Housing Coordinator Job Description
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We are seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Housing Coordinator to join our team at North of Superior Counselling Programs. The successful candidate will provide a range of supports for individuals living with mental illness and/or addiction, who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
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The Housing Coordinator will work within a Recovery Framework and apply a Harm Reduction and Housing First approach to provide engagement, assessment, and support to individuals in securing and/or maintaining safe, affordable housing. This position is mobile in nature, working with individuals in the community, including within their homes.
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Key Responsibilities:
* Providing comprehensive, person-centered assessment, supportive counselling, and case management supports.
* Collaboratively working with other Agency-assigned staff to limit service duplication and maintain continuity of care.
* Providing psycho-education, information, and referral specific to individual needs.
* Providing practical supports and life-skills coaching to assist individuals in managing and maintaining their housing.
* Advocating with landlords and supporting individuals through the Housing Tribunal process, as required.
* SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
* AUTHORISING SAFETY PLANS WHEN IMMINENT RISK HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
* Engaging in ongoing assessment and evaluation of clients' progress using standardized assessment tools and other evidence-based methodologies.
* Supporting housing individuals in their psychiatric assessments and actioning psychiatrist recommendations with life-skills coaching, case management, and/or internal or external referrals for clinical counselling.
* Co-facilitating psycho-educational and/or support open or closed groups, and/or discussion workshops as they relate to housing needs.
* Maintaining a client caseload consistent with expectations of the role.
* Documenting all client engagement, case management activities, and client progress in the electronic client clinical record.
* Liaising with the most appropriate physician(s), community agencies, and/or care providers, facilitating the removal of barriers to care and ensuring the wrapping around of services to best meet the holistic needs of the client.
* Accompanying and/or transporting clients to/during appointments, in community, as necessary, in order to remove barriers around access, excludes emergency service support.
* Maintaining confidentiality and working in a manner consistent with ethical guidelines of the Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers or applicable College.
* Participating in the clinical supervision and performance enhancement process.
* Developing personal goals for continued learning and engaging in ongoing development and self-evaluation.
* Assisting, precepting, and providing support for colleagues, students, and others to enhance and further develop clinical practice.
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Requirements:
* College diploma or bachelor's level of post-secondary education; preference given to graduates with membership in their respective Regulatory College.
* Three (3) years' experience in a supported housing role, preferably with experience working with mental health and/or substance use health.
* Experience working within a and/or knowledge of the Recovery Philosophy, Harm Reduction approach, and Housing First approach to the provision of supports.
* The ability to actively engage with individuals accessing services, while fostering sustainable and meaningful interpersonal professional relationships.
* Proven knowledge in utilizing evidence-based and evidence-informed assessments, supportive counselling techniques, case management, and discharge planning tailored specifically for removing barriers for secured housing.
* Demonstrated skill in how to develop goals and plans of care for individuals accessing services based upon their individual needs and circumstances based on the principles of person-centered planning, self-determination, and choice and providing services reflective of this plan.
* Experience in community networking, service navigation, and facilitating linkages to programs and services.
* Knowledge of and experience with clinically sound documentation standards.
* SOUND CLINICAL ACUMEN.
* An understanding of the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the ability to effectively apply privacy practices within the rural living context.
* Familiarity with evidence-based therapy approaches (e.g.: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy [CBT], Solution-focused therapy [SFT], Dialectical Behavioural Therapy [DBT], Mindfulness, etc)
* Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
* EXTREMELY ORGANIZED AND ABLE TO MULTI-TASK SEVERAL COMPETING PRIORITIES AT ANY GIVEN TIME WITH A DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO WORK BOTH INDEPENDENTLY AND COLLABORATIVELY AS A MEMBER OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM, WITH MINIMAL SUPERVISION.
* AWARE OF AND COMMITTED TO VALUING THE ROLE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BEING SERVED BY THE POSITION.
* A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OPPRESSION HAVE ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH FOR BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOUR) COMMUNITIES WITH A DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO APPLY AN ANTI-OPPRESSIVE/ANTI-RACIST PERSPECTIVE IN SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN.
* THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND IDENTIFY SITUATIONS WHERE INCIDENTS OF POWER IMBALANCE MAY OCCUR AND CAN RESULT IN POSSIBLE NEGATIVE IMPACTS FOR SERVICE USERS.
* A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE AS IT RELATES TO THE POSITION AND IN KEEPING WITH THE APPLICABLE REGULATORY COLLEGE AND PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES WITHIN THIS SCOPE.
* ADVANCED SKILLS IN ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.
* WORKING KNOWLEDGE AND EXCELLENT APPLICATION WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY WITH EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH MICROSOFT OFFICE SUITE AND OUTLOOK AND CONFIDENCE IN UTILIZING OTHER CLINICAL DATABASES AND/OR PLATFORMS.
* A VALID ONTARIO DRIVER'S LICENCE IS REQUIRED.
* THE USE OF A PRIVATELY-OWNED VEHICLE AND APPROPRIATE INSURANCE COVERAGE IS REQUIRED.
* ABILITY TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE DISTRICT OF THUNDER BAY AND/OR OUT-OF-DISTRICT COMMUNITIES, AS REQUIRED.
* ABILITY TO SPEAK FRENCH IS CONSIDERED AN ASSET.
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This position may require working flexible hours contingent upon client need.
We thank all applicants; however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.