University District Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator - Aurora/North Seattle

Description

Title: University District Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator

Location: Aurora/North Seattle

Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm

Salary Range: $82,500-$96,500

Working at Evergreen Treatment Services makes a big difference in our community!

• ETS has been working to transform the lives of individuals and their communities through innovative and effective addiction and social services in Western Washington for over 50 years. Learn more about our mission and values. 
• Change begins within. We strive to foster and sustain a diverse and inclusive community within our organization. Find out how we are working to achieve racial equity, health equity, and community justice. 
• Our Clinic Services and REACH teams bring critical professional expertise and heartfelt compassion to the work they do every day to serve our most vulnerable community members. Check out the compelling stories told by our patients, clients, and staff members that provide more information and a clear picture regarding our organization’s essential work.  

REACH Mission and Values

The REACH Program of Evergreen Treatment Services works with individuals experiencing homelessness and behavioral health conditions to help them achieve stability and improved quality of life. The REACH mission is to foster community health and safety through outreach, relationship, healing interventions and systems advocacy for people who use drugs. REACH provides outreach-based-care coordination, multidisciplinary clinical services, and supports access and maintaining housing. All services are based in principles of harm reduction that offer respect and dignity to individuals moving through stages of change in their lives.  

REACH incorporates a racial equity lens that includes naming the impact and actively dismantling systems of oppression rooted in White Supremacy, while addressing the root causes perpetuating historical trauma and immense suffering in individuals’ lives. We are committed to building a robust behavioral health response that diverts people away from jail by rebuilding community and providing services to ensure those presently marginalized aren’t just surviving, but able to thrive. 

REACH offers an array of services ranging from survival support provided where folks are living outside to linkages to essential resources such as housing, assistance to resolve legal issues, health care, entitlements and easily accessible treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions.  

The REACH team is passionate about creating a hospitable and welcoming environment for all people while providing quality services on an individually tailored basis to our clientele. REACH values diversity of lived experience is committed to racial equity and social justice, and appreciates hard work, creativity, and a good sense of humor. People who have been impacted by the criminal legal system are encouraged to apply.

This dynamic position plays an important role in helping ETS accomplish our mission!

Job Summary:

As a part of the?REACH?Outreach Team, the U District Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator will?focus on engaging clients living on the streets of the U District and in nearby encampments with low barrier resource navigation,?maintaining?client engagement with case management services, and?establishing?partnerships with other providers and organizations to coordinate care?for people who suffer from behavioral health issues, substance abuse disorders, and live outside.??? 

• Place Based - The Neighborhood Coordinator?will proactively outreach all clients living unhoused in the U District to get to know unhoused community needs, barriers, and any possible points of tension between the client and the surrounding community. The coordinator will assess client service needs and?engagements to reconnect with existing services or coordinate referrals to appropriate providers. The coordinator will work with?community?groups, including the U District Partnership, local providers and neighborhood safety ambassadors or volunteer groups,?interacting with client populations to navigate?clients’?needs and confidentiality while resolving issues related to unmet behavioral health needs or?survival-based?behaviors in neighborhood.??? 
• Inter-Agency & Community Collaboration - The position is housed within the ETS REACH program but is part of a dynamic and close collaboration with the U District Partnership, a nonprofit place management organization that oversees and spearheads programs and services for the University District including cleaning, safety ambassadors and homeless outreach services. The coordinator will work closely with the U District Partnership Director of Clean, Safe, and Outreach Operations to prioritize workflow and client focus. The collaboration with the U District Partnership is part of a larger, multi-neighborhood impact framework that is operating in Ballard and the Chinatown-International District and may expand to Pioneer Square and Capitol Hill. Centered on person-based, neighborhood-level coordination, the framework brings together ambassador teams, outreach and case management providers, community-based organizations, and City of Seattle partners to create targeted, responsive strategies. By narrowing the geographic focus and aligning local priorities with available resources, this model aims to improve public safety while delivering more effective, individualized support. 
• Office and Hours - The position is a full-time (Monday-Friday, 8:30AM -5pm, with a 30 min lunch break), in person direct-service based position that will conduct outreach to?people who use drugs, live outside, and are experiencing behavioral health needs in the University District. The coordinator may be able to flex hours to provide targeted outreach services outside of these hours as discussed and agreed upon by ETS REACH and Ballard Alliance (i.e. weekend community event support). The coordinator will spend much of their time in the field in designated neighborhoods, with access to office space at UDP, and based at the North ETS REACH Office. The coordinator is expected to attend meetings at the REACH offices as required. 

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, mental?health?and homelessness.?? 
• Assist?with 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.? 
• Advance mission of fostering community care by?facilitating?a safer environment for clients and community members.? 
• Support community relationship building between ETS and community partners in University District to advance community and client safety and health needs.  

Clinical Support and Engagement:?

• Conduct?brief assessments to understand clients' substance use patterns, mental health status, and social determinants of health and?community-based?assessments to understand local resource availability and access.? 
• Utilize?clinical supervision, psychiatric?consultation, and?peer support for exploring clinical intervention strategies, resource development,?self-care?and burnout prevention.?? 
• Participate in case conferencing meetings for outreach and other homeless service providers to discuss clients with high barriers to accessing services.? 
• Utilize?Motivational Interviewing to provide brief, ongoing counseling and support to help clients set achievable goals related to their mental health, substance use and overall well-being.? 

Harm Reduction Education and Community Needs Assessment:?

• Educate?clients on safer drug use practices, overdose prevention, and accessing harm reduction resources (e.g., syringe exchange programs, MOUD, co-occurring outpatient?programming,?etc.).? 
• Develop?community-based?harm reduction plans in collaboration with clients, focusing on reducing risks associated with drug use and unmet mental health needs for groups of clients in neighborhood or encampment? 
• Provide deescalation and client care support training to interested community members, including volunteer groups, local providers, and clients.?? 

Outreach and Community Engagement:?

• Conduct?daily street outreach to engage with individuals who may be hesitant to access traditional services, spending approximately 4-6 hours in the field and remaining time in coordination meetings or completing documentation. 
• Develop?and?maintain?productive, respectful relationships with community stakeholders and other resources including?BIA, ambassador teams, and community groups?? 
• Maintain regular communication with U District stakeholders, ambassador teams, and other care providers.  

Community Organization, Coordination?& Communication:

• Manage client privacy and service information communication with a variety of stakeholders, balancing linkage to care and crisis coordination needs and client information privacy laws 
• Support community stakeholders with managing privacy protection and communication practices to ensure client confidentiality and complete care coordination   
• Organize local service providers from University District to organize communication amongst providers to support clients in accessing care and maximizing access to services  
• Meet weekly with U District Partnership and coordinate with UDP Ambassadors to coordinate client care and prioritize focus.  
• Daily coordination with UDP staff and timely communication, while supporting field-based work with clear documentation, case notes, and coordination.  
• Identify?gaps and barriers in available community resources and advocate for systemic changes that will?facilitate?easier access to care for individuals facing the most barriers.? 
• Participate in local meetings or initiatives related to addressing the behavioral health needs of people experiencing homelessness or housing instability in the U District. ? 
• Provide community-based education and training to increase knowledge and understanding of social systems and client need and increase community engagement and awareness of local programming efforts  

Documentation and Evaluation:?

• Maintain?accurate?and confidential client records in compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements.? 
• Collect?data and prepare reports on activities per agency and contract requirements.? 
• Participate?in program evaluation and quality improvement activities to enhance service delivery and outcomes.? 
• Provide?services consistent with ETS/REACH policies and procedures.? 

Note: New and/or different duties and responsibilities may be assigned to this job at any time.

Requirements

Qualifications:

Education and/or Relevant and Lived Experience (if applicable):

• Minimum 3–5-year experience working within healthcare, social, and housing/ shelter systems 
• Understanding addiction and harm reduction practices required.  
• Minimum 3-5 years’ Experience practicing outreach and service delivery to various sub-populations of people who use drugs and/or people experiencing homelessness   
• Experience with case management, homelessness, and co-occurring disorders preferred.? 
• 3-5 years' experience conducting outreach to variety of community populations, including business, government, client, and partner provider audiences  
• Experience providing community education and training  

Knowledge and Skills:

• Understand 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. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, patients, and staff from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. 
• Ability to interface effectively and compassionately with community members in the U District that may be impacted by people suffering from deep and unaddressed behavioral health issues.  
• Ability to navigate various communication platforms and manage appropriate levels of communication with a team of multidisciplinary partners  
• Understanding of HIPAA/ 42CFR privacy practices and use of ROI, informed consent, and communication and privacy practices with client care 
• Understanding of crisis care coordination and documentation practices  
• Strong training and facilitation skills to train variety of audiences of set ETS Community Education Program materials and support provider meeting facilitation  
• 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 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. 

Additional Essential Information:

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. Specific vision abilities required by this job include 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, and phone. 
• 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.