Core Purpose & Mission Statement
The Core Purpose of the Ottawa Mission is to reflect Jesus’ love in serving the homeless, the hungry, and the lost.
Our Mission is to provide food, shelter, clothing and skills, and offer healing, faith and hope for building a wholesome life
Vision & Values
Our Vision is that all the hurting, hungry and lost in Ottawa find HOPE, HEALING & HOME
Our Values are Faith first, Excellence in All, Respect & Dignity
Position Purpose
Reporting to the Manager of Housing Services (Manager), the Rapid Housing Case Manager (Case Manager) will be responsible for providing rapid housing supports to clients who have exceeded 180 shelter stays over a one-year period. They will also support homeless Veterans who have secured housing and have moved in or are moving into permanent housing. The Case Manager will support Youth (aged 18-24), Adults and all Genders from four emergency shelters (The Ottawa Mission, Cornerstone Women’s Shelter, the Salvation Army and Shepherds of Good Hope). The Case Manager will assist clients with navigating service systems to assist them to achieve housing stability and prevent the return of the Client to homelessness.
Major Responsibilities
Case Management
- Accept new clients onto the caseload from the City’s coordinated access function who are chronically homeless and have secured housing.
- Using a case management approach, engage clients and assess their support needs.
- Working with the client, develop an individualized service plan to address needs; service plan will include a discharge plan.
- Provide practical support and coaching in the clients’ homes and environments, to develop skills to maintain housing and to achieve successful integration into the community. Support services will last up to nine months.
- Assist clients to build effective relationships with landlords, income-support providers, CHC’s and CRC’s, mental health and addiction supports, legal support agencies, neighbours and any other relationships that will support housing retention.
- Arrange any available rental subsidy, support clients to access other income assistance and arrange rent direct payments to landlord.
- Refer clients who need more long-term housing support beyond nine months or discharged clients who require reactivation to prevent housing loss to the City’s Housing First program.
- Case managers will follow up with clients three months after discharge.
- Funding for “Apartment Set-up Expenses” -This “Apartment Set-up” funding is to be used only for clients of the Rapid Housing Supports Worker and who are currently being housed. This funding assists clients with expenses for new furnishings, supplies and other eligible costs related to moving into appropriate housing (This funding is provided through the provincial Home for Good funding stream and is subject to the City’s procedure document, “HFG Apartment Set-up Expenses – Procedure”, as updated periodically).
Targeted Housing-Focused Intervention
- Build a comprehensive housing plan with end dates. Plan will identify and address barriers to finding and maintain housing
- Set regular meeting dates and times; determine willingness to be housed based on documentation and engagement
- Administer full SPDAT at 30 days, obtain consent, enter results in HIFIS
- Support client to attend viewings and lease signings; obtain first and last month’s rent, OW or ODSP financial start-up and furniture. Document housing placement in HIFIS, with address and details to support the City’s
- Coordinated Access function
- Arrange for full re-payment or repayment plan for any social housing arrears
- Follow up on any missing identification to complete applications for social housing registry
- Follow up on any referrals to addiction and mental health services, Indigenous, settlement services or other support as indicated in HIFIS case management records
- Consult with shelter management on strategies to engage clients who are not participating or willing to actively search for housing
- Other related duties as assigned
Education
- University Degree or College Diploma in Social Work or Social Services or a related field
Experience
- Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working in the Social Service field
- Experience working with homeless and vulnerable populations
- Experience working with individuals with complex needs, including mental health, substance use, trauma, or justice involvement.
Qualifications
- Possess a valid “G” class driver’s license with clean abstract
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
- Awareness of VI-SDPAT/SPDAT
- Knowledge of Housing First
- Knowledge of the Housing Focused Framework
- Knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act
- Knowledge of case management approaches
- Knowledge of concurrent disorders and knowledge of related treatment issues
- Knowledge of Veterans specific services
- Knowledge of harm-reduction and being trauma informed, including having a solid understanding of the relationship between trauma and substance use
- Ability to work with clients in all stages of change and to support client goals ranging from harm reduction to abstinence
- Knowledge of mental health issues (i.e., schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety, etc.)
- Professional and excellent oral and written communication skills
- Strong skills in critical thinking, decision making and analysis
- Must be patient, organized, client-centered, motivated and pro-active
- Ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team
- Certified/trained in First Aid CPR, Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, ASIST, and Mental Health First Aid an asset
- Bilingualism (French/English) an asset
Working Conditions
- Work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends
- Must be comfortable driving a van (i.e. company vehicle)
- As the role requires you to sometimes seek out clients, this role may require you to walk outside, go to community services (i.e., other shelters), in the shelter lounge, etc.
- Will be working with various demographics of clientele
- Assists in moving clients into housing, thus should be able to move and lift furniture
- Ability to handle emergency situations should they arise
- Must work to sometimes meet strident deadlines, manage and respond to competing priorities
- Must be comfortable working in a challenging environment that has the potential for confrontation and/or exposure to violence
We thank all applicants for their interest in The Ottawa Mission, however, due to the volume of resumés we receive, only those selected for interview will be contacted.
ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE, UPON REQUEST, FOR ALL APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
THE OTTAWA MISSION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Pay: $59,300.00-$67,700.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Discounted or free food
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site gym
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision care
- Wellness program
Work Location: In person
