Homeless Outreach Specialist

To be considered, please submit a cover letter that specifically addresses how your experience relates to this position.

Organization Summary: Established in 1993, Operation Dignity (OD) is a nonprofit organization that operates emergency, transitional, and permanent housing programs in Alameda County. Our mission is to create pathways to health and housing for the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our community, with a special focus on veterans and people living in encampments. We help participants reach their housing goals by providing a continuum of service from comprehensive street outreach and shelter to permanent supportive housing. Among our core values are meeting people where they are while cultivating a strong peer community, inclusive of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

Position Summary: Operation Dignity’s Mobile Outreach Program provides field engagement, harm reduction supplies, case management counseling, and service referrals to people who are homeless and unsheltered. We utilize a strengths-based approach, valuing clients’ skills, resilience, and inherent worth. The Triage/Data Specialist provides essential administrative support to the street outreach teams, including but not limited to, serving walk-in clients and assisting with data entry and data quality. The Triage/Data Specialist carries a small HMIS outreach caseload of up to 10 participants, along with holding the responsibility of updating and triaging outreach site request forms referred by the City of Oakland EMT Administrator and/or by 311 homeless requests. The Triage/Data Specialist will determine what requests get updated on the outreach request logs and supports the overall upkeep of City reporting systems for homeless site requests in all City zones.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Data Entry and Compliance:

• Responsible for entering and navigating the City of Oakland’s CityWorks database for the outreach team.
• Enter client-level data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Coordinated Entry System (CES) in a timely and accurate manner. This data can include client profile information, location data, and program exits, using information from the outreach team.
• Work with the outreach teams to maintain internal data tracking systems, case notes, and manage HMIS entries and uploads for all Outreach participants.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports to grantors in coordination with Outreach Lead and Outreach Program Manager.
• Complete housing problem-solving tool with participating clients; refer additional clients to local HRC providing a warm handoff.
• Visit and assess up to 10 to 15 encampment sites per week, across all outreach zones.
• Provide data to the Outreach Program Manager on how many new sites are added to the database weekly, how many are unduplicated, and the number of re-encamped sites.
• Conduct a full assessment and/or redirect homeless requests either back to the City Administrator, Oakland Police Department, Department of Public Works, animal control, etc.
• Conduct weekly HMIS data quality checks to ensure that data entry is complete and accurate.
• Review HMIS client data during weekly meetings with outreach staff to identify outcomes where more work is needed to meet contract goals, identify needs for additional programming, and check data accuracy.
• Ensure that all program exits are logged in HMIS accurately, including all exits to shelter or transitional housing locations.
• Ensure that logs are submitted to the Outreach Program Manager before the 5th of each month.
• Follow all HIPAA and HMIS guidelines for data privacy and security.
• Assist in maintaining clean and operational outreach vehicles following current cleaning and sanitation protocols.
• Participate actively in weekly outreach meetings with the City; Coordinated Entry meetings at the City and County level; and other coordination meetings as needed.
• Coordinate client transportation to various sites throughout the city.
• Wear and maintain appropriate protective gear during encampment cleanings and closures.
• Other duties as assigned.

2. Office Operations and Client Interface

• Ensure that client drop-ins are logged in HMIS and tallied as part of outreach contacts, if appropriate.
• Troubleshoot any walk-in or phone-in client issues, communicate relevant information with clients, and update outreach team members on client status or questions, as appropriate.
• Work with the outreach team to maintain an accurate count of items distributed each day.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• At least two years of experience working in a nonprofit or social service setting, particularly one serving veterans and/or people experiencing homelessness.
• Experience with MS Office Suite/Internet/Database Applications. HMIS/Clarity experience a plus but not required.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills; able to work independently, juggling multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously with a solutions-focused, “can-do” approach.
• Able to bring and maintain compassion, patience, tenacity, and dedication to the homeless and veteran communities.
• Cultural competency; able to maintain effective professional relationships with a culturally and racially diverse group of staff and clients.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; tactful, diplomatic, empathetic, and able to de-escalate tense situations. Strong team player. Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage personal boundaries in a social services environment.
• Must be able to lift at least 25lb, must be able to stand and bend for long periods of time, must be able to walk in uneven terrain, must be able to climb in and out of vehicles and trucks. Must be able to sit for long periods of time.
• California Driver’s License with clean driving record, able to drive company vehicle/truck.
• Compliance with State and County Public Health orders on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.

Operation Dignity is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To be considered, please submit a cover letter that specifically addresses how your experience relates to this position.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $25.00 - $26.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
Operation Dignity has a COVID Prevention Program as required by law.

Application Question(s):

• Are you in compliance with State and County Health Orders requiring COVID-19 vaccination and boosters?

Experience:

• Data collection: 1 year (Preferred)
• nonprofit or social service: 2 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $25 - $26