The person selected for this position will be assigned a variety of tasks including but not limited to those listed:

Direct Housing Case Management

• Provide participants with information about Drug Diversion Court housing services at orientation and intake and on an ongoing basis; 
• Meet with drug court participants at entry to determine housing status; 
• Prioritize and manage waitlist for drug court housing, and coordinate placements and exits; 
• Coordinate transportation to housing move-in appointments including accompanying participants at jail discharge; 
• Meet with participants throughout their time in Drug Diversion Court to set housing goals, assess needs, troubleshoot and develop long-term housing plans; 
• Serve as housing representative for participants, coordinating services related to housing needs, move-in fees, and other issues related to tenancy; 
• In coordination with drug court housing providers and treatment case managers, address recurrence of use (relapse), rule violations, problem behavior and emerging needs amongst participants who reside in drug court housing; 
• Make case notes in electronic database, documenting all interactions involving or concerning Drug Diversion Court participants and in preparation for court hearings or staffings where housing related issues will be addressed;
• Assist participants in locating permanent and/or next step housing; 
• Exchange information with the court, housing providers and treatment case managers; 
• Maintain a proficient working knowledge of community housing resources and make referrals as appropriate; 
• Assist with facilitation of workshops on residential and life skills; 
• Maintain a high level of competence in the understanding of substance use disorders, mental health issues, and socioeconomic and cultural factors and apply a professional and therapeutic approach to problem solving participant needs.

Serve as a Member of the Drug Court Team

• Monitor, track and report on participants' progress in housing and report to the Drug Diversion Court team both orally and in writing; 
• Participate in staffings, providing information and recommendations related to participant housing status and opportunities;  
• Work with program analyst to define and maintain useful housing data in Drug Diversion Court data base; 
• Participate in Business Meetings including presenting regularly to drug court team on the status of drug court housing resources;
• Support the Drug Diversion Court's approach to accountability and empowerment, especially as it relates to housing. 

Contract Implementation and Monitoring

• As dictated by the contracts between KCDDC and housing, work with different housing providers (family, young adult, gender-specific and single occupancy adults) and DDC Management to develop protocols, policies and procedures pertaining to: 
  • referral processes; 
  • the exchange of information between on-site housing and drug court case managers; 
  • participant compliance requirements and response to noncompliance, including housing stabilization plans;   
  • provision of funds to cover move-in costs; 
  • scheduling and facilitating regular meetings with each housing provider to discuss cases and address issues with housing providers as needed. 

Community Involvement, Advocacy

• Stay well-informed regarding local, state and federal policy governing housing and homelessness; 
• Stay up to date on local homeless and housing issues and resources; 
• Cultivate relationships with landlords, housing agencies and other community organizations to advocate for and expand housing opportunities / resources for drug court participants;    
• Attend relevant community meetings; 
• Educate stakeholders on the housing needs of Drug Diversion Court participants and the importance of housing for success in the program; 
• Prepare written reports for current and potential funders.  

Any combination of Education, Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills which provides the applicant with the desired competencies to successfully perform all duties described will be considered.

• BA in Human or Social Services or related field and a minimum of 2 years experience providing direct housing case management services to persons experiencing homelessness.
• Experience assisting adults experiencing homelessness in acquisition of emergency shelter, transitional/interim and permanent housing. 
• Solid knowledge of emergency shelter, transitional/interim and permanent housing resources in King County. 
• Training and/or experience in working with individuals with substance use disorders. 
• Experience successfully managing a client caseload. 
• Demonstrated ability to work as an effective collaborative team member internally and externally and to take action to accomplish specific tasks. 
• Experience working in partnership with service providers outside of your organization. 
• Demonstrated written and oral communication and presentation skills. 
• Demonstrated problem solving skills and resourcefulness. 
• Ability to motivate participants to engage in services and change behavior. 
• Experience with data collection, entry, tracking and maintenance. 
• Experience in word processing, Excel and email.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE: 

• Experience providing direct housing case management services to special populations, including young adults and families. 
• Experience working with individuals involved in the legal system. 
• Training in motivational interviewing.
• Proficiency in Spanish, the second most commonly spoken language amongst King County Drug Court participants.  
    

Required Skills and Competencies:
 Approachability – Must be easy to approach and talk to and spend the extra effort to put others at ease. Must be warm, gracious, sensitive to and patient with the interpersonal anxieties of others, and able to build rapport. 

Conflict Management – Ability to step up to conflicts, seeing them as opportunities. Ability to read situations quickly, practice focused listening, hammer out tough agreements and settle disputes equitably. Ability to find common ground and get cooperation with minimum noise. 

Dealing with Ambiguity – Ability to effectively cope with change and comfortably shift gears. Ability to decide and act without having the total picture. Ability to handle risk and uncertainty. Ability to move on without having to finish things and to not get upset when things are up in the air.

Decision Quality – Ability to make good decisions and come up with accurate solutions when judged over time.

Ability to Manage Diversity – Must have the skills to work effectively with Drug Diversion Court participants and professionals of all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages, and genders. 

Perseverance – Must pursue tasks with energy, drive, and a need to finish, seldom giving up, even in the face of resistance or setbacks. 

Integrity and Trust –Must be widely trusted, able to present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner, keep confidences and admit mistakes.

Listening Skills – Must be able to practice attentive and active listening while still maintaining excellent time management. Must possess the patience to hear people out and accurately restate their opinions even if there is disagreement.

Problem Solving Skills – Ability to use logic, honest analysis and investigation of all fruitful sources to solve difficult problems with effective solutions.

Time Management Skills –Ability to prioritize, concentrate efforts, and use time effectively and efficiently. Ability to attend to a broad range of activities. 

Written Communication – Ability to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles. Ability to get messages across that have the desired effect.