Case Manager, Chalet and ‘A Way Home’ Program

About Groundworks Collaborative

Established in 2015, following the merger of the Brattleboro Area Drop-In Center and Morningside Shelter, Groundworks is a dynamic organization committed to providing food, shelter, and supportive services with dignity throughout the greater Brattleboro area.

Groundworks’ mission is to work with individuals and systems to create solutions for ending hunger and homelessness for all people in our region. We envision a community in which all members have their basic needs met, including food security and a safe and dignified place to call home. We view poverty, housing, and food insecurity to be byproducts of societal conditions, generational discrimination, and public policy, rather than the result of individual choices. Therefore, Groundworks fosters a culture of nonjudgment and compassion for the people we serve.

Position Summary

The Case Manager is responsible for working closely with clients to help them maintain their housing, access services to meet their basic needs, contribute to their overall well-being, and develop skills for independence. Case managers provide referrals and establish robust community networks to ensure clients can access additional support successfully.

Effective case management begins with establishing a genuine, trust-based relationship with each client. The Case Manager then assesses individual needs and collaborates with each client to co-develop a plan that meets the needs identified by the client. The Case Manager maintains robust and current knowledge of community resources and builds collaborative relationships with community service providers to ensure effective referrals and seamless access to support. This position also works collaboratively with a dedicated team of case managers and colleagues throughout Groundworks to provide quality services for all. Case managers utilize creative problem-solving and a person-centered, harm reduction approach while modeling Groundworks’ philosophy of dignity and respect at all times.

Program & Position Specific Summary

Job Title: Case Manager: ‘A Way Home’ Program at ‘The Chalet’

Work Site: ‘The Chalet’ at 78 South St, Brattleboro.

Average Caseload: 15

Description:

This position supports, on average, 15 residents at ‘The Chalet,’ a Permanent Supportive Housing program that receives funding from the ‘A Way Home’ (AWH) program. The AWH program, supported by the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA), offers supportive services to individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and have long-term service and support needs. This position will work closely with the PSH Coordinator and the other Chalet Case Manager to provide supportive services to residents who live at ‘The Chalet.’

Role Specific Responsibilities:

• Partner with a potential program participant’s housing navigator to complete an application to the ‘A Way Home’ program.
• Meet regularly (at a minimum of once a month) with clients to engage and identify their goals and the supports they need.
• Keep time and service logs related to client engagement and other program activities.
• Work with supervisor and other colleagues to continue to refine and develop the growing ‘A Way Home’ program.

Responsibilities

Build Client Rapport

• Build trusting client relationships and provide services from a client-centered, harm reduction, and strengths-based approach to meet individualized client needs.
• Schedule and maintain regular appointments with clients.
• Demonstrate Groundworks’ philosophy, mission, values, and standards of excellence.
• Maintain client confidentiality within GWC guidelines.
• Solicit client feedback to identify improvement opportunities.

Assess Client Needs

• Engage clients in meaningful dialogue to mutually assess their needs.
• Identify housing barriers, needs/preferences; explore resources and opportunities within a household's natural support network.

Co-create a Housing and Service Plan

• Collaborate with clients to formulate and maintain a service plan that addresses their needs and goals, which is regularly reviewed and modified in consultation with the client.

Community Building

• Support ongoing community-building opportunities for residents.
• Support ongoing life skills programming for residents.
• Participate in community meetings and restorative circles.

Support Clients in Accessing Other Services

• Provide appropriate services and referrals to connect clients with mainstream services and benefits (e.g., 3Squares, GA, SSDI), including access to state benefits where eligible.
• Support clients in obtaining identification (e.g., state-issued ID, SSA card, birth certificate)
• Make referrals to health providers, including those for mental and physical health, as well as SUD providers.
• Educate, inform, and advocate for clients regarding benefits (Social Security, Public Assistance, food stamps, etc.).

Provide 1:1 Support

• Performing ongoing, individualized support and coordination for clients.
• Provide support in areas such as life skills, housing education, and health maintenance, and assist clients in managing their finances, including preparing budgets and calculating expenses.
• Respond to acute and crises promptly during operating hours, including coordination with emergency service providers.
• Practice skillful de-escalation and crisis management.
• Support clients in finding employment, including referring to employment assistance agencies.
• Support clients in addressing or mediating interpersonal conflicts if needed.

Support Clients in Retaining Housing

• Coach on developing and maintaining key relationships with property management/landlords to foster a successful tenancy.
• Assist in resolving landlord/neighbor disputes to reduce the risk of eviction or other adverse action.
• Advocate and link with community resources to prevent eviction when housing is, or may potentially become, jeopardized.
• Assist with housing and voucher recertification process.
• Coordinate with the tenant to review, update, and modify their housing support plan regularly to reflect current needs and address existing or recurring housing retention barriers.
• Continue training on being a good tenant, lease compliance, and provide ongoing support related to household management.

Build Collaborative Relationships and Resources (7%)

• Maintain robust knowledge of relevant community resources throughout the county.
• Regularly explore new or unfamiliar resources to remain current.
• Build relationships with community service providers in order to make effective referrals.
• Ensure that current community resource information is readily available at all times.
• Share information with colleagues from other area support agencies to enable ongoing capacity building and collaboration that optimally serves client needs.
• Maintain collaborative relations with other professional service providers for the purpose of case review or consultation regarding services to a specific client.
• Collaborate with other agencies to assist with other needs that are presented.
• Collaborate with other groups and agencies as a representative of Groundworks Collaborative.
• Document all services and activities in case files. Ensure files are up to date and complete, including Case plans, ROI, SSOM, service transactions, case notes, and referrals.
• Enter complete data into HMIS.
• Follow the critical incident policies and procedures; complete incident reports.
• Comply with the State of Vermont’s Mandated Reporter duties.

Embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Practice curiosity and openness to diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking.
• Build skills and understanding of anti-racist and anti-oppression frameworks.
• Foster mutual aid vs. charity and strive to understand the systemic and root causes of poverty.

Demonstrate Personal Accountability

• Demonstrate personal ownership and initiative in problem-solving.
• Hold oneself accountable to high performance standards.
• Take advantage of training opportunities. Attend and participate in a variety of training sessions and continuing education events to stay current and enhance your knowledge and skills.
• Participate in bi-weekly clinical supervision.
• Participate in weekly/bi-weekly individual supervision. Discuss with supervisor successes and challenges, improvement areas, performance goals, and areas for growth and learning.
• Uphold and maintain Groundworks’ values and foster Groundworks’ service mission and culture of understanding, compassion, and positive regard for clients.

Cultivate Teamwork

• Participate in building a team culture of collaboration and shared ownership.
• Actively contribute to and participate in bi-weekly case management program meetings.
• Share information re: events and incidents with other CMs in team meetings.
• Support team goals and collaborative problem-solving.
• Support the case management team in triaging emergent needs.
• Build effective working relationships with and collaborate with team members.
• Support case management team members as needs arise.
• Practice giving and receiving skillful, respectful feedback to coworkers when issues come up.

Promote Agency-wide Success

• Attend and participate in All-Staff meetings.
• Contribute to agency-wide learning and problem-solving, coordination, and communication.
• Support the seamless coordination and integration of Groundworks’ programs and services.

Competencies

• Passion for the mission: ending homelessness and ensuring food security for all people.
• Insight into the root causes of homelessness and challenges related to poverty, addiction, and mental health.
• Robust knowledge of housing, resources and systemic barriers; effectively navigates services.
• Embraces a harm reduction approach and embodies compassionate, nonjudgmental care for all.
• Exhibits empathy and understanding for clients, while maintaining healthy boundaries.
• Models excellence, holds self/others accountable and responsible for ensuring quality services.
• Is solution-oriented, takes initiative, and engages others in thoughtful problem-solving.
• Has a positive, can-do attitude; takes ownership and pitches in wherever needed.
• Reads people and situations effectively, exercises solid judgment and critical thinking.
• Balances individual client needs and circumstances, with the needs of clients as a whole.
• Builds authentic and trusting relationships with clients while maintaining high confidentiality standards.
• Skillful and empathic listener; connects well with others and listens for understanding.
• Works well independently and effectively with all team members; asks for help when needed.
• Flexible and able to adapt quickly to change, and responds to unpredictable events quickly and effectively.
• Open to learning and understanding diverse points of view; embraces change and new ways of working.
• Caring towards colleagues as people, encourages, mentors, and inspires the best in others.
• Manages conflicts effectively; extends trust, assumes good intent, gives the benefit of the doubt.
• Builds effective, trust-based partnerships with all colleagues and provides feedback skillfully.
• Dependable, approachable, accessible, and responsive to others’ needs and requests.
• Embraces continuous learning and actively participates in ongoing professional development.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of the community and strong skills in community outreach and advocacy.
• Demonstrates extreme reliability, takes initiative, and can work well without direct supervision.
• Works through complex, challenging situations utilizing creative problem solving and a person-centered, harm reduction approach, while balancing agency policy.
• Exhibits agency values of collaboration, flexibility, inclusion, innovation, compassion, and self-care while working through very challenging situations.
• Has excellent written and interpersonal communication skills that foster a team environment.
• Possesses strong time management skills, able to multitask and maintain dual focus.
• Timely in reporting to work, fulfilling commitments, and responding to emails/calls.
• Finds the most efficient and effective ways to work, builds and enhances systems.
• Highly organized, plans effectively, pays attention to details, and completes work accurately.
• Collaborative and cooperative team player; seeks others’ ideas and input.
• Self-aware, reflective, curious, and open to feedback. Understands own strengths and weaknesses.
• Self-regulates emotions, chooses words with care; responds skillfully in stressful situations.
• Remains calm under pressure, de-escalates, mediates; handles challenging situations with grace.
• Exhibits effective stress management, self-care, limit-setting, resilience, and a sense of humor.
• Embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, is culturally competent, and works well across differences.
• Shows awareness of one's own culture, identity, biases, prejudices, and stereotypes.
• Appreciates and embraces a variety of experiences and perspectives that arise from differences in race, culture, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and gender identity.
• Is knowledgeable of agency standards, protocols, policies, and systems.
• Is resourceful in finding solutions, addressing challenges, and seeking opportunities.
• Analyzes problems/issues, gathers data and information to find the most effective solutions.
• Conducts self in a professional manner as a representative of GWC in the community.
• Exceptional computer skills, including data management programs.
• Has a valid driver’s license and registered, insured, and reliable vehicle.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.81 - $26.07 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 403(b) matching
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Salary : $21 - $26