The Diversion and Housing Specialist is a key team member whose primary responsibilities include providing Diversion and Rapid Resolution services to veterans and families facing a housing crisis and / or potential housing crisis in order to stabilize their housing situation.

In addition, the Diversion and Housing Specialist works in conjunction with the Housing Specialist & Program Manager to identify shelter and / or emergency housing placement.

Diversion Responsibilities

Primarily responsible for all homeless diversion and rapid resolution interventions in the service area. Must exhibit advanced skills in outreach, engagement, and rapport building;

conflict mediation, problem solving, documentation, data management, and the ability to coordinate and collaborate at a community level.

• Make initial person-to-person contact with clients referred for services within 72 hours through conducting Access Point and Coordinated Entry within CoC catchment area.
• Conducts an initial screening of each eligible client's needs to determine diversion intervention.
• Determine and document each applicant's eligibility for the Homeless and Prevention Services Department within 2 working days of the initial person-to-person contact with the potential client.
• Identify temporary shelter, transitional housing options and / or emergency housing intervention.
• Manage shelter and emergency housing stays by submitting hotel partner invoices to accounts payable within seven business days.
• Enter all client-specific data into the Homeless Management Information System in compliance with requirements for accuracy, consistency, and timeliness (e.

g., upon client entry into the Homeless and Prevention Services Department.

Housing Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local hotel partners, community shelters and shared housing landlords.
• Work in conjunction with the Housing Specialist to identify length of stay in temporary housing for when permanent housing becomes available.
• Work in conjunction with the Housing Specialist to assist clients with rental applications where necessary during emergency housing stays.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Collaborative Skills & Competencies : Ability to form collaborative alliances and contributions in a team oriented work environment.
• Communication Skills & Competencies : Professional written and verbal communication skills in Standard English. Communication and concise articulation of information to others.
• Cultural Competency Skills & Competencies : Adaptable in culturally diverse environments, respect for cultural differences, and comfort level working with "military" and "veteran" cultures.
• Customer Service Skills & Competencies : Ability to build trust using listening skills, conflict resolution, and mediation, and going above and beyond to be helpful and pleasant.
• Coach-ability : Receptive to feedback, willing to learn and embrace continuous improvement.
• Time Management : Manage tasks and deadlines simultaneously.

Physical Demands

• Some walking, handling and carrying of light to moderately heavy objects as required. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.
• This position requires the ability to perform a broad range of activities. The position requires full range of motion, including manual and digital dexterity and hand-and-eye coordination.

The position requires vision, speech and hearing capacity that is corrected to normal range, or special accommodations made which are sufficient for the completion of assigned tasks.

The position requires work while seated at a desk, including the use of a computer. The position requires the ability to lift 30 pounds.

Last updated : 2024-03-25