Homeless Prevention & Diversion Specialist CM

Homeless Prevention & Diversion Specialist

The Homeless Prevention & Diversion Specialist will provide homeless prevention (HP) and diversion services as part of Coordinated Entry in Suburban Cook County. Coordinated Entry (CE) is a community-wide system to standardize and expedite the process by which people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness access housing and homeless resources. Through CE, people experiencing homelessness are matched to services and housing based on their preferences and level of need.

Diversion assistance serves as the "front door" to the agency's homeless crisis response. This position performs phone and in-person assessments to determine a person's immediate housing and stabilization needs as they seek entry into the Suburban Cook County Homelessness System. The assessment helps determine Housing Forward's response to the client crisis, including offering case management services, referrals, financial assistance, employment assistance and crisis intervention.

The Homeless Prevention & Diversion Specialist is responsible for evaluating referrals for homeless prevention and diversion assistance to determine eligibility for financial assistance, helping eligible participants complete their applications and to help establish payment plans with management companies and landlords and direct participants toward resources to assist with securing affordable housing when needed. The Specialist will provide financial literacy/budget counseling and case management referrals for supportive services to help participants develop ongoing stability plans.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of rules and guidelines for providing homeless prevention and diversion financial assistance.
• Conduct assessments and determine eligibility for financial assistance for referrals received via the Suburban Cook Call Center, Triage & Intake Specialist, and Homeless Program Staff.
• Accurately apply rules and guidelines from multiple funding sources in order to determine eligibility for financial assistance.
• Conduct in-person case management appointments to complete application for financial assistance and provide financial counseling and case management referrals for supportive services to help participants develop ongoing stability plans.
• Accurately and efficiently, process paperwork for eligible participants in accordance with the parameters of the funding source for households determined eligible.
• Submit appropriate funding requests, as required by each funding source, on a timely basis.
• Communicate with landlord, if appropriate, on status of participant's application.
• Complete all HMIS data entry, including client profile, entry/exit screen and service transactions.
• Attend Coordinated Entry and Alliance meetings and training as required.
• Attend community events and activities to outreach to target populations

Diversion clinical and case management responsibilities include:

• Conduct assessments and determine eligibility for financial and non-financial assistance for referrals received via the Suburban Cook Call Center, Triage & Intake Specialist, and Homeless Program Staff.
• Perform appropriate screenings and assessments upon first contact with client to determine appropriate response to their imminent housing displacement or unsheltered situation.
• Determine underlying issues and offer solutions to quickly to resolve their financial and housing crisis, including but not limited to landlord mediation, interpersonal conflict resolution, financial assistance, referrals and short-term case management.
• Provide information, resources and referrals to all incoming callers, even those outside of Housing Forward service area.
• Follow up, within 48 hours during the business week, with all referrals made through the Call Center and after-hour answering service.
• Determine if other Housing Forward Services are appropriate and coordinate interventions with those programs.
• Provide diversion services for individuals and families seeking overnight emergency shelter. Diversion counseling services explore safe and viable alternatives to entering the shelter system.
• Assist clients who may have alternatives to entering the shelter system, navigate their alternatives.
• Determine if appropriate to add clients to Housing Forward shelter waitlist.
• Facilitate connecting clients to Street Outreach via Triage & Intake Specialist.
• Inform and coordinate services with area townships, targeting schools and other potential referring agencies.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of referrals resources, including housing placement options, community resources, and budget and employment programs.
• Ensure resources are adequate and up to date in the Salesforce Solutions database
• Ensure a compassionate, confidential, and safe environment that maintains client dignity.
• Complete all required Coordinated Entry training.
• Enter all assessments into the agency's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
• Provide regular…