COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains a network of community-based service providers that address the needs of participants to improve successful reintegration.
• Identifies and recruits community-based service providers to ensure all participants' needs are addressed and met.
• Mets with and connects participants to needed services.
• Develops and maintains working relationships with state, county, and federal program administrators who can assist participants.
• Works to ensure participants obtain eligible benefits, proper identification, and other vital documents.
• Acts as primary liaison between community providers and facilities.
• Affirms timely communication and follow-up with State personnel in the best interest of the participant’s successful reintegration.
• Gains an understanding of public domain services such as National Institute of Corrections, National Re-Entry Resource Center, and local Reentry Centers.
• Reviews opportunities for participants transitioning into their communities through community-based services such as transition centers and community-residential centers.
• Keeps current with latest re-entry research and best re-entry practices.
• Attends scheduled staff meetings, promotes communication and the proper flow of relevant information between County Probation administration, GEO staff and participants.
• Compiles statistical data as needed for reporting purposes.
• Communicates effectively and coherently to Probation administration, GEO staff, participants, stakeholders, and the public, particularly in situations requiring tact, diplomacy, understanding, fairness, firmness, and good judgment.
• Documents referrals, follow-up calls, and significant events in GEOTrack.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years’ experience working in a criminal justice, treatment or social services setting.
• Bachelor’s degree in social services, criminal justice preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of the transitional process, both documentation and operational, between in-custody and community-based modalities/programs.
• Possession of excellent English and spelling skills.
• Possession of a level of maturity to deal with sensitive issues inherent in the delivery of reentry substance abuse treatment services to the criminal justice population.
• Knowledge and the ability to comply with program documentation requirements, applicable ethical and professional standards of conduct.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as government regulations, legal documents, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to provide effective oversight of participants.
• Ability to facilitate the participant's engagement in the treatment and recovery process.
• Possession of the case management skills necessary to implement the transportation plan, consult as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, and assess ongoing participant needs.
• Ability to work with computers and the necessary software typically used by the department.