Intensive Case Manager

The Housing-Intensive Case Management position supports individuals through a case management approach, the goal of which is to help clients maintain their housing and achieve an optimum quality of life through developing plans, enhancing life skills, addressing health and mental health needs, engaging in meaningful activities and building social and community relations. The position requires a high degree of skill and knowledge in accessing eligible resources and supports through collaboration and consultation with the Homelessness Coordinated Response Team and with other internal Fourcast programs and external partner. The Housing-Intensive Case Manager will be responsible for addressing all psychosocial service needs to stabilize clients in housing, reduce functional, health and mental health barriers, and promote recovery and community integration. This position will also focus on recovery-oriented community integration activities and interventions promoting housing stability, self-sufficiency, and overall wellness for all clients in the program.

The Housing - Intensive Case Manager may also be responsible for assisting community collaterals and/or Emergency Shelter/Warming Room staff in working with residents based on a shared care model.

**_Primary Duties and Responsibilities: _**
**Engagement**:

- Contribute to the creation of a welcoming environment for clients and collaterals.
- Respond through a housing focused, harm reduction approach and recovery oriented approach
- Engage with individuals and their supports to build a quality working rapport, providing information, improving access to mainstream services and facilitating the process of securing housing for individuals who want housing
- Respond to requests for information about the housing programs, services and supports from clients, persons from the community, another agency or profession.

**Screening and Assessment**:

- Screen and assess individuals using GAIN screening and assessment tools and/or VI-SPDAT and SPDAT.
- Determine client’s specific needs, goals, characteristics, and problems immediate needs and longer term goals.
- Identify appropriate treatment, services and/or supports to assist with client goals and address needs.
- Receive assessments, reports and referrals from community collaterals to further consolidate care planning for complex cases.
- Contribute to client development of high quality, relevant person-centred care plans with the goal of ensuring clients’ secure suitable housing and housing retention.
- Provide mental health screening, referrals for psychiatric consultation, mental health supports and referrals to community resources
- Provide and facilitate referrals to addiction resources as appropriate
- Provide referrals and warm transfers to all appropriate social and health related services based on client request

**Counselling**:

- Develop supportive and trusting relationships with clients.
- Ensure that professional boundaries are discussed and respected.
- Provide one-on-one counselling, as appropriate based on level of stabilization and client choice.
- Assist clients with knowledge and skill building with respect to activities of daily living.
- Assist clients with identifying, building, and maintaining a support system and network.
- Endeavour to provide services in the client’s environment of choice.
- Monitor and follow up on care plan implementation to ensure treatment modalities and supports chosen meet the changing needs of clients.
- Deliver services in a manner that maintains personal safety and that of the client.

**Case Management**:

- Research and secure housing for clients based on client choice and available options
- Facilitate housing viewings and introductions to landlords or property managers on behalf of client
- Assist with the negotiation and understanding of lease terms and conditions
- Assist with securing financial resources to long term affordability of the chosen unit through rent supplement options
- Assess and where appropriate secure access to trustee services for client
- Act as an advocate for clients in accessing and maintaining housing and other support services. Assertive advocacy practices will include liaising with health, social services, landlords, family/friends who may be integral to effective housing placement and retention.
- Advocacy may also include writing letters of support, phone calls, case conferences, and attending meetings and appointments with clients.
- Initiate case conferences and consultations on behalf of the client and participate in those initiated by collaterals
- Establish constructive working relationships with internal(Fourcast) and external services and supports in order to broker access to mainstream services that client identifies as needed to attain his or her housing and other goals
- Using the Homelessness Coordinated Response Team model as a basis to collaborate with community agencies to identify gaps in community services an