Family Navigator - One Door OKC

Who We Are
At City Rescue Mission, we believe everyone deserves hope, healing, and a home. As a housing-focused shelter, we provide compassionate care, innovative programs, and practical tools to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness achieve long-term stability and independence.

We’re driven by a deep belief in the value of every person we serve and a commitment to creating brighter futures through community partnerships and life-changing programs.

Position Summary: The Family Navigator is an integral part of City Rescue Mission's One Door OKC Project and is responsible for providing rapid rehousing placements and case management for an assigned small caseload, building community partnerships, and engaging landlords to identify housing units for families. This position works with CRM staff and community partners to provide timely, compassionate, housing-focused services, maintain accurate documentation, and help families move toward safe and sustainable housing. The Family Navigator follows established CRM procedures, maintains professional boundaries, and coordinates clear handoffs, so families receive consistent services. The assigned schedule is 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. 

Essential Functions: 

• Engage families referred for housing navigation and establish a respectful, compassionate, and non-judgmental working relationship. 
• Explain rapid rehousing services, eligibility, family participation, housing-search steps, client rights and responsibilities, and anticipate next actions. 
• Manage an assigned small rapid rehousing caseload, coordinate appointments and housing-search activities, and maintain communication with CRM housing and service teams. 
• Provide rapid rehousing placement and case management while maintaining community partnerships and landlord relationships that expand access to available housing units. 
• Review assessments, confirm assigned program eligibility, and complete required housing and service-planning tools under current CoC and CRM procedures. 
• Gather accurate information regarding each family’s immediate situation, recent housing history, current risks, natural supports, available resources, barriers, and reason for seeking services. 
• Identify urgent medical, behavioral health, safety, exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, suicide or self-harm, intoxication, or other crisis indicators and immediately follow established escalation and emergency-response procedures. 
• Develop individualized housing plans with families, identify suitable units, and address barriers involving applications, income, identification, rental history, and transportation. 
• Engage property owners and managers, identify available units, explain program supports, and mediate housing-related concerns within delegated authority. 
• Assist families with housing applications, verifications, subsidy coordination, inspections, lease signing, and move-in arrangements under applicable program requirements. 
• Coordinate community resources for employment, benefits, healthcare, childcare, school enrollment, transportation, legal services, and other needs affecting housing stability.

• Use warm handoffs whenever possible by contacting the receiving provider, confirming eligibility or next steps, and reducing barriers to successful connection. 

• Coordinate rapid rehousing placements and support the transition from temporary shelter or other locations into permanent housing, including a clear stabilization and follow-up plan. 

• Provide transportation to families as needed to facilitate access to appointments, resources, and services, in accordance with agency policy. 

• Use de-escalation skills, maintain professional boundaries, and follow all safety, incident-reporting, mandatory-reporting, emergency, and workplace-violence procedures. 

• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the purpose and general scope of the position. 

Documentation and Reporting: 

• Ensure accurate and timely HMIS housing program enrollments, services, placement dates, and exits based on eligibility and established procedures. 

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation, including but not limited to telephone calls, emails, attempted contacts, face-to-face interactions, screenings, referrals, outcomes, and agreed-upon next actions. Ensure all relevant information is detailed and documented in the family’s record within HMIS or other required systems. 

• Complete required intake forms, releases of information, consents, assessments, referrals, and supporting documentation while avoiding unnecessary duplication or requiring families to restart their story at each handoff. 

• Maintain strict client confidentiality and follow HMIS privacy, informed-consent, release-of-information, record-retention, and data-quality requirements. 

• Assist with reports, housing placement and retention tracking, landlord engagement records, data-quality reviews, and correction of incomplete or inaccurate records. 

• Adhere to the most up-to-date version of Coordinated Entry Policies, Continuum of Care (CoC) Standards of Care, funder requirements, and City Rescue Mission policies and procedures. 

Collaboration and Community Engagement: 

• Collaborate closely with CRM assessment and diversion staff, shelter teams, housing staff, and other departments to coordinate family housing plans and avoid duplicated services. 

• Collaborate with service providers and community partners to enhance families' access to supportive resources and promote housing stability and overall well-being. 

• Serve as a point of contact for assigned landlords and community partners; maintain current unit availability, eligibility requirements, contacts, and referral processes. 

• Participate in case consultation, shift handoffs, team meetings, training, supervision, and continuous improvement activities. 

• Participate in Continuum of Care (CoC) or other relevant community meetings and workgroups as requested. 

• Demonstrate a compassionate, non-judgmental approach that promotes client empowerment, self-determination, cultural sensitivity, dignity, and individual choice in all interactions. 

Qualifications:  

• Previous experience working with families experiencing homelessness, including experience in shelter services, diversion, intake, resource navigation, housing placement, case management, or a related human-services setting. 

• Familiarity with community resources for housing, mental health, substance abuse treatment, employment, benefits, transportation, identification, and healthcare services. 

• Strong interpersonal communication skills to establish rapport with families, advocate on their behalf, and collaborate with stakeholders. 

• Ability to learn and consistently apply standardized triage, screening, intake, diversion, documentation, referral, and safety procedures. 

• Ability to work independently, maintain attention to detail, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines. 

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to professional ethical standards and agency policies. 

• Proficient use of computers, basic office software, and data-management systems used to track service delivery and internal agency functions; HMIS experience is preferred. 

• Ability to assess family needs and barriers, identify practical next steps, and provide empathetic support and guidance. 

• Demonstrate empathy, patience, sound judgment, and a non-judgmental approach when engaging with families. 

• Knowledge and understanding of working with diverse populations, including people with disabilities. 

• Excellent organizational skills to manage assessment leads, consultations, telephone inquiries, follow-up, and case documentation. 

• Strong conflict-resolution, crisis-management, and de-escalation skills. 

• Demonstrated ability to find constructive solutions for complex client challenges while encouraging client participation and motivation. 

• A reliable means of transportation, including a valid Oklahoma Driver's License, a clean motor vehicle record, and auto insurance coverage that meets the minimum requirements set by the agency. 

• Ability to pass a criminal background check and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check. 

• Desire to make a positive impact on the lives of families experiencing homelessness. 

Working Conditions & Requirements: 

• Work is performed in office, shelter, residential, and community settings. 

• Local travel and occasional flexible hours may be required. 

• Regular interaction with individuals and families experiencing homelessness and complex barriers.  

• Regular sitting, standing, and walking, with occasional lifting of up to 30 pounds. 

• Valid Oklahoma driver’s license, reliable transportation, and insurance meeting agency requirements  

• Ability to pass required criminal background and Motor Vehicle Record checks. 

Grant-Funded Position Disclaimer:

• This position is supported by grant funding. Continuation of employment is contingent upon the availability of grant funds. Employment is at-will.  

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

• City Rescue Mission, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, citizenship, sex, marital or veteran status, disability or handicap, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. City Rescue Mission makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state laws.