Streets to Housing Navigator

Overview

Position

Reports To:

Streets to Home Director
Position Supervises: None

CHIP is seeking a skilled and dedicated person to help us achieve our mission of ending homelessness in Indianapolis by seamlessly linking individuals in the community to the Streets to Home Initiative. This position will provide client facing housing navigation to Streets to Home participants in coordination with the Streets to Home Director.

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this role.

• Client Engagement and Housing Navigation:
  Working with an assigned partner, conduct professional street housing navigation; engage unsheltered individuals, verify homelessness, assess needs, provide resources and services, including crisis management and connecting clients to additional services in the community.
• Communicate with clients in an empathetic and supportive way to inform them of their housing options and honor their perspective as they navigate case management and housing systems.
• Participate in locating clients, including contacting shelters, outreach personnel, and HMIS case management lists.
• Obtain vital documents to prepare clients for housing applications, including IDs, Driver’s Licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, paystubs, homelessness verifications, etc.
• Administer Coordinated Entry System assessments to facilitate housing placement for clients according to guidelines established by the Continuum of Care (CoC), including recording all required Coordinated Entry documentation.
• Transport clients and their belongings using your personal vehicle, and arrange for rides to shelter, medical, mental health and employment related services and appointments.
• Assist clients in finding housing that fits their situation and needs, including assessing and addressing barriers to housing, applying for units, showing clients available units, and attending lease signings with clients.
• Assist in completing required housing paperwork, and serve as a liaison between the program, client, case manager, and landlord to support housing stability throughout the program.
• Collaborative Solution Finding:
  Support the coordination of treatment planning and goal setting with clients within a multidisciplinary team.
• Participate in community meetings that match individuals experiencing homelessness with housing opportunities.
• Follow up on all referrals and coordinate with the outreach teams in the area as well as other providers to ensure continuity of care for clients.
• Participate in team and staff meetings to brainstorm, identify resources, and address issues faced by STH clients.
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with community partners and work collaboratively to identify and improve service delivery processes and procedures. Adhere to client confidentiality policies and procedures.

• Collect required documentation that supports client eligibility for housing programs.
• Ensure all data is entered accurately including interactions and contact attempts into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and provide regular reporting to supervisor.
• Utilize HMIS to record outcomes necessary for program functioning and evaluation.

• Seek out opportunities for continuous improvement and implement process changes to increase effectiveness and/or efficiency in work activities.
• Seek out professional development to keep up with the field of interest for your program.
• Attend and contribute to regular team and staff meetings.
• Maintain current ‘how-to’ guides or standard operating procedures for your key job activities.
• Actively build and maintain positive working relationships with partner agencies and other external stakeholders.
• Represent CHIP in external presentations, on committees, and at events and conferences.

Associate’s degree or higher preferred in related field (social work, sociology, human services, psychology, child and family development,…