Veteran Advocate

POSITION SUMMARY:

Person in this position will be primarily responsible for managing a caseload of low-income Veteran participants. This person is responsible for case management activities including linking Veterans with services inside the Veterans Administration and in the community, with the focus on the Housing First model and philosophy. Advocate will assist Veteran households in quickly maintaining or obtaining permanent housing, with a goal of achieving housing stability, always utilize best practices and participant-centeredness. Essential job functions include those listed below and other duties may be assigned as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Serve as an active part of the San Joaquin Valley Veterans (SJVV) case management team and carry out all required responsibilities as needed.
• Support an active caseload of homeless Veterans and/or Veterans that are currently in danger of becoming homeless.
• Create individual plans, monitor, and update plan weekly, and have exit plans.
• Participate in case staffing decisions regarding current strengths and resources and the need for additional resources.
• Conduct assessments and coordinate referral and placements of eligible Veterans to appropriate programs and facilities.
• Educate and refer individuals to community agencies and businesses that appropriately address needs for food, clothing, employment, transportation, etc.
• Assist Veterans with establishing or re-establishing support systems within their community.
• Participate in outreach efforts, including street outreach.
• Advocate on behalf of the Veterans to improve access to needed community services.
• Demonstrate empathy and flexibility in responding to participants’ needs and requests.
• Coordinates case conferences with residents, consults with service team, monitors progress of clients on case plan, assists clients to meet with the agreed upon goals.
• Practice, conduct curriculum including, Life Skills groups, money management, parenting classes, and communication classes improvement classes.
• Coordinate and partner with community resources to promote the wellbeing of the Veterans (i.e., WestCare, Fresno County, VA, Vet Center, FMCoC). Develop and maintain working knowledge of available community resources and act as liaison.
• Assist participants in locating or maintaining permanent housing.
• Completion of home visits and housing inspections as needed. Maintains contact with landlords to provide ongoing support.
• Complete documentation of services on appropriate, county specific forms per policy and procedure guidelines.
• Maintaining client files according to company policy and contract requirements.
• Will receive referrals from community partner case managers, outreach workers, and concerned family and friends.
• Coordination of various services throughout several agencies.
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with employers, industry organizations, and public agencies to source job openings and secure employment and vocational training opportunities for clients.
• Work with Educator to refer clients to specialized services, such as, job seeking skills training, job placement, vocational schools, welfare-to-work services, Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program, work rehabilitation programs, etc.
• Complete documentation of services on provided forms in a timely manner.
• Conduct outreach activities in the community, including street outreach.
• Assist other WestCare staff as needed in a collaborative manner to promote cooperation and portray a professional image to the community. Promote “SJVV” into the Veteran community through various resources such as public speaking, websites, articles, emails, and personal networking.
• Must Embrace and embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision, and goals of WestCare Foundation; and
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the duties and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Experience and Competencies:

• Ability to work collaboratively with others in a manner that is pleasant and professional.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion.
• Ability to operate and document in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook program formats.
• Ability to respond as needed to crisis situations in an efficient manner.
• Ability to complete work tasks within scheduled work hours.
• Ability to operate and document in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook program formats.
• Ability to complete work tasks within scheduled work hours.
• Demonstrated ability to work with the underserved populations.
• Willing to seek out new work projects and contribute ideas and efforts to the constant improvement of WestCare services.
• Adherence to the highest standard of ethical conduct, especially to standards governing confidentiality.
• Professional appearance and demeanor.
• Strong written and verbal skills.
• Must be culturally/linguistically sensitive to populations served.
• Military/Veteran preferred.
• Must be able to successfully obtain and maintain a criminal background clearance
• Valid driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain WestCare’s vehicle insurance is required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a criminal history background check.
• CPR Certification, First Aid Certification, and an annual Tuberculosis test.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• One (1) year experience in case management.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college with a degree in social work or related field is preferred. Will accept experience on a year for year basis in lieu of education.
• Associate degree in social work or related field is required.

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION:

• Not Applicable for this position.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is primarily performed in an office setting, as well as outdoors outreach.
• Some travel is required
• Some outdoor activities may be required.