Outreach Specialist - Ballard​/District

Outreach Specialist

The Outreach Team focuses on engaging clients living on streets and encampments with low barrier resource navigation, maintaining engagement with case management services, and establishing partnerships with other providers and organizations to coordinate care. The REACH Outreach Team conducts assessments and provides referrals to services such as shelter, case management, behavioral and physical healthcare, substance use harm reduction resources and education, and housing, if able.

REACH services are person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally relevant, and respectfully provided from a harm reduction perspective to promote client autonomy and dignity in how they access resources and services.

The Outreach Specialist will also be responsible for supporting partnerships with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), Seattle of City Unified Care Team, community-based organizations, and neighborhood businesses. The Outreach Specialist will work with city and service partners to create a coordinated street outreach strategy in their geographical area and district in Seattle to demonstrate an effective, trauma-informed response to people living unsheltered.

The Outreach Specialist will also partner with REACH program staff to support clients enrolled in REACH intensive case management services.

One of this position's focuses will be working with clients engaged in the sex trade. Experience with this population is strongly preferred.

Job functions may include:

• Provide outreach to clients living outside to conduct health and needs assessments and provide recommendations for services and resource distribution.
• Go to sites where individuals experiencing homelessness are located, to make contact and explain the approach to potential clients.
• Assess client's needs for mental health, primary medical care, and substance use according to their stage of change, focusing on reducing harmful consequences of behavior.
• Assess scope of need of unhoused client population and work with government and community partners to advocate for access to or creation of adequate services
• Refer clients to resources and services and support-maintaining engagement with service
• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with program partners and referral sources to facilitate effective interagency collaboration and prevent duplication of services.
• Participate in case conferencing meetings for outreach and other homeless service providers to discuss clients with high barriers
• Maintain up to date data per REACH Outreach standards to coordinate care for clients and have accurate information on sites
• Document activities according to agency, contract, state and federal requirements.
• Connect with government and community entities to bring a coordinated system response, which may include:
• City and County coordinators
• Public health assessments and care
• Hygiene and sanitation services
• Waste removal
• Law enforcement coordination
• Benefits Assistance
• Participate in relevant stakeholders, government entity, and community meetings to respond to help create an effective system response.
• Maintain professional and ethical confidentiality practices while communicating with community partners to maintain client privacy rights and advocate for client needs
• Utilize clinical supervision, psychiatric consultation and peer support for exploring clinical intervention strategies, counter transference, resource development, self-care and burnout prevention.
• Provide services consistent with ETS/REACH program policies and procedures.
• Local travel on behalf of the Agency is a job requirement.
• Attend REACH team meetings and other required meetings at REACH and with program partners.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualification requirements:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required, undergraduate degree with coursework in the social service field preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum of two years' experience in work related to social work or outreach programs.
• Demonstrated ability to respectfully engage with individuals experiencing homelessness and behavioral health conditions essential.
• Understanding and skilled at working with complex governmental and community partners to maintain service provision to clients
• Experience providing services from a harm reduction perspective highly desirable.

Knowledge Requirements:

• Computer literate, with basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, as well as a high level of initiative in keeping current with technological change.
• Ability to prioritize workload and activities of self and complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Dependable, able to work under pressure, receptive to change, willingness to learn, cooperative approach to problem solving.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, clients, and outside contacts from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, good diplomatic skills.
• Must be able to pass a Washington State…