Field Outreach Specialist

Title: Field Outreach Specialist

Reports To:   Homeless Outreach Supervisor

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Status: Full-time 

Supervisory Responsibility: Not Applicable

Who we are?

CHOICE is an agency that takes pride in providing case management and advocacy services for our clients with mental health or physical health illnesses. We specialize in providing quality coordination of care, referrals, peer support, groups, and other related services in a friendly environment.

Purpose of the Role:

The Street Outreach Specialist is part of a coordinated outreach team that identifies and 

engages people living in unsheltered locations, such as in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, encampments, and on the streets.  To include outreaching shelter homeless individuals and those at risk of becoming homeless. 

  The outreach team reaches people who might not otherwise seek assistance or come to the attention of the homelessness service system.  

Through its work, the team ensures that people’s basic needs are met while supporting 

individuals along pathways toward housing stability and quality of life improvements. The Outreach Specialist is responsible for conducting outreach, providing information and 

referrals, completing assessments, intakes, performing short-term case management, and 

delivering concrete services.  

Essential Functions of the Role:

• Identify and build relationships with organizations and individuals in places such as, but not limited to hospitals, shelters, partner agencies, medical care clinics, mental health providers, soup kitchens, food pantries, associations dedicated to helping marginalized people, etc., promoting and building awareness regarding CHOICE, its mission and services.
• Respond to calls/requests from the community (public agencies, businesses, libraries, 

hospitals, family members, etc.) regarding homeless individuals and those experiencing crisis 

• Co- respond to crisis calls with local government agencies
• Outreach identified “hot spots” at times when individuals are most likely to be found (early morning including some evenings)
• Establish rapport and reduce harm by providing critical, life-saving resources such as 

food, water, clothing, blankets, and other necessities.  

• Using a trauma-informed approach, provide crisis intervention, harm reduction, and culturally Responsive competent engagement techniques. 
• Meet one-on-one with a person needing services, screen to determine eligibility. 
• For persons eligible to receive benefits and become a client of CHOICE, remain in close partnership with them, monitoring the enrollment process, until intake has been completed.
• Act as a support partner to a potential client, assisting them with their essential care relationships through the completion of the enrollment
• Review with Outreach Supervisor (or appointed staff person) for final approval, persons that have been identified as a potential client and can benefit from CHOICE. 
•  Complete street outreach assessment (VI-SPDAT) as requested by HOW Supervisor 

• Document all outreach efforts in HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), Relevant and Awards database.
•  Attend meetings, as necessary, at the Department of Community Mental Health, to review client cases.
• Attend and participate in community events.

      Proactively report to Outreach Supervisor trends, relationships and developments in the field; track activity, clients and outcomes.

For all fieldwork:

• Conduct daily street outreach and respond to calls for assistance
• Conduct a minimum of 20 intakes per a week
• Proactively report to the Homeless Outreach Supervisor all trends, relationships, and developments in the field.
• Track activities and outcomes.
• Spanish-speaking (required)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay:   $36,000.00 - $38,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8-hour shift
• 10am -6pm , 11am -7pm, and some 9-5 workdays.
• Monday to Friday (some weekends)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Outreach: 1 year (Preferred)

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person