THE HOUSING COLLECTIVE:

CAN Entry Coordinator

Reports to: Western CT Senior CAN Manager

Status: Exempt, Fulltime

THE HOUSING COLLECTIVE:

The Housing Collective is a CT-based nonprofit agency that applies a Collective Impact framework to deliver solutions to the most pressing housing problems. Focused on ending homelessness and creating equitable housing opportunities for all, the Housing Collective provides the leadership and support that enables productive, regional collaboration across organizations and sectors, and drives systems change.

Formerly known as Supportive Housing Works, we have worked since 2004 to align communities and resources around collaborative regional responses to homelessness and housing affordability. Our two core initiatives, Opening Doors and the Centers for Housing Opportunity, provide leadership and facilitate the strategic coordination of hundreds of housing and homelessness organizations in multiple geographies, forming a “backbone” for the housing system throughout Western CT.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The CAN Entry Coordinator will work with both the Fairfield County and Northwest Coordinated Access Networks (CAN) to establish and maintain a coordinated entry rapid response system that covers the entire geographic region. This position will research and incorporate diversion best practices; regularly gather feedback from partner organizations, diversion specialists/ navigators, and persons with lived expertise; and implement improvements to the system. The coordinator will collaborate with navigators in each region to support their work on developing a plan to end the individual and families housing instability through diversion, shelter placement, or rapid housing placements prior to entry into the shelter.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Enroll approved diversion financial requests into appropriate program in HMIS and exit once financial request has been processed.

· Update and maintain the shelter waitlist and ensure shelters are reporting shelter vacancies daily (by 9:30am). Communicate with emergency shelter staff to transition an unsheltered client into the vacant bed within 24 business hours.

· Ensure all self-reported unsheltered clients are referred to outreach; if not referred, then contact the assigned navigator to prompt (not outreach directly) and unsheltered homeless verification has been uploaded into smartsheets for shelters.

· Respond to 2-1-1 emails same day and provide the necessary follow up to partner agencies. Report back to your supervisor any trends regarding agencies and system challenges.

· Maintain the HUB call-line during business hours to triage all warm hand-off calls from 2-1-1 to the appropriate HUB location.

· Review clients at Cold Weather in Bridgeport (during the CW months) have entered into the CAN system, support navigators with due diligence, and the document ready process.

· Pull monthly HMIS CAN outcome reports that show ‘referred status’ and follow up with the appropriate agencies. This will be done the first week of every month.

· Facilitate regular communication and alignment across all Western CT outreach workers and navigators by attending sub-community outreach meetings and the Front Entry monthly meetings.

· Coordinate with the Outreach Coordinator to oversee the referral process to outreach and emergency shelter, troubleshoot challenges, and continually improve the referral process.

· Provide training and ongoing technical assistance to all navigators in the region on CAN processes, diversion techniques, and data collection standards.

· Establish new relationships and partnerships with organizations that do not participate in the CAN, including faith-based and community-based providers who regularly interface with the homeless population.

· With other Housing Collective staff, provide trainings about the homeless response system to community partners and providers operating in Western CT, advocate to the needs of staff and clients, and regularly report to the CAN on the status of unsheltered homelessness in the area

· Other projects and tasks, as needed, to further the mission of the Housing Collective.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Two years’ experience working with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, preferably with lived experience. Lived experience refers to having first-hand experience with homelessness and is meant to differentiate from others who may have experience of working with households experiencing homelessness but have not personally lived through those challenges.

· Highly motivated, creative problem solver

· Knowledge of, or ability to quickly develop an understanding of street homelessness, effective intervention techniques, and mental health and substance use issues and interventions

· Knowledge of specific community resources

· Ability to work effectively with populations that have experienced trauma, deep poverty, incarceration, substance use, developmental delays, compromised mental wellness, brain injuries, literacy and numeracy issues, and other conditions that negatively impact individuals

· Strong organization skills and effective time and task management

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including telephone communications

· Ability to work independently and in a group, and maintain good working relationships with organizational staff and partners

· Driver’s license and daily use of a reliable and properly registered and insured motor vehicle

· Strong computer skills, including Office suite, Google suite, Zoom, and Smartsheet

· Experience working within professional standards and ethical practices, including creating and maintaining healthy boundaries and professional relationships with clients and co-workers

Bilingual strongly preferred.

The Housing Collective is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate, support, and thrive on diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees for the benefit of our team, our work, and our community .

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• social service: 2 years (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bridgeport, CT 06604