Street Outreach Specialist

Street Outreach Specialist West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness (WVCEH) Full-Time | Community-Based Street Outreach Position Make a Difference for People Experiencing Homelessness

At the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness (WVCEH), we believe people matter
. People in our communities are living without safe, stable housing, and our team works every day to change that.

WVCEH is seeking a Street Outreach Specialist to locate, engage, and assist individuals and families who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. This is a highly community-based position for someone who is compassionate, resourceful, comfortable working independently in the field, and willing to meet people where they are—literally. Our programs are built around effective practices, quality services, and continuous improvement. We recognize that improvement requires change, and we expect our team members to be adaptable, solution-focused, and committed to providing excellent services.

Street Outreach Specialists work primarily in the community to identify and engage individuals and families living outdoors, in vehicles, abandoned buildings, encampments, or other places not meant for human habitation. Outreach Specialists build relationships with people who may be disconnected from traditional service systems and help them navigate the process of accessing shelter, housing, healthcare, behavioral health services, benefits, and other community resources.

The position focuses particular attention on individuals with significant vulnerabilities and barriers who may be least likely to obtain housing or services without intensive outreach and assistance.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Conduct regular, proactive street outreach in locations where individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness live or gather, including encampments, streets, wooded areas, abandoned structures, vehicles, and other places not meant for human habitation.

• Identify and build rapport with individuals and families experiencing unsheltered homelessness, including individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges.

• Establish meaningful, trusting relationships with participants while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

• Provide individualized, person-centered support to help participants identify barriers, develop goals, access resources, and move toward safe and stable housing.

• Assist participants with navigating the process of obtaining housing and securing documentation necessary to establish eligibility for housing programs and other resources.

• Connect participants to appropriate community resources, including emergency shelter, healthcare, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, Peer Recovery Support Services, benefits, employment resources, and other supportive services.

• Provide access and connections to overdose prevention and other health and safety resources, including naloxone and appropriate community-based services.

• Participate in the local Coordinated Entry System and community housing prioritization processes to help ensure individuals with the greatest vulnerabilities and barriers are identified and connected to available housing resources.

• Assist housing programs and community partners in locating and maintaining contact with individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

• Work collaboratively with WVCEH’s Coordinated Entry, Housing Stabilization, Landlord Liaison, Peer Recovery Support Services, HMIS, and other programs to provide coordinated assistance.

• Build relationships with community partners, service providers, local governments, first responders, healthcare providers, behavioral health organizations, shelters, and others who regularly encounter individuals…