Case Manager

MERCY COMMUNITIES

JOB DESCRIPTION
CASE MANAGER/SERVICE COORDINATOR

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Service Coordinator has overall responsibility for case management; resource coordination and development of a service plan with the participant which addresses the issues contributing to their homelessness.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Works as part of a team with other MERCY staff, mentors, volunteers, and community service providers to challenge, guide, and support the families in achieving the goals of their service plan.
• Values the empowerment of participants and actively incorporates the approach into their daily work
• Respects and values the participant’s individuality, diversity, and dignity and provides assistance in a non-judgmental context
• Employs an empathetic and strength-based approach in the provision of services
• Develops professional relationships with participants and encourages same in others, maintains appropriate boundaries
• Values the participant’s right to confidentiality, strictly adheres to the practice in the provision of daily services
• Models and promotes effective communication skills for participants
• Ensures smooth daily operations of the facility, identifies warning signs of potential crisis, and employs effective intervention techniques
• Ensures a safe environment for participants, models positive conflict management techniques
• Provides immediate verbal feedback when participants violate house rules or expectations of their service plan
• Maintains security throughout shift.
• Models behavior that encourages the development of healthy relationships and helps participants recognize and build personal support networks
• Uses effective time and organizational management techniques to manage workload
• Monitors the progress of participants in order to effectively evaluate services
• Recognizes symptoms of substance abuse and mental illnesses, including an awareness of the potential side effects from medications
• Knows formal and informal community resources, social service networks and current issues affecting people who are homeless
• Helps the participants to access needed social services independently
• Documents all services consistent with agency policy and procedure
• Tracks all donations made on shift and gives the donor an acknowledgment letter
• Provides direction and support to shift volunteers, documents attendance
• Participates in staff meetings, in-services and continuing education workshops

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

Community Outreach

• Participates in speaking engagements and community-based agency in-services and otherwise represents the agency in public settings
• Identifies, utilizes, and forms partnerships with community resources and ancillary services, ensuring that participants have knowledge of and access to needed resources and services
• Attends Resource Providers meetings and participates in other forums that support continuity of planning/care

Intake/Assessment

• Conducts initial intake, giving program information, advocacy and referrals as indicated
• Maintains database, tracking intake demographics and inquiry dispositions
• Evaluates for admission, conducting initial screening interview, collecting and reviewing applications, references and other supporting documentation, secures signed release of information forms, as indicated
• Refers to Program Director for final admission determination
• Works and coordinates admission to MERCY House, works with landlord to coordinate permanent supportive housing admissions
• Writes family social history and completes geogram in developing a profile of the family’s functioning (strengths and weaknesses)
• Compiles all data into case record, takes the lead to maintain updated records on all participants
• Enters data into the HMIS system in timely manner

Orientation/Planning

• Orients participants to the program’s expectations and to the facility/apartment and to other participants in the program
• Builds a partnership with each participant and engages her in creating an individualized service plan to assist the movement toward well-being, personal development, self-determination and independence
• Identifies, assesses and prioritizes immediate and long term needs of participants and utilizes that assessment in creating and implementing the participant’s service plan, continually updates assessments upon receiving new participant information
• Includes family members/significant others and mentors in case management services and counseling when appropriate
• Understands participants’ legal rights, advocates within a variety of systems, educates participants about their legal rights and assists them in advocating for themselves
• Develops discharge plan for participant’s move into permanent housing in the community

Coordination of Services

• Coordinates all in-house and off-site services offered to participants
• Meets weekly with participants to discuss progress toward goals, identify potential barriers and relevant solutions
• Assesses for benefit entitlements, and refers accordingly
• Works collaboratively with mentor to challenge and guide participant in achievement of established goals with a minimum quarterly in-person contact
• Works with client to ensure the client’s gainful employment
• Coordinates referrals with ancillary services to ensure that participants are able to access needed services and maintains ongoing communication with the provider
• Assists in locating transportation for participants to access services in the community
• Assesses the needs of the participants’ children, i.e. day care, education, counseling, development screenings, health care exams, etc. and refers accordingly

Life Skills Education

• Administers pre and post-tests of the Daniel Memorial Life Skill Evaluation tool and develops life skill curriculum around deficits.
• Administers pre and post Beck Depression Inventories and secures mental health services, as needed
• Works with participants to resolve back debts, including collecting monthly payments on promissory notes signed with M.E.R.C.Y.
• Provides individualized budgeting sessions
• Provides weekly oversight regarding participants’ budgets, debts, spending habits
• Schedules services with relevant community financial resources.
• Introduces participants to money saving habits (thrift store shopping, use of coupons, etc.)
• Introduces participants to banking services and assists them with setting up checking and savings accounts.
• Develops individualized programs with participants, teaching time management and monitors for issues/problems at weekly session.
• Provides education on wellness issues, including stress management and healthy lifestyles
• Provides education/guidance on housekeeping and home management skills, performs weekly inspection of resident’s apartments for safety, cleanliness, etc.
• Provides education/guidance on nutritional needs, including grocery shopping, meal planning and cooking

Other

• Participates in MERCY House or Permanent Housing residential meetings
• Provides transportation, as needed for the achievement of service planning goals
• In collaboration with the Program Director helps develop evaluative criteria and assess program outcomes
• All other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Commitment to the mission of M.E.R.C.Y. Communities
• Demonstrated interest and skill in teaching and managing individuals who need structure and direction
• Empathic listening skills
• Observe safe and sensible boundaries
• Ability to evaluate crisis situations and take necessary action
• Able to meaningfully engage the client
• Able to give support and encouragement with the courage to confront the client about serious issues or situations
• Empower without enabling
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information
• Ability to perform duties with minimum supervision, but within designated level of authority
• Demonstrated initiative and maturity
• Ability to enforce rules and expectations consistently
• Able to pass a background, CANTS check and drug screening
• Agree to abide by mandated reporter status
• Good organization and follow up skills
• Ability to address issues/problems in timely manner

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Psychology or related field or the equivalent experience in case management experience.
• Experience in group living and/or homelessness programs preferred
• Demonstrate an ability to support and contribute to community team
• Successfully pass drug test
• Valid Illinois driver’s license/car insurance
• Able to work flexible hours (day, evenings and weekends as needed) to accommodate participant’s schedules
• Rotation of on-call responsibility

REPORTS TO: Program Director and Executive Director

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $42,000.00 - $44,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person