Placement Specialist

Housing Placement Specialist

Paterson, NJ

Full‑time

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation’s mission is to help people live with HIV, stop the spread of the epidemic, and serve as a critical voice in the public debate surrounding AIDS in New Jersey.

• Treat each customer as a priority
• Respects each customer’s right to quality service, confidentiality, and dignity
• Works with co‑workers to ensure integration of services
• Displays a welcoming, helpful attitude to customers
• Establishes and maintains personal boundaries in clinical supervision with customers or co‑workers

• Actively cooperates within the region and/or program and participates in the constructive resolution of conflict
• Focuses on improving communication and collaboration
• Tries to understand the other person’s point of view when there is a challenge
• Works with all regional staff to provide a full continuum of services to customers
• Understands local community resources and can make appropriate referrals
• Is clear and tactful when collaborating and working with others

• Takes pride in his/her/their work
• Advances Hyacinth’s reputation for excellence
• Incorporates boundaries and ethical guidelines into decision making

Under the supervision of the Regional Services Manager, performs duties relating to the counseling of customers regarding housing services and providing information and referral services as needed. The Housing Specialist works with customers in need of short‑term housing and/or utility service needs to maintain stable and affordable housing, including identifying long‑term permanent housing plans. The Housing Specialist connects customers with services, provides peer support and linkage to care that helps PLWH and people receiving PrEP treatment achieve the goal of living independently.

• Provide Housing Navigation statewide, focusing on Paterson, Plainfield, and Trenton
• Provide housing case management and counseling
• Identify permanent housing for customers
• Determine eligibility for short‑term and/or long‑term housing assistance
• Assist customers with placement in transitional housing
• Identify and develop relationships with landlords for long‑term rental options
• Negotiate with landlords and provide assistance with lease and other documents
• Complete required paperwork for emergency financial assistance (rental and utility)
• Provide Daily Living Skills training and counseling
• Provide Housing Retention Counseling
• Refer customers to ensure connection to medical care
• Collaborate with primary care providers and MCM staff to identify newly diagnosed patients needing housing support
• Document baseline viral load, CD4 count, AIDS diagnosis and antiretroviral prescriptions for all clients
• Conduct counseling sessions on housing needs, options, and social service referrals
• Provide housing case management, aligning clients with appropriate service providers throughout the service area
• Develop and implement outreach activities, networking with community‑based organizations, support groups, religious organizations, and high‑risk groups

• Establish, maintain and update case records using approved agency forms and procedures; ensure confidentiality of all records
• Prepare monthly reports in accordance with agency policies and procedures
• Refer and advocate for placement in permanent and transitional housing programs
• Maintain and update customer information in eCOMPAS and CAREWare

• Attend and participate in staff meetings and supervisory conferences
• Maintain working relationships with other community providers
• Observe established administrative procedures
• Provide written reports and maintain statistics as required
• Represent the agency at community events, meetings and conferences
• Attend and participate in staff training opportunities
• Adhere to Hyacinth policies and procedures, including client confidentiality provisions

• Participate in local COC

• Maintain working relationships with other community providers
• Observe established administrative procedures
• Assist in…