend
Ability to respond safely and quickly in case of emergency
situations
Ability to travel to and access multiple sites on the streets and
within the community
Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time and
communicate by telephone
MENTAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:
REQUIRED:
Strong professional, organization and interpersonal communication
skills, including the ability to engage very vulnerable and
disenfranchised individuals and the people who care for them
Positive and supportive attitude, including the ability to see,
elicit, acknowledge and appreciate the strengths, intentions,
skills, wisdom, values, commitments and resilience of direct-care
staff
Empathy, creativity and compassion in holding the complexities of
the many and competing needs, demands and expectations that
direct-care staff face in their work
Excellent self-care and personal modeling of active self-care
practice
Ability to model teamwork, dialogue, empowerment, healthy
boundaries, time management and other supportive skills
Ability to work collaboratively as a member of cross-functional
teams
Ability to function under pressure in a fast paced human service
environment
Ability to prioritize and manage different roles and tasks, with
attention to deadlines
Must have highly developed professional ethics to maintain
appropriate boundaries and sets limits fairly and consistently
Ability to work independently and as a part of a team
PREFERRED:
Highly developed interpersonal and effective communication
skills
Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal
skills;
the ability to balance many competing demands. Critically important
that the helper have the ability to maintain a solution focus in
all situations encountered.
ability to utilize motivational interviewing skills, evidenced by
targeted formal trainings, and certificates of trainings.
developed professional boundaries and ethical standards
Demonstrated knowledge of and sensitivity and cultural competency
around issues related to homelessness, trauma, mental illness,
addiction, and diverse vulnerable populations
WORKING CONDITIONS:
60% of the time outreach specialist will be spent outdoors in all
types of weather, with much of the time spent walking, standing, or
bending
40% of the time the outreach specialist will be seated at their
desk
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Case Management/Motivation of Client
Actively manage an assigned case load of chronically Homeless
street clients, with the goal of securing housing, and related
benefits and services needed to retain housing and empower clients
towards greater self-sufficiency.
Maintain a solution focus in all situations.
Provide high quality, culturally sensitive, client-centered,
intensive housing-and life-safety-focused case management utilizing
evidence-based practices of motivational interviewing,
trauma-informed care and harm reduction.
Provide outreach and engagement on the Streets of Boston, and case
management work in the office.
Utilize Trauma-Informed Care when interacting with clients
Create and maintain according to policy and department goals, case
management notes, client charts, daily statistics, HMIS/ETO daily
work, and detailed daily summaries.
Assess clients on their vulnerability, chronicity, substance abuse
issues, mental health symptoms, legal issues, health care,
employment and income, independent living skills, and community
engagement using to guide frequency and type of case management
intervention.
Provide advocacy services with community agencies and other
available and appropriate resources, with the goal of supporting
each client-s personal growth, enhanced independence and access to
housing and external services. Demonstrate initiative in exploring
existing and potential resources through the development of
positive working relationships with service providers in the
Greater Boston community.
Actively participate in referrals and aftercare/discharge planning
to and from treatment programs when appropriate.
Work with clients to create and implement client-centered,
strength- based, individualized plans that have a housing & safety
focus.
Completing triage assessments to divert persons from homelessness,
and or identifying needed services and a housing pathway upon
completion of triage assessment.
Work closely with internal and external agencies on CAS Matches
through the Coordinated Access System to work with the identified
housing pathway, and service provider.
Ensure -warm-handoffs- occur in all housing placements.
Attention to Detail/Documentation
Maintain accurate written records and documentation in accordance
with program standards including, but not limited to individualized
plans, guest charts, incident reports, detailed case notes and
referrals and third party billing, when applicable. Maintain HMIS
records in a timely and accurate fashion and contribute to Annual
Progress Reporting when needed.
Document all hazardous incidents and intervening appropriately in
any unsafe situation
Adhere to all documentation and policy requirements of contractors,
authorities and community partners (ie: BHA, City of Boston)
Organizational Responsibilities
Participate in Outreach team events and activities, contributing
positively to daily huddles, case conferences and collaborations
with third parties when appropriate.
Consistently identify unsafe or potentially unsafe situations and
intervene appropriately to maintain a safe and secure environment
for self and others.
Through daily work, promote a safety conscious working environment.
Consistently follow PSI and shelter safety policies and
procedures.
Adhere to TB-testing procedures and complete OSHA trainings
Attend mandatory Narcan trainings and administer Narcan to clients
as needed
Maintain current certification and attend mandatory trainings in
CPR and First Aid and administer CPR and first aid to clients as
needed.
Adhere to the Inn-s mandatory training requirements including CPI,
CPI refresher course, Trauma- Informed Care and any other training
required by program management
PSI Outreach Specialists are considered essential employee sunder
PSI-s weather emergency policy
Drive and maintain eligibility to drive PSI vehicles.
The Outreach Specialist will respond to City of Boston 311 calls in
all of Boston Proper, Jamaica Plains, Roxbury, Mattapan, East
Boston, and Logan International Airport. This position will pair up
in a team of two, and utilize the Pine Street Inn vans as needed to
adequately cover the Greater Boston Area. This position will work
closely with the clinical supervisors, director of outreach, and
the OVAN supervisors to ensure good communication, and coordination
of services occurs in response to city, and neighborhood requests
for services.
Other duties as assigned in order to meet the needs of the
organization during the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health or
weather emergency.
Pine Street Inn is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action
Employer.
START YOUR APPLICATION
(https://apply.hrmdirect.com/resumedirect/ApplyOnline/Apply.aspx?req_id=2501122&source=2501122-CJB-0)
Keywords: Pine Street Inn, Boston , Outreach Specialist Co-op, Other , Boston, Massachusetts
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