Fair Ridge - Case Manager

Case Manager

Level: Manager

Department: Fair Ridge Emergency Center

Reports to: Assistant Director of Programs

Salary Range: $52K-$56K

Location: Fair Ridge Family Shelter

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Fairfax, VA

Shelter House was established in 1981 as a grassroots responder to the homelessness crisis in Fairfax County. Since the organization’s inception, we have adapted and grown to meet community needs, all while working in partnership with government and private partners and community members. Today, Shelter House is a successful and reputable organization of over 100 employees committed to preventing and ending homelessness and domestic violence.

In the last year, our compassionate team of individuals changed the lives of nearly 2,000 individuals, half of which were children. Our Culture is built from our Core Values of Inclusivity, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Empowerment (iC.A.R.E.)

The Case Manager will work with 10-20 families in our Shelter, Prevention, and Rapid Rehousing Programs. This work is based both in the community as well as at the Fair Ridge Family Shelter. He/she will support the housing first model with a trauma informed care approach that will maximize the likelihood of client success and long-term self-sufficiency with the primary goal of assisting families with obtaining and maintaining housing.

Responsibilities include conducting individual needs assessments, program planning, empowering clients’ progress toward housing, and assisting families in locating or maintaining housing options. Once housing is secured, the Case Manager will work to link families with services and resources to help them stabilize in their new housing and neighborhood. This follow up case management often includes assisting families with budgeting, learning how to be a model tenant, increasing income, and linkage to other service providers in the community.

The Case Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for all assigned client services and provide guidance and support to clients working toward self-sufficiency. This work is fast paced, and the client relationships are often time limited. The Case Manager must be comfortable forming relationships with landlords and other community partners to ensure clients are able to secure housing as their top priority.

• Develop Housing First focused service plans, individualized to the client’s unique housing needs and guide families through the housing location process
• Proactively and creatively seek new housing opportunities and resources in Fairfax and other localities to assist families with locating housing
• Empathetically but firmly address any safety issues that may arise during the family’s stay in shelter and work to help refocus family’s efforts on their housing plan.
• Plan, schedule, coordinate, and conduct Family Shelter Planning Team meetings or professionals’ meetings to assist in housing planning
• Once housed, partner with families to outline what supports are needed to address housing barriers and needs and to develop an agreed on plan to achieve housing related goals and to maintain stable housing.
• Assist clients in securing appropriate services and coordinate delivery of services to clients (i.e. employment, housing, finance)
• Assist clients in improving money management by developing a working budget using financial information provided by clients
• Build and maintain relationships with area landlords who will work with families with multiple barriers and facilitate initial communication landlords and clients
• Educate client on topics including but not limited to tenant rights and responsibilities, housing discrimination, communicating with landlords, how to read a lease, identifying roommates, maintaining a household, etc.
• Assist with developing a rental assistance package for clients utilizing a variety of funding sources; properly document the distribution of these funds; lead the recertification process if families require additional funds to maintain housing.
• Function as a contributing member of a multidisciplinary team with Shelter House Inc. employees, deployed staff, and involved agencies…