Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager

Position Overview

The Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager works directly with low-income women from diverse backgrounds who are living in Abby’s House 18-bed shelter. The Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager provides case management with the women of Abby’s House to help remove barriers to housing placement and retain permanent housing. The Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager’s primary responsibilities are to comprehensively assess initial and ongoing individual needs, build rapport, and sustain engagement. The Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager supports housing stability, medical and mental health wellness, and community integration using evidence-based practices such as motivational interviewing, harm reduction, housing first, and trauma-informed care. This position reports directly to the Director of Women’s Services and is a key position in serving women and children at Abby’s House. This is a full-time position, Monday-Friday, with a preference for one evening a week. The Bilingual Shelter Advocate/Case Manager participates in on-call phone coverage rotation that includes approximately one week of weeknight/ weekend coverage each month. The following presents an overview of responsibilities but is not exhaustive, and requirements associated with this position may be supplemented at any time.

Provide Direct Advocacy Services to and Residents

• Develop and maintain professional goal-directed relationships with shelter guests.
• Conduct intakes with guests in a respectful and sensitive manner.
• Complete collaborative Empowerment Plans with participants with the purpose of targeting areas that will improve quality of life and health outcomes.
• Provide safety planning and wellness support in response to guest crises.
• Encourage guests to utilize coping skills and facilitate guests’ connections to external providers / support systems.
• Collaborate with external providers to enhance the coordination of services.
• Engage guests and identify interventions emphasizing a person-centered approach, guided by trauma-informed care and professional boundaries.
• Write and maintain accurate, complete, and up to date empowerment plans, progress notes and data in electronic database.
• Ensure all guest documents in the electronic health record are complete, accurate, and current.
• Maintain confidentiality of guest information per HIPPA guidelines
• Coordinate appointments, transportation, and follow-up services for guests to improve access to primary health care, mental health care, substance use services, and other local resources to build sustainable community connections and reduce the need for emergency health care services.
• Support guests by teaching and modeling life skills such as budgeting, housekeeping, meal preparation, appointment scheduling, health maintenance, and socialization within the community.
• Offer supportive information, referrals and guidance to community members seeking shelter, housing, and other resources.
• Communicate effectively with property management, shelter team and other third-party partners.
• Work cooperatively and cohesively with a multi-disciplinary team, including participation in weekly team meetings, individual supervision, and training.
• Participate in departmental on-call rotation as needed.

Qualifications

• Must be bilingual in English/Spanish.
• Bachelor’s degree in a human services field (mental health, social work, psychology, prevention science) or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 2-4 years of experience working with underserved populations to include women at risk due to homelessness, chronic health or mental health needs, low income, LGBTQ individuals, and those who have experienced interpersonal violence.
• Experience planning and scheduling resident activities.
• Experience with trauma-informed care/treatment and respect for women’s autonomy and self-determination and their incorporation into everyday practices.
• Compassionate, hopeful, and respectful, with the ability to listen and be non-judgmental, along with a positive mindset.
• Familiarity and experience with supportive housing and/or shelter models.
• Experience fostering and supporting individual and organizational inclusion and equity.
• Collaborative, flexible, and solution-oriented; Ability to stay organized and use time effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, open and transparent.
• Exceptional level of professionalism in managing relationships and interactions in multiple settings.

DEIB Statement

Abby’s House is committed to growing its understanding of and practice around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism in all of the organization’s activities, programs, practices and services. Staff are an integral part of this evolving practice. We also are a Trauma Informed organization and as such, Abby’s House encourages applicants with lived experience who are well-grounded in their own recovery and who have ample capacity for reflective thinking and learning.