Case Manager

Site/Program:                        The Stay Over Program at Buena Vista Horace Mann

Reports to:                         Program Manager

Compensation:                  $28-$30 per hour, commensurate with experience. Full-time, non-exempt position. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life insurance and optional retirement, flexible spending account, commuter benefits, and generous vacation with Summer Recess and Winter Recess. 

Deadline:                           Immediately interviewing on a rolling basis until position is filled.

About the Organization:

Dolores Street Community Services (DSCS) has been growing rapidly, therefore, we have created a lot of new positions in different programs. Please consider joining our team to serve the communities.  

DSCS nurtures individual wellness and cultivates collective power among low-income and immigrant communities to create a more just society. As a multi-issue, multi-strategy organization, we work to improve lives on an individual level as well as affect broader social change by engaging in advocacy and community organizing. We work together across programs to address homelessness, lack of affordable housing, and to support immigrant rights in order to meet the complex needs of our communities and collectively address the root causes of suffering and injustice.

Job Summary:

Dolores Street Community Services (DSCS) seeks a qualified Family Case Manager to provide case management, family support, systems navigation, de-escalation, conflict resolution, mediation and referrals to approximately 20 families who are homeless and staying at the Stay Over Program. The Stay Over Program is a family shelter funded by the Department of Homelessness & Supportive Housing (HSH) which opened in November 2018 and is based at Buena Vista Horace Mann Community School. The Stay Over Program provides collaborative case management in partnership with SFUSD school social workers and HSH's Access Points to families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity who have at least one child enrolled at San Francisco Unified School District. Year round emergency shelter and supportive services are provided to families at the family shelter that is operated from the gym at Buena Vista Horace Mann Community School. Approximately, three quarters of our families identify as Latinx. A key responsibility of the case manager is to provide the needed family support and systems navigation to ensure families are assessed at an Access Point where they can access the city's system of care and resources. The Family Case Manager will carry a caseload of about 20 chronically homeless families, many of whom have multiple barriers, including, but not limited to unemployment, substance use, mental and physical health conditions, domestic violence, and historical trauma. The case manager will provide support for families while they work towards securing stable housing. This position will also help families build their independent living skills so they are able to maintain permanent housing and will provide connections to community resources.

This is a great opportunity for a case manager who has experience working with Latinx families and families of color and cross-sector collaborations. Bilingual Spanish/English and experience providing culturally responsive and linguistically competent services is essential for the role of the case manager. School-based experience and experience working in a multi-cultural setting is highly desired. The Stay Over Program is a new model in San Francisco and an innovative strategy to support families experiencing homelessness to be able to have a permanent exit from homelessness and ensure that no families with school aged children are unsheltered.

Duties and Responsibilities

 Service Delivery

• Support families in preparing for housing interviews or other meetings that impact their ability to obtain permanent housing.
• Assist families in responding to housing application rejections. Help families request reasonable accommodation or appeals when appropriate.
• Assist families in gathering and assembling related information and maintaining appropriate records and files.
• Responsible for gathering and compiling data and preparing timely periodic reports, as required by funders and collaborative partners.
• Maintain thorough and concise case notes.
• Embraces a growth mindset in the work with families and is committed to Family Support Principles and the practice of working with families to build Protective Factors
• Attend and participate in weekly case management meetings and partner meetings.

Outreach and Engagement

• Provide field-based work for families that may involve traveling to various community programs and locations
• Respond to the needs of families, including emergency situations - food, health, income, transportation, school related matters, child welfare issues, etc.
• Connect families with appropriate resources and referrals for housing, child care, mental health, primary care, substance recovery, physical health care, educational programs, financial assistance, employment, housing advocacy, socialization activities and other services partnership development

Partnership Development & Collaboration

• Develop rapport and build an ongoing relationship with families via regular and consistent contact
• Develop rapport and strong working relationships with staff at the Access Points, HSH, and SFUSD social workers and administrators, and partner organizations
• Establish communication links with and for families - phone/cell phone, mailing address, e-mail, meeting, and social support contacts
• Help families link with clinical care management and other service resources as needed and desired
• Provide psychological/emotional preparation and support for families around obtaining housing - realistic expectations of wait times, affordable housing options, benefits and challenges of living with others, remaining hopeful, addressing fears/ambivalence of being housed, addressing unhealthy coping skills and unhealthy behavior that could disrupt housing, tenant obligations, and dealing with conflict resolution as needed and addressing issues and fears and issues regarding congregate living in a shelter setting

Core Family Case Management Work

• Assess and begin to address client housing histories and barriers - positive references, credit history, rental history and prior evictions, criminal history, outstanding debts, outstanding warrants
• Use housing history to inform preparation work
• Get to know members of the family's household
• Assess potential to connect client with family/friends in stable housing
• Assess the client's financial and resource situation and potential budget for housing - help with income and benefits acquisition, assist client in developing a financial plan to help fund ongoing rental costs
• Assist families to identify and pursue other potential housing opportunities besides permanent supportive and affordable housing.
• Help families complete and submit required housing applications and other materials. Include advocacy/support letters with initial application
• Help address any challenges with congregate living and help clients develop skills relevant to living with others in in the family shelter - conflict resolution, communication skills, and raising concerns with other shelter residents

Administration

• Use OneSystem as database input.
• Gather statistical data to monitor program effectiveness
• Create and update forms and training and educational materials as needed
• Attend weekly or biweekly program staff meetings, trainings and all-staff meetings
• Maintain confidentially regarding clients, staff and other organizational matters
• Promote a positive environment by modeling a positive, professional demeanor at all times, including treating each community member with dignity and respect
• Follows all guidelines presented in the HSH Policies and Procedure Manual
• Conduct business in accordance with the DSCS Employee Handbook, exercising sound judgment and serving the best interests of the organization and the community

 Other Organizational Duties

• Conduct business in accordance with the DSCS Employee Handbook, exercising sound judgment and serving the best interests of the agency and the community.
• Work within the framework of the agency’s mission, vision, values, theory of change, and organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, restorative justice, trauma-informed work, and language justice.
• Commit yourself to treating each community member with respect and dignity.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience Desired

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field or comparable work experience
• Minimum of 3 years of experience working with Latinx and/or communities of color, immigrants, refugees and homeless communities.
• Language proficiency in English and Spanish required.
• Excellent interpersonal, social emotional skills and de-escalation skills.
• High level of integrity and ability to communicate effectively, openly and with respect.
• Demonstrated consistent sound judgement and decision-making.
• Strong desire to work with families experiencing homelessness and in a non-profit setting.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Proficient in MS Office, email and internet and database systems/content management systems.

• Knowledgeable about dynamics of homelessness, families, trauma, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, child development, youth development and parenting.
• Ability to use conflict-resolution skills to de-escalate volatile situations with families.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience working in a homeless drop-in center, shelter setting or school setting preferred.

 CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Reliable transportation and proof of a valid and current California Driver's License and current insurance along with a clean DMV record required. This position requires an annual tuberculosis test and background check.

 How to Apply

If you are qualified and interested in applying, please submit your resume, cover letter, salary requirements and three professional references, including a supervisorial reference to https://dscs.isolvedhire.com/jobs/. Please visit our web site for additional information on our organization at: www.dscs.org

Dolores Street Community Services is an equal-opportunity employer which values lived experience and seeks applicants of the greatest diversity possible. We encourage people of color, women, older people, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals with disabilities, including HIV and community members who grew up in the Mission District. Pursuant to the SF Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.