Street Outreach Worker

Job Summary

The Street Outreach Worker is responsible for locating, identifying and building relationships with literally homeless people to provide immediate support, interventions, and assessments. This position will address urgent medical and psychiatric needs by providing access to emergency, physical and mental health services that are needed. This position will also locate emergency shelter and connect homeless individuals to the necessary assistance programs.  

Job Responsibilities

• Conduct daily street outreach to develop relationships and build rapport with clients in order to assist them in finding a home. Services may include assisting with gathering documentation, increasing income, securing identification, social security cards, birth certificates.
• Conduct VI-SPDAT (Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool) on all homeless clients
• Work flexible hours to perform outreach efforts and meet program needs, with some evenings and weekends.
• Engage those who are homeless by addressing the immediate needs and providing tangible items such as food, clothing, hygiene products, blankets, and referral information.
• Gather information from homeless to assess their needs.
• Focus on the primary need for immediate shelter
• When needed, provide access to emergency, physical and mental health services, and transportation to program participants.
• Connect program participants to a Care Service Social Service Worker for case management, in order to locate and secure emergency shelter and to identify long-term housing options.
• Refer individuals and families to specialized agencies for any complex needs that cannot be handled by the Care Service.
• Educate the community on the needs of the homeless by participating in speaking engagements when needed.
• Attend staff meetings, conferences and other agency functions
• Attend necessary training and continuing education programs to ensure the highest level of efficiency.
• Engage other service providers such as schools, health, substance abuse and behavioral healthcare providers, police stations, and fire departments, to alert the Outreach Program as to where it might be able to target its services.
• Visit libraries, truck stops, and other community gathering spots to establish a rapport with workers so they can alert you when homeless individuals are found.
• Participate in audit of grantor funds.
• Maintain confidentiality for all personal recipient information and assure that program participant’s rights are protected.

Job Requirements

• Ability to work collaboratively with clients, program staff, team members, and to treat everyone with respect and dignity at all times.
• Ability to keep confidential information and only share client information on a need-to-know basis required for the job. 
• Exercise good judgment and use good organizational skills in evaluation situations, making referral decisions and following through.
• Knowledge of street outreach principles

• Knowledge of Case management methods, principles and techniques.
• Knowledge of Community and agency resources

• Knowledge of principles and methods of interviewing
• Skills in case documentation
• Skills in assessment case planning
• Ability to pass a pre-employment or for cause drug test.
• Ability to pass a Family Care Safety Registry background check.
• Ability to pass a DMV check.
• Must have own vehicle and insurance.

General-Work Related Experience:

• 2-3 years’ experience in related job required.

Education:

• A bachelor's degree in a health or human service field and 2-3 years’ experience working with homeless individuals

Working Conditions

Physical Demands:

The Street Outreach Worker position is described as medium physical work involving walking, standing and driving.