Tereck Jamison

The Boston Public Health Commission’s Homeless Services Bureau (HSB) provides emergency shelter, job training, behavioral health support, and housing services to unhoused individuals in Boston. The HSB serves close to 5,000 individuals every year and is one of the largest providers of emergency shelter in New England. HSB aims to make homelessness in Boston rare, brief, and one time. It does that by problem-solving with new guests at the front door to try to prevent anyone from entering homelessness to begin with. For individuals who do become homeless and use our shelters, HSB endeavors to help them quickly move out of homelessness and find a safe and stable place to live. After a client is housed outside the shelter, HSB staff provides in-home supports to help individuals avoid someone a return to homelessness. The HSB uses a Housing First and racial justice framework, which is built on the foundation that housing is a social determinant of health, a basic need that everyone deserves, and does not require sobriety. HSB believes that everyone, with the right support, can succeed in housing. HSB fosters evidence-based approaches such as trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and motivational interviewing in the delivery of services, and strives to deliver services that are accessible to all clients.

Reporting to the Social Worker, the Assistant Coordinator assists clients of Homeless Services Bureau emergency shelters in all facets of housing stabilization and retention including improving the health and wellbeing of shelter and former shelter guests, providing crisis intervention, safety planning, clinical consultation, referrals and support, connections to alternative placements, and support to mitigate barriers to housing and housing retention.

DUTIES

• Provides follow up case management services to individuals in shelter, including assistance with connection to benefits, obtaining vital documents, and connecting individuals with community resources and supports.
• Hosts internal and community-based housing agencies (BHA, HomeStart, etc.) in providing on site housing search assistance. Completes intakes and assessments on shelter guests to determine needs and eligibility for services and public benefits. Provides case management, crisis intervention and supportive counseling to clients.
• Transports guests to housing appointments as needed.
• Provides case management, crisis intervention and supportive counseling to clients. Coordinates the delivery of services and referrals in areas of family reunification, DSS, obtaining benefits, etc. Provides support and assistance to clients with legal issues (probation, parole, courts).
• Maintains up to date and accurate service plan contacts, and progress note records for the department.
• Works in a multi-disciplinary team approach with other social service, work rehab and health services departments of the shelter. Develops and facilitates budgeting, money management and other life skills groups. Participates in weekly social service treatment team and other assigned meetings and trainings. Compiles records and statistical reports.
• Assisted in providing therapeutic interventions for clients with mental health issues.
• Provided crisis intervention services when needed including de-escalation techniques.
• Modeled appropriate communication and problem-solving skills in crisis situations involving patients, family or staff.
• Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
• Guided employees in handling difficult or complex problems.

• Provides in-home and office based follow up housing placement and stabilization services to the Long Term Stayers individuals placed in housing, including assistance with paying rent and utilities, helping to resolve landlord/tenant problems and connecting individuals with community resources and supports. Assists clients with obtaining furniture and moving into housing.
• Engages with all clients utilizing a housing first approach.
• Coordinates community integration activities for clients, teaching life skills and independent living skills necessary for succeeding in permanent housing.
• Hosts community-based housing agencies (BHA, HomeStart, etc.) in providing on site housing search assistance.
• Completes intakes and assessments on shelter guests to determine needs and eligibility for services and public benefits. Provides case management, crisis intervention and supportive counseling to clients.
• Transports guests to housing appointments.
• Provides case management, crisis intervention and supportive counseling to clients. Coordinates the delivery of services and referrals in areas of family reunification, DSS, obtaining benefits, etc. Provides support and assistance to clients with legal issues (probation, parole, courts).
• Maintains up to date and accurate service plan contacts, and progress note records for the department.
• Works in a multi-disciplinary team approach with other social service, work rehab and health services departments of the shelter. Develops and facilitates budgeting, money management and other life skills groups.
• Participates in weekly social service treatment team and other assigned meetings and trainings.
• Compiles records and statistical reports.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Provides crisis intervention and supportive counseling to clients as needed under supervision of LCSW.

Street Outreach Advocacy and Response

(SOAR BOSTON)

Reporting to the Service Delivery Manager or desingee, identifies and manages relationships with an array of human and social service providers to facilitate access to services and opportunities for high risk and proven risk young people who are engaged with SOAR BOSTON.

• Work with proven risk youth and young adults to successfully reach employment, education and life goals.
• Assist participants with obtaining resources for basic needs such as food, clothing and health care according to department policy and procedures.
• Maintains contact with service providers and employers to ensure retention of participant and adequate support; document cases according to departmental policy and procedures.
• Works with Service Delivery Manager to facilitate basic job readiness and life skill trainings for participants as needed.
• Cultivates relationships with employers to assist participants with attaining employment in partnership with Outreach an Engagement Coordinator; develops a service plan for participants.
• Provides support to participants in meeting there goals along a path of behavioral change.
• Maintains records and documentation electronically; collects and enters information and completes forms and or/reports according to departmental policy and procedures on departmental issued devices.
• Attends all meetings, trainings and workshops

Reporting to Senior OEC / designee; engages with youth at-risk of being gang involved, proven risk youth and gang involved young adults in areas where they spend time (street corners, parks, etc.) in pursuit of building positive relationships in accordance with departmental polices and procedures.

• Promotes and supports the behavioral change of assigned groups of proven-risk/gang involved youth away from self destructive behaviors and actions.
• Works within a team framework alongside Resource coordinator, in addition to a host of municipal departments and community based organizations, including Boston Police Department and Boston Public Health Commission.
• In partnership with the Resource Coordinator, advocates for participants and provides support to retain services.
• Meets with or contacts participants regularly, in accordance with departmental policy and procedures, with a goal of building trust, strengthen relationships, and ultimately facilitating positive behavioral change.
• Attended all meetings, trainings and workshops
• Performed ongoing monitoring of care plans to evaluate effectiveness, documenting interventions and goal achievements and suggesting changes accordingly.