Homeless Outreach Response Coordinator - Non-Merit

Duties

Definition of Responsibility
Under general supervision, performs professional administrative and managerial duties related to the county’s response to outreaching unsheltered individuals. This position will serve as the dedicated County staff member responsible for responding to community requests for assistance with unsheltered populations and educating the public about the County’s response to homelessness. This role is critical for the integrated planning and coordination of resources, program partners, county departments, and other stakeholders to provide services for the goal of addressing immediate housing continuum needs and long-term housing stability. 

Essential Duties

• Manage ongoing partnerships to work through barriers, recognize innovative opportunities, provide recommendations to leadership for system-wide decision making.
• Leads the coordination and cooperation of funded outreach and service providers to respond to those living unsheltered in the county. 
• Coordinate with area service providers, interdepartmental, and state partners to the location of homeless individuals and address abandoned encampments and cleanup of public spaces. 
• Coordinate transportation for people who are unsheltered to emergency shelter or other appointments as needed.
• Lead agency/county staff, partners, and coordinate volunteers to conduct an annual, HUD-mandated observational survey known as the Point in Time Count (PIT).   
• Drives to homeless sites in rural and urban areas to visit the unhoused population to identify needs, and work to establish a relationship on by name lists. 
• Assists with caseloads of homeless individuals and families while working to place them into housing. Through visits with individuals experiencing homelessness, identifies new homeless individuals and families and gathers appropriate information to add them to relevant by name lists.
• Regularly visits homeless service provider agencies to build relationships with agency staff and individuals experiencing homelessness seeking services there, in order to effectively pass on necessary communication to homeless individuals and families on by name lists.
• Gather and share best and emerging practices for responding to unsheltered homelessness.

Community Engagement/Education: 

• Educates community partners, local government and other interested parties and promotes programs and resources for unsheltered persons in the county.  
• Coordinates quarterly outreach meetings with all county providers that engage in outreach work and engagement with unsheltered individuals. 
• Research resources offered locally in order to match homeless individuals and families with appropriate services, agencies, and case management.
• Maintains contacts and positive communication with community members/constituents and business owners regarding unsheltered homelessness. 

Strategic Planning and Data Outcomes:

• Reviews and analyzes programmatic outcome data from the county Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
• Prepares reports, as required, works with funded providers to ensure data entry is accurate and timely. 
• Will enter client data in HMIS to support the outreach work as needed
• Will elevate data trends and make recommendations for a strategic response to unsheltered homelessness.    
• Attends weekly housing group meetings to report on progress and be assigned new tasks, as appropriate.

Examples of Other Duties

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

 (NOTE: The duties and responsibilities listed above are for the purpose of determining a common set of minimum qualifications for all positions in this classification.  They may not include all of the duties of each position in this classification.  Each position in this classification may not be required to perform all of the duties listed.)

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work or a related field, plus two years' professional experience in working with unsheltered persons or within the homeless continuum.

Or 

Six years of direct experience working with unsheltered persons or within the homeless continuum.

Preferred Qualifications
Bilingual

Licenses and Certificates
Possession of a valid, Non-Commercial Class C Maryland driver's license and reliable transportation are required at the time of appointment.

Proof of Licenses, Certifications and Education
Applicants are required to submit proof of licenses, certifications and education beyond high school to meet the required and preferred qualifications of the position. Diplomas or transcripts must show the applicant's major field of study. Copies and unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
 
Failure to submit proof of Licenses, Certifications and Education will result in your application not being considered. Proof of licenses, certifications, and/or education must be submitted with each application.