Job Type

Description

Days Off: Friday, Saturday

Shift: Day (8:30am to 4:00pm)

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

About DESC:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 2,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.

JOB DEFINITION:

Case Managers provide housing-focused, individualized services to clients in order to facilitate access to housing.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Utilize current county-wide assessment tool and/or DESC assessment tool to assess clients' needs, facilitate housing placement, and inform service planning.
• Establish and implement individualized service plans for all clients on caseload, focused on facilitating housing placement and reducing potential barriers to housing success. Incorporate client goals and strengths into service planning.  
• Complete progress notes and other required documentation in a timely manner, with attention to established performance outcomes.
• Become familiar with resources, community services and housing options that meet the needs of vulnerable, disabled and homeless adults.
• Become familiar with Rapid Rehousing and assist with enrollment and placement for clients.
• Assertively research housing options, including market-rate housing.
• Assist with updating, maintaining, and distributing client resource handouts.
• Collaborate with other DESC programs and external agencies for effective provision of client services.
• Work shifts as assigned covering milieu to maintain order and communicate/enforce agency rules.
• Intervene in crises with individual clients and in the shelter milieu generally.
• Register clients and document services provided during shift hours, in accordance with established procedures.
• Actively participate in staff meetings and training sessions.
• May focus on serving a demographic disproportionately affected by homelessness, such as Native Americans and Alaska Natives, African Americans, Latinos, veterans, or elders. Develop related expertise and knowledge of available resources. Provide focused outreach to clients in specialty area.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Paid or volunteer experience working with individuals who are homeless or recently homeless, economically disadvantaged, mentally ill or with substance use disorders.
• Commitment to working in a harm reduction-oriented, Housing First environment.
• Ability to meet state requirements for registration as an Agency Affiliated Counselor.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds and disciplines.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
• Subscribe to philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Relevant Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science, OR  
2. A combination of 1 year* of relevant paid work experience and demonstration of the ability to perform required job duties  

*Internal applicants in direct, client facing positions can substitute 6 months of experience in lieu of 1 year 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Fluency in Spanish or other highly relevant language.
• BA in social or behavioral science.
• Depending on current team needs: preference for work experience, education, and/or lived experience relevant to serving Native Americans or Alaska Natives, African Americans, Latinos, veterans, or elders.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The  physical demands described here are representative of those that must  be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of  this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals  with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing  the duties of this job, the employee will be required sit for long  periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing,  required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate  computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the  job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral  vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC  is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal  employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The  Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for  employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual  orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the  presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment  practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification.  Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Salary Description