Shelter Navigator

Description

Job Summary:

Maintain a safe, orderly, and caring environment while assisting clients with their intake; provide information to clients about Shelter guidelines and community resources and referrals to assist and empower single adults experiencing homelessness to establish and maintain permanent housing. This is an active and fast-paced role.

Essential Functions:

Provide direct client support:

1. Register new clients, issue photo ID; explain agency rules and policies.

2. Perform check-in of incoming clients in Homeless Management Information System (HMIS); provide linens and assist with bag and tag process.

3. Escort clients to Case Management and other campus partner agencies; explaining the daily functions of Shelter and Campus.

4. Attend to client intake needs, answer questions about Shelter.

5. Monitor bed occupancy to ensure maximum usage; monitor use of community bed reservations.

6. Provide clients with information and referrals; document the interaction(s) in HMIS.

7. Maintain and organize intake paperwork for storage.

8. Perform other duties as required.

Work with the Shelter team to provide an efficient Shelter operation:

1. Conduct walk-throughs of facility ensuring conditions are safe and clients are adhering to shelter policies and procedures.

2. Address immediate concerns relating to the health and safety of shelter clients including biohazard clean up, placing “wet floor” signs, and appropriately blocking off damaged or unsafe areas.

3. Ensure visitors are properly escorted within the facility.

4. Assist with preparing for new client intakes including cleaning and restocking of individual client spaces.

5. Communicate with the leadership to identify safety concerns and needed maintenance or repairs.

6. Answer and direct incoming calls, provide information; monitor visitor and client access of the facility.

7. Communicate and collaborate with other CASS departments, employees, and outside agencies.

8. Maintain adequate and organized stock of office, cleaning, and hygiene supplies; distribute hygiene items to clients as needed.

9. Able to work and operate commercial washers’ dryers and provide linens.

10. Maintain a clean, organized work area.

11. Complete checks of client sleeping areas in accordance with shelter policies to ensure health and safety of residents.

12. Ensure continuity of services across shifts by participating in shift change staffing and send shift summary emails.

Ensure data integrity and accurate reporting:

1. Ensure data entered meets quality standards; correct missing or inaccurate information from previous shelter stays.

2. Monitor bed occupancy to ensure maximum usage; monitor use of community bed reservations.

3. Upload intake paperwork to HMIS; maintain and organize for appropriate storage.

4. Enter relevant data in HMIS accurately and according to Shelter policies and procedures.

5. Make complete and accurate notes in HMIS system prior to end of each shift.

6. Prepare Incident Reports (IR) and other reports and distribute as needed.

7. Provide success stories as required.

Other Duties:

1. Maintain respectful and collaborative relationships with partner agencies.

2. Work closely with team members to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach to client support.

3. Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and community outreach events as required.

4. Escalate all urgent client and facility issues to leadership in a timely manner.

5. Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Environment:

This job primarily operates in a homeless shelter environment, however, occasional outreach work and outside event areas in various weather conditions are expected. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 25 pounds unassisted. The employee must be able to self-transfer and move throughout the facilities, between buildings, and around campus at multiple sites. Close visual acuity to prepare and analyze reports and data. Visual acuity and physical ability to operate a motor vehicle. This is an active and fast-paced role.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a Full-Time Position. Operations run 24-hours per day, 7-days per week. Days and hours of work are four (11-hour days) with time allotted for breaks/lunch. This includes regularly working holidays and weekends. Typically shifts are Sun-Wed or Wed-Sat 8am to 7pm. 

Requirements

Needed Competencies and Proficiencies:

1. Commitment to a solution-focused work environment and the clear intention to meet client expectations.

2. Competent written and verbal communication skills.

3. Desire and capacity to work in fast-paced, high-energy hands-on work environment.

4. Able to remain clear-headed when conflicts, crisis and emergency situations arise.

Qualifications:

Required:

1. High school diploma or equivalent plus one-year of directly related work experience. Or associate in human services degree.

2. Possess or can obtain a State of Arizona Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card.

3. Intermediate level of proficiency in Word, Excel, and Outlook; highly accurate data entry skills.

4. CPR-First Aid certification within 90 days of employment.

5. Naloxone (Narcan) training within 90 days of employment.

6. Non-violent crisis de-escalation certification within 90 days of employment.

Preferred:

1. Bilingual in English and Spanish or American Sign Language

2. Strong knowledge of resources.

3. Experience working with the homeless and / or impoverished.

CPR-First Aid certification is required for your position, but it is not part of your job duties to use CPR and First Aid in your work at CASS. In an emergency, it is your choice whether you want to provide CPR and First Aid, and it is not an expectation or requirement that you do so.

Naloxone (Narcan) training is required for your position and administering Naloxone (Narcan) in an emergency is part of your job duties at CASS. Because Naloxone (Narcan) can rapidly reverse opioid overdose, is simple to administer, and has no negative unintended consequences when administered, it is an expectation and requirement of you to administer Naloxone (Narcan) in an emergency.