SUMMARY

The Healthcare Engagement Specialist’s primary role is to provide on-site support to shelter staff in managing mental health crises with shelter guests and connect emergency shelter guests to appropriate mental health and medical services.  This position will be responsible for triaging guests’ acute and chronic healthcare needs, making referrals to appropriate providers, and assisting in crisis management.

Shelter operation is 24/7. Hours for this position are 2pm-10pm aside from attendance to scheduled meetings. Some weekend availability is preferred but not required. Mandatory staff meetings are held monthly on the third Thursday from 1:30pm-3:30pm. The individual selected for this position will be required to attend a weekly coordination meeting on Wednesdays at 1:00pm. The first two weeks of employment will be orientation and training and will require some daytime hours.

Position: Healthcare Engagement Specialist
Job Family: Recovery Support Services
Position Type: Full Time, Non-Exempt
Pay Band: Hourly
Reports To: Director of Emergency Shelter Services

COMPETENCIES

• Professionalism – Maintains adherence to an accepted Code of Ethics
• Organization – Must have good organizational skills and be able to balance and prioritize responsibilities
• Participant Engagement – Individual must be non-judgmental, empathetic, genuine, and trustworthy
• Communication – Individual must possess strong communication skills and ability to build rapport and trust amongst participants
• Flexibility –Individual must be able to adapt to changing environments, culture, and processes. Must possess creativity to advance our organization and humility to continually grow and learn from others
• Decision making – Can recognize and respond to risk, crisis and emergency indicators affecting client welfare and safety
• Teamwork orientation – Ability to effectively collaborate with other departments, staff, and participants

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide on-site support for emergency shelter guests who are experiencing mental health crises or need assistance engaging in support services
• Work specifically to build rapport with guests experiencing significant mental health issues, including psychosis, to engage them in appropriate services
• Coordinate and link guests with the appropriate services in the community as it relates to SUD, SMI, SPMI, med management, and medical needs
• Provide regular on-site triage for guests and refer to appropriate level of care
• Provide services and support to address guests’ mental and physical healthcare needs while establishing a permanent healthcare plan
• Assist shelter case managers in ensuring guests transitioning from shelter have necessary support services in place to maintain independent housing
• Provide crisis intervention and stabilization to guests and consultation for staff as needed
• Assess the level of need for each guest who enters shelter
• Assist with medication administration and perform weekly medication audits
• Coordinate with other community groups, agencies, and resources in order to develop cooperative programs and maximize the use of available community resources
• Provide support, expertise, and guidance to establish, re-establish or strengthen engagement in identified support services
• Identify and actively address challenges to treatment engagement, including social determinants of health, basic needs, and (re)establishing trust in the healthcare system
• Provide education and training for staff regarding mental health, de-escalation, and crisis management
• Serve as a point of contact for care coordination between service providers
• Serve as a team member and coordinate with shelter and case management staff to develop and implement individual case plans
• Assist shelter guests with applying for Medicaid and obtaining medical benefits
• Maintain appropriate documentation of services provided. Develop, track, and report outcome measures
• Assist RES staff with DIS check-in, which will include searching property, completing shelter intake paperwork, bed assignments, or any other tasks RES are responsible for
• Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

• Licensed Qualified Professional or Associate Professional (preferred)
• Certified Peer Support Specialist (preferred)
• At least 2 years experience working with adults suffering from SUD, SMI, SPMI, experiencing homelessness. (preferred)
• Experience with Trauma-Informed Care, Crisis Response/Intervention, Person-Centered Treatment Planning and Motivational Interviewing preferred

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY

This position does not any have supervisory responsibilities.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions to this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demand described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit; use hand to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Must have the ability to read, analyze, and interpret common legal documents; the ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from clients, or member of the community; and the ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or Board of Directors.

TRAVEL

This position is responsible for services at our women’s campus, but applicant must be able to travel back and forth between both campuses if needed.