Housing Specialist

Make a bigger difference

PURPOSE:

The Kaplan House (Manhattan) and Cedar Knolls House (Bronx) provides therapeutic and support services to adolescent’s ages 16-21 who are referred through the Administration for Children’s Services. Our residents have experienced significant trauma and often struggle with managing their emotional and behavioral needs. Both programs provide an array of services including medical, clinical, education/vocation, recreation, substance use and additional support services that emphasize family interaction and strengthening of community support networks, as well as increasing independent living skills.

All treatment team members work to ensure that youth and families drive the focus of their treatment and are full-time partners in their own healing and recovery. Youth and families have direct input into their treatment as well as program performance and development. We utilize Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) in conjunction with evidence-based clinical interventions to support youth and family in their healing and recovery.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Housing Specialist is part of The Jewish Board’s “A Step Ahead” coaching program, sponsored by Fair Futures. Fair Futures is a coalition of child welfare agencies, non-profits, foundations, advocates and young adults working to ensure they fulfill their promise to New York City’s foster youth. The Housing Specialist is responsible for working with youths residing at the Jewish Board’s two Hard to Place Group Homes, Kaplan House and Cedar Knolls House. Specialists assist coaches and young people in conducting specific, specialized, and targeted tasks that will help them achieve permanent housing post discharge from foster care.

Under the model, the housing specialist assists youths with securing appropriate housing based on the strengths and needs of each young person. The specialist also supports the work of the Youth Empowerment Coaches who work to provide intensive coaching to a caseload of youth with the goal of increasing graduation rates, building career development experiences, and supporting the youth transitioning into adulthood.  

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Work with young people who are aging out to submit all forms of housing applications by age 18.

• Check-in on young people’s application status and follow-up with NYCHA and supportive housing residences, as needed.

• Help young people apply to permanent housing, when applicable, by helping  them obtain Section 8 vouchers, apply to the NYC affordable housing lottery, etc.

• Collaborate with the case planner and treatment team on all aspects pertaining to the young person securing housing and/or housing program, and actualizing the discharge process to housing.

• Complete all required Fair Futures trainings in addition to required agency and regulatory bodies’ trainings. Supervisor/program may also add required trainings as necessary.

• Work 1:1 with youth onsite/offsite to develop goals based on their interests and strengths and take measurable steps towards their housing goals

• Collaborate with residential team members as well as outside service providers, parents/caregivers, etc. to develop youth-focused plans.

• Re-engage disconnected youth and/or alumni that are struggling with housing or their housing goals.

• Establish and develop relationships with housing programs for young adults, realtors, housing authority, and realty groups etc. to increase housing opportunities for young people.

• Coordinate specifically with the Coaches assigned to each youth regarding educational standing and employment for the youth as it may affect housing requirements and options. 

• Support youth with transitioning to adult housing included but not limited to attending interviews/tours, moving in, obtaining furniture, and supporting them with maintaining housing through IL skills (budgeting, opening bank accounts, etc.)

• Frequent fieldwork and willingness to travel within the boroughs by public transportation or in an agency vehicle as available.

• Other duties as assigned

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Relational Skills:

• Ability to work from a strength-based, trauma-informed, youth development lens;
• Compassionate, warm, empathetic;
• A love for working with young people;
• Strong ability to relate to young people, and provide support and encouragement
• Consistent and reliable;
• Values and promotes diversity;
• A belief that change is possible;
• Able to maintain healthy boundaries;
• Able to remain calm during moments of tension and stress.

Successful Specialists Need:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail;
• Strong time-management skills;
• Ability to troubleshoot, advocate, and navigate obstacles where there is not always a clear-cut pathway;
• Open to learning how to use and interpret data to inform decision-making;
• Ability to navigate complex housing issues, be resourceful, and work independently;
• Ability to adapt quickly and thoughtfully to ever changing needs of the youth served;
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to drive agency vehicles to transport youths to appointments;
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred

Team Process:

• Ability to effectively collaborate in team settings and build relationships with external partners;
• Attend all group supervisions and treatment team meetings

EDUCATION/TRAINING REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of relevant experience working in housing services.
• Experience working with at-risk or system-involved young people is strongly preferred.

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Fluent in OCFS Connections database preferred
• Ability to learn electronic health records, CAPS System, and other software as required.

VISUAL AND MANUAL DEXTERITY:

• Able to read data and documents, including spreadsheets, reports and Electronic Health Records in printed form and on computer screens.
• Able to input data into the Electronic Health Record.
• Limited applications of manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL EFFORT:

• Must be willing to be trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)
• Group Home Setting
• Must be able walk up/down stairs

If you join us, you’ll have these great benefits:

• Generous time off in addition to paid agency holidays and 15 sick days
• Affordable and high-quality medical/dental/vision plans 
• Tuition assistance and educational loan forgiveness
• Free continuing education opportunities 
• 403(b) retirement benefits and a pension
• Flexible spending accounts for health and transportation 
• 24/7 Accessible Employee Assistance Program  
• Life and disability insurance 
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion working groups that are available for you to join, including Confronting Structural Racism (COR), Coalition Against Anti-Semitism (CAAS), and the LGBTQ Steering Committee

Who we are:

The Jewish Board delivers innovative, high-quality, and compassionate mental health and social services to over 45,000 New Yorkers each year. We are unique in serving everyone from infants and their families to children, teens, and adults. We are proud to employ and serve people of all religions, races, cultural backgrounds, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams to help support our mission, and we strongly encourage candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds to apply to work with us.

More on Equal Opportunity:

We respect diversity and accordingly are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, alienage, citizenship status, age, disability, sex, gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This applies with respect to recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, termination, assignments, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and all other terms and condition of employment as well as general treatment during employment.

 We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified employees with disabilities, without regard to any protected classifications, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. Any employees who need assistance to perform their job duties because of a physical or mental condition should contact human resources.