Housing Specialist

Position Title: Housing Specialist
Reports To: Housing Coordinator
Department: Direct Services
Program: Housing / Client Services
Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt, eligible for benefits
Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor's Degree, Master's preferred and experience in social/human service delivery. Expertise in housing counseling and services, as well as client advocacy.
• Ability to work with diverse populations and address critical and emergency situations.
• Sensitivity to cultural and economic differences. Knowledge of local resources and service pool.
• Understanding of medical and psycho-social issues related to HIV disease and related conditions.
• Flexibility in work hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Basic Function:

• Provide the full range of direct services to clients seeking assistance with housing that include identifying housing and assistance in accessing rental, mortgage, and utility programs.
• Function additionally as a direct link and support to clients residing in subsidized housing programs to assist the clients in maintaining housing, developing goals to obtain permanent housing, and report and monitor progress.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Perform intake, face-to-face needs assessment on clients. Obtain medical and all housing demographic data and informed consent information for every client.
• Assemble care plans together with client, while including other members of support team, but ensuring confidentiality. Consult with care providers in discharge planning and home care plans.
• Provide specialized housing counseling and advocacy by carrying a caseload of persons symptomatic with HIV disease who have identified housing needs as a primary or major presenting problem.
• Assist clients in negotiating housing services; provide information, referral, follow-up and monitoring support on at least a monthly basis, reassessing client needs as appropriate.
• Maintain agency minimum monthly standard of 450 units of service (15 minute increments) per month.
  1. Provide housing assessment evaluations for those clients followed by primary case managers, including outside providers. Available for home visits and assistance with home inspections as necessary or required programmatically. Also available for office visits and hospital visits.
• Consult with Action Wellness Direct Service volunteers and staff regarding specific client's plans as appropriate.
• Provide training to Action Wellness' staff and volunteers on housing-related issues and concerns. Responsible for updating agency information on housing resources.
• Provide training to clients on tenants' rights and responsibilities, housing programs, and other housing resources.
• Provide education and referrals to clients and members of their support system as required.
• Build and maintain relationships and work closely with local housing providers, community development & advocacy groups, including city/state public housing programs.
• Participate in Action Wellness staff and supervisory meetings.
• Participate in training, and staff development activities as required.
• Maintain accurate, timely records as required.
• Complete monthly reporting and progress notes.
• Provide intake coverage as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Performance Standards:
The following performance standards are specific to this position. Meeting or exceeding these standards is an expectation of employment, as is compliance with all other organizational and departmental policies, procedures and expectations.

• Complete documentation and paperwork on completed Intakes within 24 hours of client interview.
• All paperwork on contact with clients and referrals made on behalf of clients completed per time frames established in the Direct Service Policy and Procedure Manual and per funding requirements.
• Document the minimum contact with each client assigned to caseload as per time frames outlined in the Direct Services Policy and Procedure Manual.
• Active participation in weekly, Individual Supervisory Meetings.
• Active participation in monthly, Group Supervision Meetings.
• Completion of monthly statistical reports by the first of the month for the previous month.
• Attend agency meetings: Direct Service / In-Service / General Staff.
• Maintain awareness and knowledge of resources, as well as facts related to benefits and entitlements necessary to refer clients for services and to advocate for client needs.

Position Available: Immediately
Action Wellness is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
All resumes will be retained for one year. No calls please.
Action Wellness - Human Resources
1216 Arch St., 6th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107