The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being, and stability of those it serves.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless seeks an Outreach Associate I to provide comprehensive outreach services to persons who are homeless in Metro Denver. Services provided include but are not limited to: crises intervention, provision of basic needs (socks, food, cold weather gear, etc.), facilitation of increased access to emergency shelter, transportation, client advocacy and service linkage. Provides case management to individuals who are targeted for housing in order to address their barriers to permanent housing and locates appropriate housing for these individuals. The position works as part of a larger interagency team to coordinate outreach services and housing placement for persons who are on the streets or homeless within the shelter systems. This position is located at 2100 Broadway Street, Denver, CO 80205 and reports to the Outreach Program Manager.
Coalition Benefits
In addition to the unique challenges and extraordinary rewards of our work, eligible Coalition employees enjoy a rich benefits package, including:
- Health insurance coverage on the first day of employment: full-time employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for their own health coverage and no more than 4% of their earnings for coverage of eligible dependents. We’re proud to offer same- and opposite-sex domestic partner coverage;
- Dental, vision, and flexible spending/dependent care/public transit accounts;
- Free basic life insurance and long-term disability coverage;
- Dollar-for-dollar retirement plan matching contributions up to 5% of earnings;
- Extensive paid time-off, including 8 holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and three weeks of vacation for new full-time employees in their first full year.
Essential Job Functions
- Works collaboratively with homeless service providers in the Denver area to provide optimum coordination, communication, and continuity of services to persons who are homeless on the streets and within the shelter systems.
- Advocates for the needs of individual clients as well as systemic change, whenever needed and appropriate, for the overall benefit of persons who are homeless.
- Builds relationships with clients with the ultimate goal of attaining identification documents, benefits, and housing, or other resources needed to end clients’ homelessness. When appropriate housing is not immanent or available, continues to help clients explore ways of improving material and emotional aspects of their lives, through harm reduction principles, recovery principles, and addressing physical and mental health concerns.
- Makes a minimum average of contacts with 7 homeless persons per day (minimum 112/month). Treats each person contacted with dignity and respect regardless of negative or positive client behavior.
- Assists a minimum average of 4 1/2 people each quarter into housing or with family reunification.
- Documents all services provided to clients and records entries into the HMIS database within 5 business days of the contact.
- Attempts to obtain all needed data elements for HMIS records upon the first encounter whenever possible or gathers such information as quickly as possible for entry of a complete HMIS client record. Only 15 client contacts not entered into HMIS can be counted towards the minimum 112 monthly contact requirement.
- Meets with the media, students, and other persons interested in the issue of homelessness for educational, funding, and advocacy purposes.
- Works as a member of the Denver Street Outreach Collaborative (DSOC) to provide face-to-face outreach services to individuals who are homeless in public places, under bridges, in abandoned buildings, shelters, and other outdoor areas in an attempt to engage them in a non-threatening way, assist them in recognizing and defining their own service needs, inform them of available services, and help them access those services.
- Transports individuals who are homeless using a personal or organizational vehicle.
- Accepts referrals from CCH staff and other agencies and works collaboratively with staff of all agencies to provide high quality service. Reports back to referral source in a timely fashion to inform them of client disposition and additional services needed.
- Identifies persons who are eligible for existing CCH programs and assists clients with connecting to the appropriate intake staff in those programs.
- Participates in the Point in Time Survey, the Client Satisfaction Survey, Medical Outreach, and Behavioral Health Outreach.
- Responds to requests from City officials and other concerned citizens as it relates to homeless persons, the Sit and Lie Ordinance, and the Urban Camping Ban in a timely fashion as well as reporting back to supervisors and/or referral sources to inform them of client disposition within 2 days of the contact.
- Is available by cell phone during all assigned shifts.
- Returns all e-mails and voicemails.
- Meet required COVID-19 vaccination(s), as defined by applicable law, regulation, or guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Employee must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to safety or health of self or others. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Qualifications Summary
- Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, psychology, international relations, or related field preferred, not required.
- Previous outreach experience with homeless population preferred; or previous experience in a related direct human service field working with underserved populations.
WHERE A CANDIDATE IS PLACED IN THE COMPENSATION RANGE DEPENDS ON TOTAL RELEVANT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is committed to delivering services, making employment-related decisions, selecting volunteers, and selecting vendors without regard to age over 40, race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, military status, or any other applicable status protected by law.
Other details
- Job Family Social Services
- Pay Type Hourly
- Min Hiring Rate $20.00
- Max Hiring Rate $24.36
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