Description
JOB TITLE: Problem Solving Specialist
REPORTS TO: Access Center Program Manager
SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday (8:00am-4:30pm)
LOCATION: Venice, CA
STATUS: Full-Time, 40 hrs/wk, Non-Exempt
CELL PHONE: Reimbursement for use
DRIVER POSITION: Yes [if yes, please reference driving policy]
SALARY RANGE: $21.00-$22.60/hr
About Us
Safe Place for Youth (SPY) is the leading service provider for youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in West Los Angeles. Founded in 2011, our agency offers trauma-informed, low barrier programs that support young people in exiting the streets and achieving stability so that they can thrive, not just survive. Our robust continuum of care includes street outreach, drop-in services, health and wellness programming, case management, education and employment services, and housing programs.
SPY is a unique social impact agency that is committed to overcoming structural barriers to equity, community collaboration, and innovative youth-focused programming. If you have the skills, passion and collaborative spirit, join our growing team of over 100 employees.
SPY strives to attract and develop individuals who reflect a broad spectrum of diversity, including (but by no means limited to) racial, ethnic, gender identity and socioeconomic dimensions. We believe that inclusion of diverse perspectives is essential to achieving long-term, systemic change. We explicitly seek applications from those who self-identify as coming from historically marginalized populations to enrich and elevate our equity-centered approach to problem-solving.
About The Role
A member of the Access Center team, the Problem Solving Specialist is able to offer problem-solving (also known as "Diversion" or "Rapid Resolution") services, which is a crisis response philosophy and approach focused on supporting youth experiencing a housing crisis to quickly identify and access alternative housing resources outside of the homeless crisis response system. By practicing active listening skills through creative conversations, the Problem Solving Specialist supports the youth in crisis to identify viable temporary or permanent housing resources within their own networks or resources, such as family or friends. In select cases and as a last resort, limited and one-time financial assistance can enhance an individual or family's success in rapidly connecting to alternative temporary or permanent housing.
What You’ll Do
• Utilize culturally-relevant active listening and motivational interviewing skills with participants to identify possible supports in their network that can assist them with temporary or permanent housing outside of the Youth Coordinated Entry System (YCES)
• Deliver both field- and place-based supportive services, as appropriate, to participants
• Acquire resources and make successful referrals, including follow-up to ensure the participant successfully accesses and initially retains housing
• Identify safety or health issues that may need to be considered during identification of housing
• Provide mediation between households and property owners/family/friends to assist in resolving housing crisis
• Partner with legal service providers to resolve housing crises
• Negotiate terms of agreements between participants and host as appropriate (e.g. actively seek employment, attend to medical/mental health/substance abuse issues, complete household chores weekly, etc.)
• Ensure services are documented (e.g. face to face, phone and collateral contacts) in all relevant databases in a timely and thorough manner
• Assist in budgeting with participants, and determine what level of minimal assistance is necessary to be successfully housed or have housing crisis resolved
• Facilitate access to YCES for participants, as appropriate, including the completion of the Initial Triage and Initial Assessment phases of system access and assessment
• For participants gaining entry into CES, provide a warm handoff to sustained case management services where possible, or provide initial case management for up to 60 days upon the participant gaining CES access
• Attend trainings and participate in regular technical assistance such as learning collaboratives
• Other duties as assigned to support the mission of the organization
Requirements
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology or related field is preferred, but not required.
• 1-2 years of experience in case management, counseling or related experience is required.
• 2 years experience providing direct services to high-risk youth including counseling and advocacy is required.
• 1 years’ experience working in a drop-in center, access center, or access point is preferred.
• Knowledge and experience working with co-occurring populations (chronic health conditions, mental health and substance abuse) is preferred.
• Cultural Humility and Responsiveness.
• Best practice models including: Housing First, Positive Youth Development, Authentic Y
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posted: Aug. 19, 2024, 7:24 p.m.
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