ROOTS Senior Outreach Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY

The Reaching Out on the Streets (ROOTS) Program aims to reduce the prevalence of homelessness by addressing the social determinants of health, opening opportunities for personal agency, and intervening in critical moments of crisis to reduce criminal legal interactions, increase access to services, and reduce fatal overdoses. The staffing and organizational plan consists of both site and outreach workers who work citywide to help unhoused and unstably housed people be healthy and safe while homeless through case management, referrals to services, addressment of daily living needs, criminal justice navigation, and follow-up care coordination.

Our staff will facilitate non-coercive service connection based on the client’s priorities, using motivational interviewing, unconditional positive regard, assertive engagement, trust, and reciprocity to build relationships and meet client goals.

The ROOTS Senior Outreach Specialist position will be community-based and primarily responsible for conducting outreach and providing support to individuals experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Current ROOTS teams are located in the Northside, Downtown, Southside, and East Liberty, respectively, in Police Zones 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Department: Public Safety, Office of Community Health & Safety

Salary: $64,542 per year.

Qualifying Requirements:

• WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show three (3) years of full-time experience in social services, criminal justice, healthcare street outreach, or a related field.
• EDUCATION/TRAINING: The application must clearly show a high school diploma or equivalent. A bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, direct care, criminal justice, or human development is preferred.
• EQUIVALENCY: Education/training and/or work experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis if the application clearly shows the required number of years to meet the Total Qualifying Requirement for this position based on the sum of work experience and education/training listed above. The Total Qualifying Requirement is three (3) years.

POSITION DUTIES

• Conducts outreach in the community focusing on individuals living outside or experiencing homelessness.
• Elicits needs through relationship building with clients.
• Advocates for clients who encounter barriers to services.
• Supports client transition from homelessness or housing instability to secure housing.
• Establishes working relationships with shelters, mental health supports, public safety personnel, and external outreach providers.
• Distributes and tracks use of harm reduction and basic needs supplies, including but not limited to hygiene supplies and winter clothing.
• Addresses daily living needs such as bathing, eating, and temporary shelter.
• Responds to “warm handoff” requests from law enforcement personnel.
• Facilitates medical street rounds in partnership with AHN Street Medicine team.
• Assists in obtaining housing readiness documentation such as personal identification, income verification, homelessness verification, and more.
• Provides crisis intervention and risk assessments to individual living outside.
• Documents service encounters, client information, and outcome tracking in relevant software using proper case management protocols.
• Provides support to one ROOTS site but supports other sites throughout the City of Pittsburgh as assigned.
• Performs other related tasks and duties as assigned or required.

BENEFITS

• Health, Dental, Vision
• Pension
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Holidays, Vacation, Personal Days