Diversion Specialist
Listed on 2026-09-17
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Social Work
Human Services/ Social Work, Community Support Services, Community Health -
Non-Profit & Social Impact
Human Services/ Social Work, Community Health
What You ll Be Doing
The Housing Diversion Specialist is an essential member of the Wake County Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry Team, helping individuals and families access homeless services through structured triage, assessments, and Coordinated Entry support delivered both virtually and in person. The role focuses on effective housing problem solving, completing CE enrollments and assessments, and placing households on the Community Queue to connect them with shelter and housing programs in HMIS.
This position blends client interaction, rapid crisis resolution, and collaboration with community partners. Responsibilities include light touch case management, day services, and referrals to shelters, drop in centers, and outreach teams. Flexible financial assistance may be used when appropriate to help households secure safe and stable housing quickly. The Specialist works closely with By-Name-List Coordinators, HMIS staff, and service providers in a hybrid, multi location environment, with occasional after hours flexibility.
Key Responsibilities Coordinated Entry Intake and Housing Problem Solving- Conduct scheduled CE intakes through virtual and in person methods.
- Facilitate diversion and housing problem solving conversations aimed at reducing inflow into homelessness.
- Complete CE enrollments, triage, and standardized assessments in HMIS.
- Connect clients with sources of flexible financial assistance when appropriate.
- Provide referrals to day services, drop in supports, shelter, and outreach resources.
- Coordinate with outreach teams and service providers to ensure timely documentation and appropriate referrals.
- Offer short term follow up to ensure warm handoffs to shelter, outreach, or housing providers.
- Assist individuals in navigating community resources and crisis services.
- Collaborate with street outreach teams, shelters, and diversion providers to support rapid problem resolution.
- Work closely with By Name List Coordinators and HMIS staff to ensure quality CE enrollment and tracking.
- Build collaborative relationships with service providers to support timely and accurate referrals.
- Maintain strong communication with partners serving people experiencing homelessness.
- Ensure accurate and timely entry of intake, assessment, diversion, and referral information in HMIS.
- Monitor data quality and follow CE and CoC data standards.
- Support reporting needs related to CE performance, inflow and outflow trends, and housing problem solving outcomes.
- Adhere to HUD CoC policies, CE standards, and local procedures.
- Provide feedback on CE improvements based on direct client interactions.
- Support implementation of system updates, process changes, and workflow enhancements.
- You believe homelessness is solvable!
- Passion for community engagement and housing coordination, striving to strengthen support systems for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Strong customer-oriented mindset, ensuring timely and quality referrals and support for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships, facilitating collaboration among service providers, funders, and CoC members.
In 2025, Wake County established a new Continuum of Care department to fulfill its role as the CoC Lead Agency and key functions as Collaborative Applicant, HMIS and Coordinated Entry Lead. Wake County is operating under an MOU with the CoC Governing Board approved November 2024. The CoC Lead Agency is accountable to the CoC Governing Board consisting of representatives from local government, homeless and housing service providers, and people with lived experience of homelessness.
The CoC Governing Board is the policy-setting and decision-making body for the Wake CoC, which is responsible to the Wake CoC Membership for fulfilling its Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-defined responsibilities.
The Wake CoC Governing Board is responsible for overseeing the planning, coordination of resources, and evaluation of results for the community.
This role is critical in the work to end homelessness and will be joining a passionate team focused on system improvement and client wellbeing.
Education and Experience )
- Bachelor s degree
- No specific experience required
- Equivalent education and experience are accepted
Education and Experience )
- Familiarity with HUD…
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