PSH Case Manager-SC/Van Nuys-11-330

Mission Statement

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.  Its message is based on the Bible.  Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.  Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Position Summary

The Salvation Army Community Integration Services permanent supportive housing program provides 135 tenant based households with scattered site housing location, stabilization, and case management services.  The CIS-PSH Case Manager’s primary duty is to provide professional and individualized case management services, information, and referrals designed to assist clients with achieving and maintaining health, mental health, and housing stability. 

Essential Functions

• Project a client-centered approach and provide excellent customer service that is sensitive to the challenges that homeless persons with a range of medical and behavioral health issues face as they move into and maintain permanent supportive housing.
• Employ a “whatever it takes approach” to assist clients in their transition from homelessness to permanent housing, motivating, and encouraging clients to work toward their goals, and providing ongoing client support.
• Assist individuals at every stage of the housing stabilization process. Services provided must be flexible to meet the individual needs of clients.  The intensity of services shall be regularly monitored and adjusted based on each client’s level of functioning and acuity of needs. Case management will range from highly intensive individualized support as clients’ transition from homelessness to permanent housing to less intense support for activities related to maintaining housing and supportive services.
• Services provided shall include outreach and engagement; intake and assessment; individualized service planning; housing and rental assistance; linkages to health, mental health, substance use disorder services and other supportive services; ongoing monitoring and follow-up; assistance with benefits establishment, transportation, and legal issues; crisis management; eviction prevention; client education; housing location services; coordination and collaboration with community partners.

Outreach/Engagement:

• Process and accept referrals through the Coordinated Entry System (CES), establishing rapport and building a trusting relationship with the potential client and determining whether the potential client is appropriate for the permanent supportive housing program.

Intake and Assessment: Conduct intake and enrollment activities with eligible clients, including assisting with gathering other program eligibility documentation, housing application documents, lease agreement, project intake forms, and enrollment.

Move-In Assistance: Coordinate move-in and orient new tenants to their unit/building, including meetings with landlords and other residents, and review of rules and responsibilities included in lease and other documents.

Client Support Services: Assist clients with accessing services to address their immediate needs (e.g., access to food, clothes, and other necessities).

• Conduct an approved comprehensive psychosocial assessment within two (2) business days of the client’s enrollment. Assessments must be conducted face-to-face and must include an evaluation of the clients’ medical, psychosocial, environmental, legal, financial, education, strengths and needs, and available resources.
• Develop and implement an individualized case management services plan (ISP) with the client based on the client’s psychosocial assessment and/or reassessment. The ISP shall address the needs identified in the psychosocial assessment and describe client’s goals, steps to reach goals, timeframes for completing goals, and disposition of each goal as it is met or changed.
• Conduct DHS-approved comprehensive psychosocial re-assessments and update ISP on an ongoing basis, but not less than once every three (3) months. Updates to the ISP must include development of new goals, progress made on achieving stated goals, and any changes to goals, steps and/or target dates.
• ISP and case notes shall be entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and CHAMP, and the Case Manager is responsible for participating in routine HMIS, CHAMP, and other staff training.
• Maintain regular ongoing client contact and tailor the intensity of services provided, including the frequency of face-to-face and home visits conducted, to client’s level of functioning and acuity of needs. The frequency of visits will vary and may require a minimum of two (2) or more face-to-face visits per month based on acuity level of the client.
• Ensure clients are linked to and accessing health, mental health, and substance use disorder services as needed including assisting clients with establishing a medical home and maintaining continuity with their medical home.
• Assist clients with maintaining medication and treatment regimens, including accompanying clients to appointments with health, mental health and/or other care providers.
• Assist clients with obtaining income and/or establishing benefits, including coordinating the completion and submission of applications for health insurance benefits (e.g., Medi-Cal, Medicare, Covered California, etc.), disability benefits (e.g., Supplemental Security Income [SSI], Supplemental Security Disability Income [SSDI], etc.), and other sources of financial assistance, (e.g., Unemployment, General Relief [GR], etc.). Provide advocacy on behalf of clients, as appropriate.
• Assist clients with locating and securing employment and volunteer and/or educational opportunities; obtaining basic needs, such as clothing and food; life skills and community participation, including providing group programming in these areas; gaining, restoring, improving and/or maintaining daily independent living, social/leisure, and personal hygiene skills.
• Assist clients with budgeting and money management including assistance with household budgeting; assistance with overcoming bad credit, no credit, and/or eviction histories; and arranging for representative payees for clients who require assistance in money management and/or are at-risk for non-payment of rent.
• Assist clients with monitoring any legal issues and making appropriate referrals to overcome any barriers to accessing and maintaining permanent housing and supportive services (e.g., credit history, criminal records, and pending warrants).
• Provide transportation, as needed, by means of bus fare/pass, agency vehicle(s), or private vendor. Assist clients with increasing their capacity to meet their own transportation needs.
• Monitor and follow-up with clients and service providers to confirm timely completion of referrals and linkages, access to services, and maintenance of services.
• Participate in a team providing 24-hour/7 days a week on-call crisis intervention services for ICMS clients and educate clients on the appropriate use of crisis intervention services versus 911 emergency calls, etc.
• For clients who are transitioning out of ICMS (e.g., moving out of the area, family reunification, or change in housing needs), ICMS staff shall coordinate activities with other service providers to ensure that the client receives assistance with relocating to other affordable housing and linking to ongoing primary health care, behavioral health services, and other supportive services. These activities shall be conducted with the cooperation and/or authorization of the client to be noted within case closure documentation.
• Develop and foster linkages with other social service agencies to provide clients with access to the broadest possible range of supportive services. Attend training and meetings as deemed necessary.
• Must be able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Other duties include maintaining all elements of client folders with emphasis on accuracy, thoroughness, and timeliness.
• Perform all other duties as assigned by the Program Manager and Director.

Working Conditions

Ability to walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis.  Ability to grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead.  Ability to operate computer, fax, and telephone. Ability to lift to 25 lbs.  This position involves driving to appointments/training opportunities and transporting clients in a company vehicle to appointments, therefore the ability to drive a motor vehicle is required.

Minimum Qualifications     

• Must have at least two years of experience working with homeless individuals, providing direct mental health or intensive case management OR Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Driving Test, clean MVR check.
• Valid California Class C Driver’s License required
• Licenses required within 90 days of hire for out-of-state licenses.
• Must obtain CPR and First Aid certification.
• TB- test required upon hire.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Knowledge of HMIS and CHAMP preferred.
• Highly skilled in Adobe and Microsoft Office (excel and word). Ability to type 45 wpm.
• Knowledge in trauma informed care. Motivational interviewing and conflict resolution.
• Strong time management and communication skills, both verbal and written. Professional telephone etiquette.
• Meet deadlines, work with attention to detail, and multi-tasking.
• Strong interpersonal skills with both participants and staff in a professional, respectful manner.
• Understand and support the mission of The Salvation Army.