Navigation Specialist

Job Description | Updated April 2024

Description:Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) seeks a Navigation Specialist to seek out and engage unhoused persons in El Dorado County to provide skilled support to individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk of experiencing homelessness to gather data, provide supplies, and make referrals to mainstream resources in order to work permanent housing solutions. TCH follows best practices as identified by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department, California Housing and Community Development (HCD), and an added emphasis on providing services through the DHCS Community Supports (CS) program. Community Supports are provided to eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness with the goals of improving their health outcomes and decreasing their utilization of high-cost services.

This position is 70% out in the field, and 30% in the office.

This position will be assigned to either the Lake Tahoe Basin or Western Slope of El Dorado County.

Goal: To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to meet the needs of clients to enter the Front Door to Homeless Services in El Dorado County by working toward document readiness, and enrollment in mainstream resources in order to obtain permanent housing and wellness.

Duties include: relationship building with unhoused clients in order to build the necessary trust required to work closely with the unhoused person or family; complete the Coordinated Entry System (CES) intake with the household; collect required documents such as personal identification documents, homeless certification, disability certification, and proof of income; develop a collaborative care management plans with clients, supporting client needs in the areas of physical health, mental health, substance use disorders (SUD), community-based long-term services support, oral health, palliative care, social supports, social determinants of health, and individual housing goals.

Specific Duties:

• Identify unsheltered homeless neighbors through direct street outreach activities.
• Complete a VI-SPDAT intake assessment
• Collect personal identification documents, which may include transporting clients to the DMV, Social Security Office, etc
• Connect unhoused persons with mainstream resources and case management
• Maintain required records accurately, comprehensively, and in a timely manner, including data entry into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and TCH’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.
• Engage clients in a trusting and supportive treatment partnership, providing emotional support while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Cultivate a working knowledge of local resources and build relationships with service partners in order to make effective referrals for clients.
• Participate in regular staff meetings and work closely with team members to coordinate client case plans. Provide support to each other as needed and implement activities per the case management plan, including Community Supports through CalAim as well as other community resources available to clients.
• Work with program participants to enhance and improve their activities of daily living
• Provide clients with connectivity support, including email, phone, and mail services.
• Provide clients with transportation to and from medical and legal appointments and other activities that may enhance or improve daily living.

Other Duties: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social Work, social sciences, public policy or administration, drug and alcohol counseling, or related fields. Professional experience in the field or a related field and training/education may be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision, using professional judgment to make informed decisions in an often stressful/fast paced environment as well as in emergency or crisis situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including conflict resolution, listening, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office/Google Suite.
• Maintain professional working relationships with coworkers, clients, families, community stakeholders, and multidisciplinary providers, grantors, funders, and contractors.
• Effectively interact and provide services to clients, co-workers, and volunteers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and treat each individual with respect, dignity, and compassion.
• Have an understanding and support of Housing First principles as well as Harm Reduction Theory and practice.
• Physical ability to hike and walk on uneven ground, ride a bicycle to travel the main corridor, lift 25 pounds, sit, stand, bend, reach, and perform cleaning duties.
• The employee must be comfortable traveling in outdoor environmental conditions such as rain, snow, sleet, and warm temperatures typical of the Placerville and surrounding areas.
• Have reliable transportation in order to meet clients throughout the Western Slope, such as Cool, Georgetown, Rescue, Somerset, and Pollock Pines.
• Maintain one’s own physical, mental and emotional well-being to maximize the healthy functioning of the program.
• Must maintain a valid Driver’s License and minimum automobile insurance required by the State of California.
• Satisfactory completion of background and reference checks.
• Test negative for TB.
• Provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19.

Hours: Typically, the schedule is 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Monday - Friday. Schedule may be subject to change to accommodate programmatic needs. May require some on-call, evening, and weekend hours. Employees may be eligible to work an alternate work schedule if requested.

Rate: The hourly rate range for this position is $22-$27.

Class: The Navigation Specialist position is non-exempt hourly

Reporting: The Navigation Specialist reports to the Program Manager.

Mission:Our mission is to support our neighbors experiencing homelessness by partnering with our community to promote awareness, provide warm beds, and encourage self-sufficiency.

Vision:Our vision is to work together to end homelessness on the South Shore.

Values:We cultivate a culture of shared responsibility that recognizes those experiencing homelessness as members of our community. We lead with integrity, show respect, and uphold fairness. We accept people where they are without judgment and treat one another with dignity and respect. We provide opportunities for growth through education and advocacy with passion and perseverance.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $22.00 - $27.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience level:

• 3 years

Shift:

• Day shift

Weekly day range:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work setting:

• In-person

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• social services: 3 years (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Placerville, CA (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Placerville, CA: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person