The Company: Pathways Vermont is a dynamic nonprofit agency which believes in transforming the lives of individuals experiencing mental health, substance abuse and other life challenges and permanently ending homelessness. Our Housing First program follows an evidence-based practice proven to end chronic homelessness. Pathways offers a great benefit package including dental and health insurance, and generous paid time off.
The Role: The Housing First Assistant Team Leader is responsible for supporting the daily operation of a program sufficiently flexible and dynamic to meet the needs of individuals who have struggled with homelessness and face other major life challenges. Pathways employees provide services from values of choice, harm reduction and respectful concern.
Serves: Chittenden County
Supervised by: Chittenden County Housing First Team Leader
Job Responsibilities:
- Assist in oversight of day to day operations of a service team comprised of staff with diverse backgrounds and experience.
- Maintain Pathways Housing First core policies, practices and services
- Provide one-on-one supervision to up to three direct service team members
- Facilitate day to day operations of service team including developing schedules and other administrative tasks as assigned
- Engage in relationship building/rapport building with clients and provide service from a “Choice” perspective as well as client centered, harm reduction, and strengths based approaches.
- Provide individualized support on life skills, housing concerns, and health maintenance, including such tasks as medication support, housekeeping, and assisting clients to manage their monies, including preparing budgets with clients and computing expenses.
- Collaborate with clients in the formulation and maintenance of a comprehensive, Medicaid-compliant service plan that is reviewed and modified with the client on a regular basis
- Assist clients with referrals to community agencies to ensure that they have full access to services and resources, i.e. entitlements, benefits, advocacy, addiction services, etc
- Participate in electronic and written record-keeping activities, e.g databases, on-call logs, incident reports, progress notes and client charts
- Coordinate service with team members and with other inpatient and outpatient community treatment, support and social services
- Provide direct services to clients in their homes and community
- Participate in 24/7 telephone on call services rotation with other team members (approximately 3 week long rotations per year)
- Perform other tasks as assigned
Working Conditions/Physical Demands:
- Frequent exposure to outside environmental conditions for community-based meetings
- Often meeting with persons in the community and/or visiting different businesses
- Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction at times when collecting paperwork, assisting with applications, etc.
- Extensive reading responsibilities
- Ability to ascend and descend stairs occasionally required (in instances when apartments, businesses and/or meeting places do not have an elevator)
- Regular operation of a computer and other office machinery including frequent typing
- Grasping. Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm such as stapling, completing hand-written forms, etc.
- Frequent talking and listening in participation of exchanging ideas through spoken word and occasional receipt and giving of detailed information through oral communication at normal speaking levels.
- Occasionally lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds, occasionally exerting up to 20 pounds of force and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently (opening doors at meeting places/businesses, etc.)
- Visual acuity to operate motor vehicles
- Exposure to high levels of noise and persons who are upset, angry or in an extreme state
Qualifications:
- Management, leadership and supervisory experience preferred
- Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment as well as possess strong problem solving skills, work ethic and computer proficiency
- Must be able to occassionally work semi-flexible hours
- Ability to travel
- Patience, creativity, flexibility, compassion, and sensitivity to persons with disabilities and other minority populations.
- Prior experience working in a mental health and/or harm reduction agency, preferably in community-based services
- A good understanding of the issues facing persons with a mental health challenge or substance use issue, particularly as related to meeting basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and advocacy. In particular, knowledge of the criminal justice system and how it impacts individuals with mental illness is valuable
- Willingness and enthusiasm to work as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Excellent communication, writing, and computer skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, sound knowledge of supportive counselling and the ability to form relationships with marginalized individuals
- Sound judgment and good problem solving skills including assessing risk factors
- Ability to structure time, develop work priorities independently, and meet program expectations with regard to documenting interactions
- Excellent independent problem solving skills and demonstrated ability to intuitively approach challenging situations
- Knowledge of community resources for mental health and substance use
- Valid driver’s license, a reliable personal vehicle available for work purposes and current automobile insurance required
- Ability to work on call (rotating schedule)
- Lived experience of mental health challenges and homelessness will be considered an asset
It is the policy of Pathways Vermont that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment in employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, veteran status, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identification, or disability. Pathways Vermont is committed to a diverse workplace that reflects the communities we serve, and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people including people with military experience, individuals with disabilities, and people of color. To apply, please email cover letter and resume to [email protected].
