Community Intervention Specialist

Community Intervention Specialist

Under supervision, the class works primarily in the field as part of the Homeless Outreach and Prevention (HOP) team canvassing communities providing crisis intervention and social services support to the unsheltered population, and performs related duties as required.

Essential duties:

• Travels by vehicle or on foot to encampment sites and locations throughout Chicago where the unsheltered population resides and proactively initiates non-judgmental conversations to create and maintain relationships and provide a consistent presence.
• Engages individuals in need of services and consistently works to meet those needs, particularly with those who may not independently seek services.
• Provides crisis counseling to vulnerable populations (homeless or at risk of homelessness).
• Conducts needs assessments (e.g., intakes, coordinated entry system assessments, housing assessments and public benefit needs assessments), obtains pertinent information and establishes short and long-term case management goals for clients.
• Maintains current knowledge of eligibility requirements, program guidelines, and available resources offered by social service programs and community partners.
• Assists individuals in applying for federal and state benefits (e.g., Medicaid, food security applications, and Social Security disability).
• Updates case management system with client information by using designated systems (i.e., HMIS and ECM) and create and maintain a detailed by name list for each assigned outreach location.
• Refers and advocates for clients to delegate agencies, shelters and other social service providers for continued and ongoing social service needs (e.g., housing, medical, mental health services).
• Conducts follow up to ensure clients receive appropriate needed assistance.
• Assists in the placement of individuals affected by emergency housing situations (e.g., fires, vacates, evictions, etc.) by developing relocation plans and/or arranging shelter or nursing home placement and transportation.
• Develops and maintains strong working relationships with staff at key City departments, health care professionals, homeless/housing service providers, and the community at large to provide intervention and services to high-risk clients who are homeless and in need of services.
• Coordinates and participates in the cleaning of encampment sites (e.g., proper disposal of food and debris, ensuring abandoned or unoccupied tents are appropriately stickered for removal and overseeing the appropriate handling of the unsheltered populations personal belongings in accordance with City policies and procedures).
• Accompanies and transports clients to appointments.
• Provides assistance when emergency shelters or other temporary shelters are activated in a crisis.
• Participates in annual homeless count.
• Collaborates with outreach partners to connect client to services.

Location:

Department of Family and Support Services, Homeless Address: 10 South Kedzie, Chicago IL 60612 Shift: Mon — Fri, 8:30am — 4:30pm

This position is in the Career Service.

Qualifications:

Minimum qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus two (2) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis.
• Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:
• Six (6) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis.
• Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's degree in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus four (4) years of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or individuals experiencing behavioral or substance use crisis.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher in the Social Sciences or a directly related field, plus one (1) year of community or social service work experience involving the unsheltered population or…