Residential Counselor, Clarendon - Pine Street Inn

SCHEDULE: 32 hours per week; Wednesday - Saturday, 4pm - 1230am.

Pays $21.40 per hour, plus $2.00 (shift differential pay) for every hour worked between 11:00pm – 7:00am

LOCATION: 140 Clarendon Street, Boston

REQUIREMENTS:

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The Residential Counselor will provide an evening presence, doing regular rounds throughout the building, being available to tenants as necessary, assisting with regular daily tenant wellness checks, observing and upholding the rights of tenants, overseeing occupancy agreement and house rule compliance, setting limits when appropriate, and providing crisis intervention as necessary. Counselors will contribute to the physical upkeep of the building by noting any housekeeping or maintenance issues that arise during their shift, resolving these problems where possible, and forwarding concerns to appropriate staff for later resolution when necessary.

Occasional daytime availability will be required for trainings, meetings and other obligations. This person will be an important member of a team, which has as its goal assisting our tenants to achieve the very highest possible quality of life.

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Computer literacy, proficient with Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel

PREFERRED:

• College degree

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

• Ability to work well with a diverse population.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and observational skills.
• Strong writing skills, ability to document observations
• Experience working with people with active and untreated mental illness including substance use disorders

PREFERRED:

• Prior experience in residential management, direct service with people with behavioral health challenges
• Experience working with people who have been homeless
• Familiarity with Harm Reduction approach to working with people with Behavioral Health challenges.
• Experience using crisis intervention.
• Knowledge of substance use disorder issues and of mental illness
• Bilingual

PHYSICAL ABILITIES/SKILLS:

• Ability to lift heavy objects (50 lbs.)
• Ability to climb several flights of stairs
• Ability to respond quickly to emergencies
• Ability to walk up to a mile, as necessary, to access work site in any weather

MENTAL ABILITIES/SKILL:

• Self-motivated.
• Ability to remain alert and responsive during evening hours
• Ability to respond in crisis, to set limits, and to mediate disputes
• Well organized follow through on scheduled tasks
• Ability to assess and respond to situations involving health and security risks or crises.
• Ability to communicate information both verbally and via e-mail in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work independently and to handle authority appropriately.
• Ability to work in a demanding environment and juggle multiple priorities simultaneously.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Review all related e-mail correspondence to stay up to date with the needs of individual tenants
• Be available during day as necessary to for required trainings, meetings, legal proceedings and other events.
• Be available to Represent PSI Supportive Housing Department in the Housing and Criminal Court system in conjunction with Supervisory staff.
• Communicate regularly with supervisor and other staff of the residence. Perform wellness checks and report observations via e-mail system. Provide clear, concise documentation of encounters with tenants.
• Assess and respond appropriately to emergency situations. Use emergency phone tree, and complete incident reports as necessary.
• Due to emergency or unforeseen program needs, staff may be temporarily or permanently reassigned to another PSI Housing program at any given time.
• Assist tenants as required for bed bug remediation as outline by PSI Bed Bug Policy
• Assist with emergency housekeeping as needed
• Report maintenance emergencies, as well as routine maintenance needs through the appropriate channels.
• Promote tenant compliance with occupancy agreements and house rules. Monitor tenants and tenant’s guests who are awake and active in the house. Make regular rounds through supported areas. Act to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment.
• Provide awake and alert evening coverage, performing rounds, and monitoring all common areas of the building between floors 4 and 8.
• Promote social integration and cooperative problem solving.
• Work with tenants on activities of daily living (ADL’s) and other means of enhancing quality of life and ability to live independently.
• Be available to tenants, many of whom have chronic substance abuse and/or mental or physical health issues
• Maintain a positive and professional relationship with the neighbors, community members, involved family members, colleagues and funding sources.
• Observe main entrance, ensure that all who enter are allowed to enter and follow required sign in protocol
• Participate in all trainings relevant to job description
• Complete other duties and projects as assigned by Supervisor.
• Uphold the rights of all tenants. Be continually aware of these rights and act in accordance with these rights. Interact with tenants in ways which establish a climate of respect for human dignity.
• Work cooperatively with representatives of all PSI departments, and Beacon Communities, including but not limited to development and external affairs, finance, human resources.

Core Competencies and Skills:

• Guest/Tenant/Client Focus: Provides service excellence to guests, tenants, or clients. Responds to needs in a timely, professional, helpful, and courteous manner. Responds to immediate needs and then follows up with guests, tenants or clients. Keeps guests/tenants/clients up to date on progress of services they are receiving and changes that affect them. Appropriately prioritizes needs of guests/tenants/clients.

• Attention to Detail: Works in a conscientious, consistent and thorough manner. Demonstrates clear understanding of documentation requirements for role and maintains current accurate documentation. Reviews work and documentation for accuracy and thoroughness.

• Motivating Guests/Tenants/Client: Inspires guest/tenant/clients' commitment to their own development toward self-management and independent living. Looks for and uses intervention motivational techniques, including motivational interviewing. Acknowledges achievements. Helps guests/tenants/clients identify their long-range plans and goals. Maintains and communicates a positive, yet realistic outlook. Uses a variety of approaches to energize and inspire guests/tenants/clients.

INTERNAL CANDIDATES, IF INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION, PLEASE SUBMIT A PROMOTION/TRANSFER APPLICATION TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF POSTED DATE.