The Veteran's Services area of Hennepin County's Health and Human Services is seeking a Senior Social Worker to specifically focus on income solutions for veterans experiencing homelessness. This position will work closely with the Homeless to Housing Program – a three-unit, housing-focused case management team. This position will have a caseload and will be working with veterans staying in shelters, outside, and in encampments to connect them to permanent housing by using a housing-first approach, relationship building, creating housing goal plans, and breaking down housing barriers.
This position will be in the Veterans Services Office, which helps service members, veterans, survivors, and family members efficiently navigate the Veterans Administration benefit system. A knowledge base of serious and persistent mental illness, chemical dependency, recovery, and community resources is preferred. This position is a part of an interdisciplinary team assisting individuals in achieving and maintaining housing stability.
Location and hours:
This position is hybrid and will be performed on-site at various community sites throughout Hennepin County, from an assigned department building based on your home address, and remote as job duties require. Work hours will be primarily Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but may include some evening and weekend hours. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin.
In this position you will:
Work with former service members referred from a centralized source and work with them in different settings throughout the system including shelters, encampments, and drop-in centers.
Assist former service members through all aspects of the housing search process including engaging with them to work through concerns and barriers and co-creating housing goal plans, assisting with applications, gathering needed documents, filing claims and assisting with appeals in any that have been denied, and leading the housing search and move-in processes.
Provide service navigation assistance to former service members that may include assistance with applying for the State Soldiers Assistance Program (SSAP) for many types of financial assistance such as: educational services, housing mainstream benefits coordination, healthcare navigation, employment assistance, and assisting justice involved veterans that are navigating veteran's treatment court.
Research community programs and resources that former service members experiencing homelessness may qualify for so that referrals can be made to assist them.
Collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Veteran's Affairs (MDVA) Homeless Programs Office and the Veteran Affairs (VA) Community Resource and Referral Center (CCRC) and any other appropriate Veteran agency or non-profit organization.
Perform case noting and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data entry and be data-informed in service delivery.
Complete former service member data entry into the Minnesota Department of Veteran's Affairs (MDVA) Homeless Veteran Registry.
Need to have:
One of the following:
Master's degree or higher in social work or closely related field with course work emphasis in areas such as social work methods, human growth and behavior, and principles of social welfare.
Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or human services, and at least 18 semester (27 quarter) credits of graduate work in the above areas, and three years or more of full-time supervised experience as a social worker.
Licensed as a Graduate Social Worker by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
A valid driver's license, the ability to obtain a Hennepin County drivers permit, and daily access to reliable transportation to travel primarily in the metro with occasional travel outside the metro to transport clients and visit clients in their residential setting.
Nice to have:
Experience working with:
Various veteran systems and veteran specific resources in reviewing and determining client eligibility for various types of assistance.
Individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
Systems such as the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Social Service Information System (SSIS).
Candidates with a status as veteran (served in active duty in the U.S. armed forces) as determined in Minnesota State Statute 197.447 are encouraged to apply.
Opening Date: 06/23/2023
Closing Date: 7/10/2023 11:59 PM Central
Website: Social Worker, Senior - Veteran Focused | Job Details tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)