Housing Support Specialist

Accord is seeking a Housing Support Specialist to support individuals with mental health or developmental disabilities in the community to help them reach their personal goals and find stable housing resources. If you want to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities, check us out!

In this role, you will:

• Support adults with developmental or other disabilities, including mental illness and/or chemical dependency issues.
• Show available apartments or shared housing units to prospective tenants and determine the suitability of the tenant for the vacancy.
• Facilitate move-in/out inspections and tenant orientation.
• Work with individuals living in shared housing units to understand and comply with lease and house rules.
• Mediate tenant relationships within the home and community; work to identify problems and find resolutions.
• Guide and encourage individuals receiving services through relationship building and direct interaction and help them engage in personal goal setting and building essential living skills.
• Advocate for people receiving services to live, work, and participate in their communities by raising concerns, initiating service development activities, and becoming more involved in the decision-making process.
• Meet with individuals in their homes and in the community.
• Assist individuals with accessing resources that support community living and independence such as housing supports and social security benefits.
• Support people to achieve personal outcomes that characterize a high quality of life. Listen carefully and communicate respectfully and clearly with the people you support.  Support people to choose, understand and learn new skills.  Understand, follow through, and document support plans, goals, activities, and progress in meeting goals. Support people with daily living skills and personal support needs.  Facilitate activities that provide people with connections to the community.  Assist people in planning and structuring activities.  Bring your own skills, strengths and interests to supporting peoples’ activities.  Support people to exercise their rights and responsibilities in all areas of their lives.
• Engage in respectful communication.  Use person-first or preferred language when appropriate. Maintain confidentiality and support privacy at all times. Talk with people and include them in discussions about their lives.
• Support people to have optimal health and well-being. Ensure that people are free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.  Complete needed reporting and documentation.
• Provide safeguards and appropriately support challenging situations.  Support individuals with positive behavioral techniques to avoid challenging situations and promote respect and dignity.  Know the proper techniques and be able to respond to emergencies such as accidents, fires, tornados, or other situations
• Complete documentation of all services provided in the selected electronic health record/database system within 1 business day of providing services.
• Meet or exceed minimum billing standards.
• Demonstrate professional communication with interdisciplinary team members including the person supported, family caregivers and guardians, employers, case managers, and other involved stakeholders.
• Represent the agency to the people we support, our community partners and external constituents.  Serve as a positive role model for others.
• Provide transportation to individuals supported; travel throughout the Twin Cities Metropolitan area.
• Complete all required and assigned training related to the position
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

Requirements

Education (required):

• A Bachelor's Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field.

Experience (preferred):

• One year of experience working with individuals with developmental, mental health, or other disabilities

Other Requirements:

• Knowledge of housing and community resource options to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
• Demonstrated problem-solving, independent judgment, and planning skills
• The ability to interact with people with disabilities and your team mates in a respectful, positive, and encouraging way.
• A valid driver's license and clean driving record.
• To pass a Department of Human Services background study.

Work Environment:

In this position, you must be able to work in a changing environment that adjusts to the needs of the individuals in program services. The environment may be fast-paced with interruptions, distractions, and deadlines. The job requires flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing needs or activities. Depending on the needs of the individuals, the work can be physically demanding including transferring or supporting people with mobility needs, lifting or moving items up to 50 lbs, walking or standing for extended periods of time or providing support through CPR/First Aid, behavioral support, and other interventions.

You may need to react appropriately in times of crisis, which may include verbal and physical aggression by the people supported and/or employees.  Must recognize and take appropriate action if suspected abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult is present.

Benefits

This positions pays $20 and up based on experience and education. It also comes with great benefits!