Careers

Description:

Position Description

The Unified Care Team is responsible for providing a collaborative, neighborhood approach to address homeless encampments citywide, through connecting people to resources to come inside, while ensuring public spaces are clean, open, and accessible to all.  As part of those efforts, HSD will be hiring outreach positions to support the daily efforts of the UCT. These positions will be asked to provide direct services to individuals experiencing homelessness. They will provide a consistent presence in an assigned neighborhood, to build relationships with those experiencing unsheltered homelessness, assess their needs (i.e. housing needs, behavioral health needs, medical needs, employment needs, etc), and connect them with appropriate services. They will be trained in needs assessments, trauma informed care, crisis intervention, de-escalation, and how to access services within the homelessness system in our region. They will provide outreach to Seattle encampments, with the goal of moving people into shelter and connecting to services.  They will be asked to make offers of shelter, as stipulated by the MDAR 17-01, at all advanced notice encampment removals.  Going to encampments involves being able to drive a city owned truck, and drive off main roads too.  

These positions will be employed by HSD and embedded with the Unified Care Team’s daily activities. The outreach positions will work collaboratively with their assigned Neighborhood Outreach Team, reporting progress updates to their district’s Regional Coordinator. These positions will be supervised by the North and South Lead Regional Coordinators. 

Initially these positions will work a Monday-Friday schedule, likely transitioning to one weekend day per week by the end of the 2024 calendar year (in the form of either a Sunday-Thursday schedule or a Tuesday-Saturday schedule).

Job Responsibilities

• Conduct individualized needs assessments for folks residing in encampments within your assigned district. 
• Develop service plans with individuals, match them with the right resources, and assist in making appropriate referrals. 
• Work with individuals who are experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders, behavioral health issues, co-occurring disorders, and other physical medical conditions. 
• Assist people in navigating the homelessness system, with a thorough understanding of what resources are available. 
• Provide motivational interviewing, de-escalation, and crisis intervention.  
• Collaborate with community-based contracted partners to ensure that the appropriate level of care is being provided to meet each individual’s needs. 
• Work with interpretation services, as needed. 
• Maintain clear and concise case notes on individuals you engage with. 
• Evaluate individuals and make referrals to services (to include, emergency shelter services, long-term case management services, culturally-specific services, population-specific services, health services, legal services, etc). 
• Assist with and arrange transportation for individuals to arrive at services. 
• Work with the Unified Care Team to ensure individuals on City property are provided outreach and engagement services before, and during, closure of their encampment sites. 
• Make offers of alternative shelter resources to folks residing in encampments that are scheduled for closure. 
• Enter person-level (and site specific) data after all engagements in multiple data platforms. 
• Ensure that data is entered accurately and in a timely manner. 
• Serve as a member of an inter-departmental. multi-disciplinary neighborhood team.