Housing Advocate Worker

Primary Work Function:

Must present a positive, welcoming, non-judgmental attitude and posture; Must maintain impeccable professional boundaries; meet with biological parents in process of reunification, youth aging out of foster care and intact families to help secure housing, employment and needed resources; must take every opportunity to engage with and cultivate professional relationships with client. Must be able to demonstrate sensitivity to the service population's cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 1.

Worker will make contact with client within one business day of the DCFS referral as soon as possible when the Department requests an emergency response. 2. Worker will leave voicemail message when attempting to reach client. If voice mail does not exist, worker should attempt to contact client daily and visit the client weekly to reach the client. If client does have voice mail, worker should leave a message weekly. 3. Worker will make face to face contact within five business days of contacting client. Worker will provide client with Housing Empowerment Handbook, Youth Housing Assistance Program Brochure, and Housing Assistance Program brochure at that meeting. 4. Worker agrees to support achievement of the outcomes of safety, permanency and well being for children and their parents and other family members served under this contract. Worker agrees to ensure the safety and well being of all client while receiving services under this contract. 5. Worker will meet with client at Unity offices, the clients home and other community locations. 6. Worker will provide any and all of the following services needed by a client to help meet their housing and subsistence needs such as Clients emergency and long term housing needs, crisis assessment; youth readiness assessment; housing assessment and participate in the Youth's D-CIPP meeting. 7. Worker will assist client in securing permanent affordable housing and a number of services which include, but are not limited to the following: Consumer Education, Housing List, Develop Relationships, Securing Affordable Housing, Housing Counseling, and Housing Advocacy. 8. Worker will provide Tenant Education which consists of basic life skills information/counseling on money, housekeeping, access to health care and use of credit. Worker will provide budget counseling and financial literacy. 9. Worker will assist client in obtaining employment, provide vocational counseling which shall include job preparation and attainment counseling. Worker will assist client with applying for Income Assistance such as Norman Cash Assistance Program, Temporary Asst. to Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Asst. Program, Homeless Prevention Funds, and Unemployment Compensation. 10. Worker will follow-up with the Client to Identify Housing problems until he/she is stabilized in permanent affordable housing by conducting monthly follow-up contacts, home visits, property manager contacts, budget counseling and other follow-up services. 11. Worker will ensure that youth clients are stabilized in permanent affordable and adequate housing by providing treatment goals/ service plans that will assess the youth's strengths and needs; educate the client, develop the youth's personal choices. 12. Worker will adhere to discharge policies and procedures as stipulated in the contract. 13.. Worker will ensure that all services provided to a client are documented in full compliance with Department rule and procedures, including Rule 302 and other related Rules and Procedures. Worker will also provide client reports such as HAP Closing Report for every client served and Client satisfaction survey to each client served. 14. Reports will be completed in a timely way, within 48 hours of service.

Benefit Conditions:

Waiting period may apply

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$17.00 per hour

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee assistance program Flexible schedule Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Application Question(s): Do you have car insurance? Can you pass a DCFS background check?

Education:

High school or equivalent (Required)

License/Certification:

Driver's License (Required)

Work Location:

In person