Housing Case Manager

Housing Case Manager
For HOPWA Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program

STATUS/DURATION: 2 Full-time Positions / Contracted Through 6/30/24 (Annual Renewal Expected)
LOCATION: Durham County
SALARY RANGE: $38,000 – $42,000 Annually
AGENCY: Central Piedmont Community Action, Inc
WEBSITE: www.cpcanc.org

JOB SUMMARY:
The Housing Case Manager (HCM) will assume an established caseload of clients who are currently receiving housing assistance from the Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA) Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program. They will have or gain an understanding of all aspects of the TBRA program, staff and client responsibilities, program data and documentation requirements, timelines and contract benchmarks. The HCM will assist and provide supportive services to help ensure the clients stabilize in new housing placements, address any issues or potential issues that could jeopardize their housing placement. They will perform the duties associated with case management services including but limited to engagement and rapport building, goal setting focusing in on housing stability, financial stability and overall health stability as well as client personal goals of growth and wellbeing.

The Housing Case Manager must have acceptance and experience in support, assisting and interacting with clients who present with varying degrees of independence, mental stability and/or are in current active substance use utilizing the framework of harm reduction and/or Housing First environments for low barrier access to housing and services.

The Housing Case Manger also works with client in locating, referring and supporting them in acquiring needed additional support resources such as household items and personal needs, re-connection to or additional health resources, financial and employment resources; with the desired outcome of increasing the client overall positive health outcomes and personal self -sufficiency.The Housing Case Manager will support and assist the client from initial new placement referrals, securing the housing placement, housing stabilization and retention as well as approved relocation if needed in providing as positive an exit outcome as possible.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/TYPICAL TASKS:

• Provides engagement and assistance to each person/family referred to the HOPWA Program.
• Builds rapport with client to work to identify their strengths and to foster growth in self-sufficiency and resiliency needed to acquire the most stable housing possible.
• Have or gain an understanding of eligibility criteria, application and compliance process, building rules of all partner agencies as well as the housing participation agreement and move in assistance programs.
• Have a working knowledge and understanding of the impact of the current housing crisis in this region, and its significance on client’s overall health and well-being. Along with working knowledge or training related to the Landlord /Tenant Laws of the City of Durham County.
• Develops and updates, at a minimum 2x yearly or as needed, an individual housing plan addressing any barriers to housing and housing stability, income instability, and any current health care needs, including needed connections to insurance, medical case management and/or medication adherence. As well as identifying and goal setting for client’s personal growth and well-being goals.
• Supports and assists client as needed with current housing placement opportunity; providing experience assisting clients from diverse backgrounds, with disabilities, and possible housing barriers on matters related to the process and needed paperwork completion of applying, procuring a housing placement.
• Ongoing support and assistance as needed for newly housed, formally chronically homeless clients in transition from housing instability to housing stabilization of the current placement.
• Complete Annual review paperwork: assessing current income and any potential changes in rent and recalculate as needed for current year’s subsidy and client portion of rent. Interim reviews can be necessary if the client’s income changes – increases/decrease, rent increase prior to the annual review. Determines that the unit continues to be safe, sanitary and without needed repairs.
• Schedules and completes needed home visits; at a minimum of 1x annually but can be needed or required more often depending on clients overall housing stability and/ or ongoing issues within the housing placement.
• Provides needed advocacy and supports with housing integration and retention issues that may arise; addressing ongoing issues that have the potential to hinder the client’s overall health and well-being and /or housing stabilization. This could include case consultations, property and care team conferences, client behavioral agreements and potentially navigating as successful a housing exit as possible.
• Providing advocacy as needed for client with property management; to ensure a successful housing placement as well as responding property complaints, enquiries, and questions.
• Provides resource connections, as needed, for health, mental health care and treatment, and substance use, as well as other supportive service needs.
• Provides guidance for client when client wishes to exercise their own self-advocacy in needed referrals or resources.
• Ensure the highest quality service delivery in a culturally appropriate manner by maintaining quality and customer service standards and expectations.
• Collects needed documentation for program compliance and to measure health outcomes as well as housing outcomes, maintaining client information secure and confidential.
• Participates in individual supervision, team meetings, and departmental activities.
• Participates in Agency meetings, required agency activities as well as willingness to promote the overall mission of the agency through support and/or participation in Agency initiatives and priorities committees.
• Perform comprehensive case management functions in support of housing support services.
• Conduct initial intake and assessment.
• Develop and continuously monitors housing and case management service plan.
• Provide information on housing options.
• Maintain accurate and current records, including documentation of HIV condition, HOPWA assessment, demographics, progress logs, services plans, and services provided.
• Other Duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Working Understanding of Harm Reduction and Housing First principles within a Trauma Informed framework.
• Experience working with government entitlement programs, e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, and Title XIX.
• Able to organize, prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.
• Detail oriented with a high level of accuracy.
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability.
• Possess an understanding of professional boundaries.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of applications, including Excel, Access and Word.
• Experience working in electronic case noting within a database and electronic document collection and storage.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both verbal and written form.
• Professional phone skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to respond quickly to change.
• Ability to develop good working relationships with internal and external providers and partner agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under stressful conditions, exercising crisis management and de-escalation skills.
• 1+ years’ experience working with homeless individuals, or people living with disabling conditions, including severe and persistent mental illness or HIV/AIDS preferred.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and act with discretion.
• Detail oriented with an organized mindset.
• Must be flexible, resourceful, and able to troubleshoot.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and set priorities.
• Valid driver license required.
• Ability to move between sites as needed (with mileage reimbursement).
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field or equivalent experience.
• Two years of experience in direct social service or advocacy work, including assessing client needs and/or determining client benefit eligibility.
• Two years of proven experience and an understanding of the difficulties that come from working with marginalized populations that brings their experience that can include chronic homelessness, past or current substance use/abuse and ongoing mental health instability.

To apply for open positions, download our job application by clicking here. You will then complete the application, attach it along with your resume, to an email addressed to Executive Director Natasha J. Elliott at jacksonn@cpcanc.org. Please indicate the job location and job title you are applying for in the subject line. Attachments must be formatted in Microsoft Word or PDF.