POSITION SUMMARY

The Workforce Development Specialist provides direct services including outreach, assessment, and coordination and additionally assists with developing the team’s workforce development strategy, representing the team at community level workforce development provider meetings, and provide workforce data from the HMIS for monthly reports. Additional responsibilities include representing the team at external meeting and city events as well as maintaining compliance with all TCP contract requirements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively engage with consumers referred and accepted for workforce development services to include intake, referral and all follow-along support necessary to link the consumer with job opportunities and secure, stable employment.
• Interact with referring case management teams and help attending all meetings, and activities related to consumers entering the workforce development program as appropriate.
• Develop assessments and vocational profiles for all consumers referred and accepted for services. This includes the initial assessment of interests, abilities and skills, development of an individual employment plan, assistance with resume development, use of environmental assessments and consideration of reasonable accommodations along with development of vocational profiles conducted in partnership with consumers.
• Provides benefits counseling support and guidance by helping consumers examine and understand how work may impact benefits they receive such as SSI, SSDI, Medical Assistance and other disability related benefits.
• Assists consumers with connecting with benefits specialists at Community Connections and advocacy on behalf of consumers to resolve problems related to their benefits
• Coordinates with treatment team members regarding the provision of workforce development services to consumers.
• Assists consumers in job search and connects them with resources job training or skill-building prior to placement and connects them to community resources, such as potential employers, business groups, or job fairs, that can provide competitive jobs based on consumer preferences.
• Provides job skills training to consumers by teaching skills necessary to keep the job including manual, interpersonal, or communication skills.
• Provide ongoing support to consumers after they have obtained a job which may include travel training, money management, job-appropriate grooming and hygiene, problem resolution, on-the-job training, interpersonal skills development, and overall adjustment to a work environment.
• Provides support to consumers and their employers for ongoing success which can include crisis intervention, job counseling/coaching, treatment changes, travel training and job support groups as well as an on-going assessment of worksite and situation.
• Works with consumers to develop appropriate case plans, which are agreed upon by the service provider and the consumer, consisting of time-specific goals and objectives.
• Responsible for documenting case plans in the HMIS for all persons served (individuals and families) within 48 hours of service and case notes updated at minimum, one time per month, per goal.
• Responsible for updating action steps in HMIS every 30 days or closed whenever the consumer has completed a task related to a specific goal or if the goal is no longer active.

In addition to role responsibilities, each staff member of Community Connections has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment:

• Models and reinforces Community Connections mission to provide behavioral health, residential services, and primary health care coordination for marginalized and disenfranchised women, men, youth, and children living in the District of Columbia, many of whom are coping with challenges including mental illness, addiction, and the aftermath of trauma and abuse.
• Models and reinforces Community Connections values of quality, innovation, respect, equity, and integrity daily.
• Reinforces Community Connection’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Protects the privacy of our consumer’s protected health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant CC related IT security regulations.
• Completes and stays current on role specific and organizational wide training.
• Performs other duties as assigned on an as-needed basis.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, or related social service/science or healthcare discipline required. Master’s degree preferred
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret documents
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet frequent deadlines
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite software (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

• May need to work untraditional work hours such as weekends, evenings, observed holidays, and nights.
• This is an essential or critical position which will require reporting to a physical work location or making visits to consumers in the community as defined by the business needs of Community Connections, Inc
• This is a position which may report to work under an office occasional model as defined by the business needs of Community Connections, Inc