Outreach Specialist - U District

About the role

The North Outreach Specialist will be based in Seattle City Council District 5 region of Seattle, working with the North Outreach Team. This position is full-time onsite, with days and hours of M-F 8a- 4:30p.

Responsibilities

• Help ETS succeed in carrying out our mission through working together with other staff to transform systems of harm and inequity to create different approaches to improving community health and safety through addressing substance use and homelessness.
• Aid in the organization-wide initiative to reimagine our interconnectedness within our community to overcome the aspects of our society and organizational culture shaped by white supremacy and settler colonialism.
• Provide outreach to folks living outside in Seattle D5 to conduct health and needs assessments and provide recommendations for services and resource distribution.
• Go to sites where individuals experiencing homelessness are located, to make contact and explain the approach to potential clients.
• Assess client’s needs for mental health, primary medical care, and substance use according to their stage of change, focusing on reducing harmful consequences of behavior.
• Assess scope of need of unhoused client population in D5 and work with government and community partners to advocate for access to or creation of adequate services.
• Refer clients to resources and services and support-maintaining engagement with service.
• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with program partners and referral sources to facilitate effective interagency collaboration and prevent duplication of services.
• Participate in case conferencing meetings for outreach and other homeless service providers to discuss clients with high barriers.
• Maintain up to date data per REACH Outreach standards to coordinate care for clients and have accurate information on sites.
• Document activities according to agency, contract, state and federal requirements.
• Connect with government and community entities to bring a coordinated system response, which may include: City and County coordinators, Public health assessments and care, Hygiene and sanitation services, Waste removal, Law enforcement coordination, Benefits Assistance.
• Participate in relevant stakeholders, government entity, and community meetings to respond to help create an effective system response.
• Maintain professional and ethical confidentiality practices while communicating with community partners to maintain client privacy rights and advocate for client needs.
• Utilize clinical supervision, psychiatric consultation and peer support for exploring clinical intervention strategies, countertransference, resource development, self-care and burnout prevention.
• Provide services consistent with ETS/REACH program policies and procedures.
• Local travel on behalf of the Agency is a job requirement.
• Attend REACH team meetings and other required meetings at REACH and with program partners.

Requirements

• Education and/or Relevant and Lived Experience (if applicable): High school diploma or equivalent required, undergraduate degree with coursework in the social service field preferred. A minimum of two years’ experience in work related to social work or outreach programs. Demonstrated ability to respectfully engage with individuals experiencing homelessness and behavioral health conditions essential. Understanding and skilled at working with complex governmental and community partners to maintain service provision to clients. Experience providing services from a harm reduction perspective is highly desirable. Knowledge and Skills: Have an understanding of racial justice and social equity and a commitment to helping create an equitable environment for all ETS clients and patients as well as fellow staff. Must be able to pass a Washington State Patrol criminal background check. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, patients, and staff from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. Strong interpersonal skills and verbal/ written communication skills. Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload, work independently, and complete tasks timely and efficiently. Dependable, able to work under pressure, receptive to change, willingness to learn, cooperative approach to problem solving. Flexible team player, with excellent attention to detail. Ability to work very independently and seek supervision when appropriate. Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion when handling highly sensitive information. Ability to set boundaries, resolve conflict and de-escalate issues. Computer literate, with basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (or equivalent suites such as Google Workspace), as well as a high level of initiative in keeping current with technological changes. Skills needed include basic functions such as utilizing MS Outlook email and calendaring programs (or equivalent) and sending attachments, using MS Teams or equivalent chat, call, and videoconference features, and navigating search engines such as Edge or Google and carrying out browser searches and website benchmarking steps.

Physical Conditions and Requirements

• The employee may be exposed to illicit drug residues and fumes or other bio-hazardous materials when carrying out job functions. There is also potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• ETS will provide employees with appropriate training to limit the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Policies and procedures are in place addressing each item specifically.
• The employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, and kneel; occasionally to climb balance, or stoop; rarely to crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• The employee must have specific vision abilities required by this job including close, color, and peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate.
• Equipment Used: Computer, photocopier, fax machine, phone, and backpack. Possible use of a program vehicle, for which a valid Driver’s License and acceptable driving would be required.

Inclusivity And Reasonable Accommodation

Evergreen Treatment Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Note that a Washington State Patrol criminal background check will be conducted periodically as a condition of ongoing employment, and candidates with prior criminal convictions will be invited to provide additional context as needed. ETS will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so that they can perform the essential functions of a job unless doing so causes a direct threat to these individuals or others in the workplace and the threat cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation, or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship for ETS. We also seek to provide reasonable accommodation for the interview process.