Caa Housing Strategist

**CAA Housing Strategist**

**FTE Contract - Coordinated Entry Program**

**Start Date - Immediate-March 31, 2025**

Distress Centre Calgary provides Calgary and area with 24-hour crisis support. We do this through our 24/7 crisis and 211 information and referral phone lines, daily online services, and professional counselling. All our services are free, and because we do not define crisis, anyone can contact us day or night about anything.

We support all social issues - homelessness, poverty, depression, mental illness, bullying, addiction, PTSD, domestic violence, abuse, etc.

We believe in providing a compassionate and supportive environment for our staff and volunteers.

**About SORCe and Distress Centre Programs**

The Safe Communities Opportunity and Resource Centre (SORCe) is a multi-agency collaborative that connects individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or facing complex barriers, to essential programs and services. As a backbone partner in SORCe, Distress Centre Calgary operates the Coordinated Entry Program, which includes various services such as engagement and triage, System Navigation & Referrals, CAA housing strategists, financial empowerment, ID replacement, and more. This program serves as the primary intake and assessment point for CHF supporting housing programs, providing information, referrals, system navigation, and community connections. Its objective is to create a meaningful, person-centered impact across the homeless-serving system of care and broader social services sector, aiming to prevent homelessness and reduce barriers to sustainable housing.

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What to expect in the role:_**

**Job overview**

The CAA (Coordinated Access & Assessment) Housing Strategist provides frontline service delivery to connect participants experiencing or facing homelessness to programs and services that will address the barriers to stable and sustainable housing. The Distress Centre CAA Program serves as the primary assessment and intake for Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) funded housing first programs through the Coordinated System. This role will support this work, and provide ongoing supports to individuals who are connected with the CAA system while awaiting a housing referral through an individualized housing plan.

**Primary Duties**

This is not an exhaustive list of duties, but meant to give you a sense of what you’ll be doing on a regular basis. Other related duties may be required.

**CAA Housing Strategist (90%)**
- Facilitate completion of standardized assessment tools in accordance with the Coordinated System CAA policies and procedures.
- Educate participants and community partners about the CHF funded supportive housing program and the triage process.
- Enter assessment data into the CHF participant database and update as required.
- Complete a detailed housing plan for all participants and continue to support individuals and families in achieving the objectives of the plan.
- Maintain contact with participants to inform about housing placement status and liaise with housing programs to facilitate warm transfers.
- Provide up to date collateral on behalf of participants for housing placements within CHF funded housing programs and provide connection upon a housing referral.
- Provide targeted outreach assessments at health & justice system partner sites and virtually.

**Training and Mentoring (as needed)**
- The CAA team takes on practicum students year-round. Assist with the supervision, training and development of practicum students.

**SORCe Frontline Service Delivery (10%)**
- Facilitate intake and profile creation for new SORCe participants.
- Build rapport and establish trust with participants to reduce barriers to stable housing.
- Maintain accurate records in the SORCe database.
- Develop and maintain inter-agency relationships and partnerships to ensure successful connections for participants.
- Advocate for participants to access programs at SORCe or in the community to end or prevent homelessness.
- Use de-escalation strategies and assertive engagement to ensure safety and security for all accessing SORCe services.
- Support the team through cross-training and occasional coverage of other roles.
- Assist with the supervision, training, and development of practicum students year-round.
- Collaborate and coordinate with all agencies at SORCe to deliver effective collaborative programs and services.

**Hours of work and conditions**
- General work hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30-4:30pm** **with a one hour lunch break
- Some offsite outreach work expected
- Working in a fast-paced environment requiring de-escalation skills and an ability to respond to crisis
- Universal precautions knowledge and ability to complete specialized training applicable to service delivery
- Reports to the Distress Centre CAA Team Lead

**_What you bring to the role:_**

**_ _**Qualifications/Experience**
- Undergraduate degree or a diploma in the human service field. Commens