Job Opening: Hood River County Bilingual Community Health Worker (Outreach and Housing Placement Focus)

Why work at MCCAC and Bridges to Health?

Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC), located in heart of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, serves Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties. MCCAC offers programs and services to ensure our most vulnerable community members have access to healthy, safe, stable and affordable housing. This is accomplished through our housing, energy/utility payment assistance and weatherization programs. MCCAC’s mission is to build a better future for our community through partnership and equity-centered programs that prevent and eliminate poverty and houselessness.

Job Purpose:

The Bilingual Bridges to Health Community Health Worker plays a key role in working to end houselessness and addressing barriers to housing access in the MCCAC service area. This position is a blended case management position, focused both on street outreach and housing placement/stabilization. Outreach priorities include providing case management and linking houseless clients to basic needs resources such as food boxes and hygiene, and linking program participants to other available community resources that will assist in housing stability. Housing placement priorities include coordinating with housing service providers, landlords, and houseless clients to ensure that individuals and families experiencing houselessness can find and stay in housing—and connect to resources in other areas that promote longer term health, well-being, and housing stabilization. The position is based at MCCAC’s office in Hood River, works under the supervision of MCCAC’s Housing Stabilization Manager, and serves as a member of the Bridges to Health Pathways Program team.

Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities:

Client case management, empowerment, and education (75%):

• Manage active caseload, which includes:

  • Street Outreach:

    • Perform street and camp outreach with housing program staff and community partners in order to engage with families and individuals experiencing houselessness

    • Respond to referrals from shelters, law enforcement, faith-based organizations, culturally specific organizations, social service providers, employment specialists, physical and behavioral health care providers, and community-based organizations

    • Address physical and safety needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to the extent possible and otherwise maintain/update waitlist for more intensive case work, in coordination with the Bridges to Health Referral Coordinator and MCCAC Housing Stabilization Staff

  • Housing Placement:

    • Assess clients’ barriers to housing, and partner with clients to develop housing stabilization plans that they can commit to working on with MCCAC staff and partners

    • Assist clients with initial housing placement, including the housing search and application process, providing support as needed paying (eligible) application and move-in fees, security deposits, and rental assistance, and assist with lease negotiation, etc.

    • Schedule and conduct regular follow-up appointments with clients once they have been placed in housing to assess progress of their housing stabilization plan, resolve issues with landlords if any arise, and refer clients to additional resources as necessary

    • Maintain active understanding of mainstream and community resources that may assist clients with achieving goals outlined in their housing stabilization plans

    • Coordinate and provide culturally relevant services to diverse communities experiencing houselessness, including communities of color and LGBTQ+ community members

    • Utilize Harm Reduction, Trauma Informed Care, Rapid Rehousing and Housing First approaches

Program training, administration, and compliance (25%):

• Attend Bridges to Health Pathways and MCCAC Housing Stabilization trainings and huddles

• Provide clients with a list of necessary documentation to bring to housing placement and street outreach casework appointments

• Maintain case files according to documentation requirements established by the Bridges to Health Pathways Program, MCCAC internal policies, and state and federal policies

• Support timely data entry into Homelessness Management Information System and ActivateCare

• Utilize Smartsheets vouchering system to track housing placement and street outreach funds

• Meet monthly with MCCAC Housing Stabilization Manager to assess housing placement and street outreach program budgets and policies, and re-evaluate or update both as needed

• Meet regularly (at least monthly) with MCCAC Shelter, Outreach, and Housing Navigation staff in order to do case conferencing and make housing placement and street outreach waitlist updates

• Respond to housing placement and street outreach related correspondence (via phone, e-mail, and in-person interactions) on a daily basis

  Close cases and complete appropriate documentation according to clients’ individual housing stabilization plans, guidelines established by MCCAC’s internal policies and grant requirements, and Bridges to Health Pathways program policies

Application Information:

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications:

• Experience with customer service or case management, preferably working with houseless community members

• Ability to adhere to agency and program policies and procedures

• Ability to maintain client and agency confidentiality

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and in person with MCCAC and Bridges to Heatlh client groups, community partners, the general public, and co-workers

• Ability to address sensitive situations with a culturally-competent, trauma-informed approach

• Ability to effectively handle high volume telephone, email, and in-person contact

• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy and be detail-oriented

• Ability to be prompt and dependable

• Ability to work as a collaborative member of the MCCAC and Bridges to Health teams

• Knowledge and demonstrated ability in Microsoft Office programs and ability to learn and use videoconferencing and other digital tools that enhance collaboration and communication

• High school Diploma or GED required; Associate’s degree preferred

• Ability to speak and write fluently in Spanish and English  required

• Satisfactory criminal background check

Position Details:

• This position is rated as active with frequent kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting, regularly requires the individual to lift 30 pounds

• The duties outlined in this job description are not all inclusive; additional duties may be assigned

• Prior to date of hire, and throughout employment certification of the following are required: valid driver’s license, proof of current auto insurance

• MCCAC is an equal employment opportunity provider.

• Location: In-person, based at Hood River MCCAC Office; position also involves field work including street outreach, housing inspections, and case management at the seasonal Hood River Shelter

• Fair Labor Standards Classification: Full-Time, Exempt

• Reports to: MCCAC Housing Stabilization Manager

Salary, Benefits, and Duration

• Salary $45,000 annually (full time position, 40 hours/week with potential for longer hours)

  • Additional 3% pay differential for successful bilingual (Spanish and English) candidates

• Benefits: MCCAC offers an excellent benefits package including Blue Cross medical insurance with the agency covering 90% for employees and dependents. Dental and vision coverage. Life insurance, 401k, paid vacation and sick leave.

• Limited duration position (through September, 2023), with strong possibility to extend (funding dependent)

To Apply

Submit resume and cover letter to khorvath@mccac.com by Friday, August 19th, 2022. Cover letters should include why you are uniquely qualified to serve in the position, and what strengths you would bring to the role. Veterans, people of color and people with lived experience of houselessness are encouraged to apply.