Case Manager - Housing and Food Assistance

• Establish trust and rapport with families as a foundation of the helping process.  
• Utilize language and translation tools as needed to ensure clear communication.
• Utilize a brief intervention model to conduct intakes and assess the needs of people seeking help; some participants may be in crisis and require immediate connections with supportive services such as shelter.
• Provide education, referrals, and emotional support to participants and their families to help them navigate challenges and build resilience.
• Explain PRISM programs and provide access to family-specific programs or resources.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and timely case files and notes for each household.
• Data entry and management in Client Track, spreadsheets, hard files, etc., as instructed.
• Collaborate with and support other PRISM departments and outside agencies to provide the best services for participants experiencing poverty.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with community resources and service providers to enhance support options for participants.
• Maintain and expand a broad knowledge of community resources.
• Conduct assessments to determine participants’ housing and food assistance needs.
• Develop individualized service plans to help participants secure stable housing and access food resources.
• Provide referrals to resources such as shelters, affordable housing, food shelves, and government assistance programs.
• Assist participants with applications for housing subsidies, rental assistance, and food benefits (e.g., SNAP).
• Advocate for participants with landlords, utility companies, and social service agencies.
• Maintain accurate case records and documentation in compliance with program guidelines.
• Collaborate with community partners to expand available resources for participants.
• Conduct follow-ups to ensure continued access to housing and food support.
• Educate participants on budgeting, tenant rights, and food security strategies.
• Screen households seeking rental assistance including dialogue about income, housing status, and current challenges.
• Gather required documents for rental assistance; communicate with landlords.
• Coordinate participant rental needs with funding available; complete financial assistance paperwork accurately following internal controls and systems.

• Comfortable operating in a rapidly evolving environment, adapting quickly to new information, and re-prioritizing as needed. 
• Understanding of poverty, social justice, and disparities that impact low-income communities
• Excellent organizational, technology, and customer service skills. Ability to juggle multiple and changing priorities.  
• Ability and desire to project a professional image through knowledge of the job, positive attitude, and accurate and timely completion of work.  
• Responds to crisis situations in a timely, efficient, and effective manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in written format, using tact, sensitivity, and understanding of diverse audiences to build trusting and cooperative relationships.
• Ability to act without supervision and to exercise appropriate independent judgment

• High school diploma and 1-3 years of experience working directly with people experiencing financial difficulty.
• Culturally competent with experience serving diverse populations.
• Ability to work in a busy environment and quickly adapt to change.
• Competent electronic, verbal & written communication skills.
• You must be able to work until 7:30 pm on Thursday evenings and occasional evenings or weekend hours, as needed.
• Knowledge of and ability to maintain confidential information, adhere to data privacy, mandated reporting, and other legal and ethical requirements.
• Commitment to the mission of PRISM, including dedication to social justice, equity, and empowering individuals and families in need.

• 2-3 years’ experience with Housing-related case management
• Professional training or education in social work or similar fields.
• Ability to speak Spanish, Russian, or Ukrainian.
• Training or experience in trauma-informed practice.
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation/triage skills.
• Strong self-awareness and teamwork focus.
• A good sense of humor!

• Standing and walking throughout the day.
• Sitting for extended periods.
• Typing and using a computer and phone.
• Occasionally help in other departments for a short duration, including assisting in unloading donations from a van, moving boxes, pushing carts, etc.

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