Case Manager

**Case Manager - Housing First Program**

**Reports to**:ProgramManager - _Housing First _and _Supportive Housing _program

**Overview**

The Case Manager - _Housing First_ program assists homeless clients to find and maintain suitable housing throughout the housing process with the prime objective to stabilize housing. S/he provides the range of housing search and housing support functions within the _Housing First_ program.

**Description**

The**Case Manager - Housing First **is responsible for:
a) Supporting a housing match that has the most chance of success for that client by:

- working with the Program Manager and Housing Liaison Worker to present housing options to clients, that give consideration to the balance between the needs of the client, the community at large and the landlord and have the most chance of success (housing stability);
- accompanying the client to viewings and lease signings;
- assisting the client in accessing furniture for their apartment for the day of move-in or re-housing, or as shortly thereafter as possible;
- initiating and/or reiterating a discussion on what it means to be a responsible tenant during orientation to the building and community, and providing on-going coaching as necessary to ensure that rights and responsibilities are understood
- providing support on the day of a client’s move-in and providing an orientation to the surrounding neighbourhood and other community resources within the first 7 days of the client being housed;
- maintaining contact with Landlord to ensure that there are no issues impacting tenancy and providing mediation/negotiation as required;
- completing monthly check-ins with landlords where clients are residing to ensure that rents have been received and housing placement is stabilized

b) Providing on-going case management supports with the prime objective to stabilize tenancy by:

- providing supports to clients in their homes -clients are not expected to, nor are they required to, go to an office to receive case management or any other supports;
- developing a housing stability plan, a focus on housing stability in the early stages of the program, which focuses on meeting basic needs, the supports required to maintain housing, safety, and the impact of the client’s relationships on housing tenure;
- completing a personalized Crisis Plan with the client within the first four weeks of living in the housing unit;
- assessing risks presented by the client and develop appropriate plans to help ensure continuation of services and mitigate risk;
- creating wellness plans in cooperation with mental health and/or allied professionals and assisting clients in incorporating the wellness plan activities;
- completing with the client, the SPDAT at the intake assessment and at predetermined intervals of service delivery (at move in, 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, 270 days, 365 days, and changes in life circumstances);
- writing an Individualized Service (Recovery) Plan identifying the supports required and agreed to by the client;
- convening client case conferences with other agencies, on an as needed basis, for each client on their caseload relative to the client’s individualized plans and progress.

c) Engaging the client with community supports by:

- linking the client to meaningful daily activities as identified in the individual service plan so that the client experiences community integration and supportive social networks. All reasonable efforts are made by the support workers to connect the individual with the resources necessary to optimize success;
- being knowledgeable about the network of community services, supports, and resources.

**Required skills and Knowledge**
- knowledge of homelessness and affordable housing issues within the community and the strategies to end chronic homelessness which are identified the City of Kingston’s _10-year Housing and Homelessness Plan_ (Dec 2013);
- knowledge of the operating standards for the program and the program’s expected client outcomes
- knowledge of the resources in the community for individuals, youth and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, living in poverty, or living with mental health or addiction issues and skilled at brokering services for client appropriate to the responsibilities of the job;
- ability to assist in the housing process appropriate to the specific job responsibilities
- ability to integrate harm reduction approaches as appropriate in daily interactions with clients;
- ability to use assertive engagement techniques as appropriate in interactions with the client;
- competence in the administration and interpretation of the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT and full SPDAT) depending on job responsibilities;
- understanding of psycho-social rehabilitation, recovery model, motivational interviewing and journey of change and its influence on client outcomes;
- ability to identify and assess risk and implement strategies which