Peer Case Worker & Housing Support Advocate

Position Title: Peer Case Worker

Department: Supportive Housing Program

Grade Level: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Lead Case Worker

Location: 269 Peck Street, New Haven, CT 06513

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 35 hours per week, including a 30-minute paid lunch.

Comprehensive benefits package:

• Medical, vision, and dental
• 401(k) Retirement plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• (12) Paid Holidays (1) Floating Holiday
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability

New Reach is seeking a full-time Peer Case Worker to provide person-centered peer-to-peer support services to households affected by housing instability. The Peer Case Worker will lend mentorship, guidance, and coaching focused on parenting skills, household duties, educational system navigation, and daily living skills. The person in this role will offer a unique level of expertise and ability to effectively establish a trusting rapport with a client due to their own experience with homelessness, mental health, or substance use.

• Ongoing support, counseling, and advocacy for the needs of clients and their families working within the Supportive Housing Program.
• Provide many services in the client's home or the location of the client's choosing.
• Acts as primary contact person for not less than eight and no more than 25 households.
• Development and implementation of action plans for clients per program guidelines.
• Maintains timely and accurate client files, including care plans, correspondence and case notes.
• Locate and help secure appropriate housing arrangements for households.
• Assist clients in identifying un-addressed needs related to benefits, education, housing, medical, and other needs.
• Maintain strict confidentiality concerning any client's information, living information, and HIV/AIDS status.
• Maintain records and statistics on clients as directed by Program Manager.
• Assist in program development and quality assurance activities as directed by Program Manager.
• Attend required training programs and community meetings as assigned.
• Develop a strong community profile within the homeless services, mental health, substance abuse and/or HIV/AIDS community as an advocate for clients.
• Attend regularly scheduled supervision, staff, and other meetings as requested.
• Mandated to report any witnessed or suspected child abuse to the Department of Children and Families.
• Assist with special projects and complete other duties assigned.

• BA/BS with two years related experience, or master’s degree in related field.
• Bilingual/Bicultural preferred.
• Experience with Motivational Interviewing a plus.
• Experience working with specific needs of a vulnerable population.
• Knowledge of mental health and HIV and the care continuum.
• Strong advocacy skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• High level of organizational skills and ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability and desire to work as part of a team; identify and support the mission of New Reach.
• A commitment to the values of New Reach:
  Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion, and Initiative.

• Have a solutions-based approach to presented problems.
• Be supportive, engaging, and encouraging to peers and staff.
• Be adaptable to change and willing to take on more responsibility.
• Maintain strict confidentiality concerning any client's or employees' personal information, living information, and/or HIV status.
• Provide a commitment to the values of New Reach:
  Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion, and Initiative.
• Adheres to all New Reach's Policies and Procedures.
• Regular schedule is Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Must be able to flex schedule to work some evenings to meet the individual needs of clients, as needed.

The physical demands 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 occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.