Homeless Outreach Program Specialist II*

Job Description:

Homeless Outreach Program Specialist II*

Description

The Job

The Office of Homeless Servicesis recruiting for a Homeless Outreach Program Specialist II*. The incumbent will play a vital role in engaging individuals experiencing homelessness by building trusting relationships, providing peer support, and connecting clients to essential services. This role focuses on reducing barriers to care by leveraging lived experience, understanding of community resources, and familiarity with enhanced case management services offered through Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). The ideal candidate will also have the ability to identify and connect clients to appropriate behavioral health services. Under direction, the incumbent will perform administrative and operational program development activities within the Office of Homeless Services; analyze, recommend, and develop policies/procedures and knowledge assets/tools for homelessness programs based on information gathered from homeless outreach activities and relevant data sources. Incumbents serve as the team leader for a small staff engaged in program development activities or serve as an assistant to the department Director and perform other related duties as required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Outreach: Conduct field-based outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness, with sensitivity and respect for diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
  
• Peer Support: Provide peer support and mentorship grounded in shared lived experience to encourage trust and client engagement. Work with individuals who face significant barriers to stability. Handle cases where clients are not following through with housing commitments or other responsibilities, employing strategies to re-engage them and offer necessary support. Use motivational interviewing and other techniques to help clients overcome barriers to success.
  
• Coordinated Care: Support individuals in accessing housing, medical care, behavioral health treatment, and other supportive services. Facilitate warm hand-offs and referrals to behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder programs. Collaborate with case management teams and local service providers to coordinate care and promote client-centered service delivery. Assist in providing temporary relief and crisis management services for individuals experiencing homelessness, ensuring access to emergency shelter, food, and other resources. Offer stabilization and follow-up support as needed.
  
• ECM: Maintain working knowledge of IEHP Enhanced Care Management (ECM) services and assist clients in accessing and navigating ECM support.
  
• Program Development: Develop and oversee initiatives aimed at addressing homelessness within the county; ensure programs align with the county's homeless services goals and the Continuum of Care (CoC) framework. Conduct analytical studies of organizational systems, policies, and practices. Propose and implement new or modified policies and procedures to improve service delivery and operational efficiency for homeless individuals. Participate in quality assurance meetings and coordinate monitoring of homelessness services to ensure program effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. Assess the impact of services and recommend changes to improve outcomes for clients. Lead a small team of Program Specialist I's in developing and managing programs designed to support homeless populations, including outreach, shelter services, and housing assistance.
  
• Administrative & Case Management Duties: Balance administrative responsibilities, such as maintaining case files, preparing reports, documenting client contacts, referrals, and progress in accordance with program guidelines. Ensure timely, accurate completion of paperwork while prioritizing client engagement and service delivery.
  
• County & Community Collaboration: Act as a liaison between various county departments, service providers, community organizations, and the public; collaborate with county departments and community partners to advocate for and deliver coordinated services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Coordinate efforts to solve mutual problems, exchange information, and provide services that align with the county’s homeless services strategy.
  
• Training & Capacity Building: Lead or participate in training programs for staff, service providers, and community stakeholders on best practices for supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, including trauma-informed care, harm reduction, housing-first approaches, and de-escalation techniques. Participate in case conferencing and team meetings.

*Official Job Title: Program Specialist II

Benefits Overview

HEALTH BENEFITS

PAID TIME OFF

RETIREMENT PERKS

• Medical & Dental: Family Coverage
• Vision: Employee Coverage
• Premium subsidies to offset health costs
• Flexible Spending Account: Pre-tax account for qualified healthcare expenses

• Up to 4 weeks accruable vacation with cash-out option
• 11 days accruable sick leave
• 15 paid holidays
• Perfect Attendance Leave
• Flexible work schedules (in some departments)

• Generous pension
• Retirement reciprocity may be available!
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation
• Retirement Medical Trust (RMT)

DCAP Account - County Paid Life Insurance - AD&D Insurance - 529 Savings Plan - Short & Long-Term Disability
Wellness Program - Commuter Services - Employee Discounts - Annual Tuition Reimbursement

Review the Employee Benefits Summary for more Information

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Pre-Employment Process: Applicants must pass a background investigation, including credit check, physical examination, fingerprinting, and drug test prior to appointment.

Travel: Travel throughout the County and State may be required. Employees will be required to make provision for County transportation; travel throughout the State will be at the provision of the employer.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

Education: An associate's degree or equivalent ( 60 semester or 90 quarter units) of completed college coursework from an accredited institution, in behavioral/social science, business/public/health care administration, liberal arts, education, or a closely related field. A list of completed college coursework or legible copies of transcripts MUST be submitted with the application if the applicant does not possess an associate's degree or higher in one of the qualifying fields listed above.

Education Substitution: Two (2) years of additional qualifying experience may substitute for the required education on the basis of one (1) year of experience for one (1) year of education (e.g., twelve (12) months of additional experience substitutes for thirty (30) semester units).

-AND-


Experience: Two (2) years of full-time equivalent experience in a housing, human services/social services, behavioral/mental/public health program, or community-based organization performing responsible case management duties, which included one (1) or more of the following areas as primary duties :

(1) D irect community service engagement with high housing barrier clients, providing support in accessing housing, medical care, behavioral health treatment, and other supportive services;
(2) Conducting housing assessments and program navigation for emergency shelter placement, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and/or permanent housing;
(3) Housing program monitoring and evaluation.

Experience must include homeless outreach field work. E xperience may be concurrent.

Important Notes:

• MLA: Completion of the San Bernardino County Management Leadership Academy (MLA) program will be accepted toward the required coursework on the basis of four (4) quarter units of credit per MLA track completed.
  
• Education: Degrees or coursework completed outside of the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation report from a reputable credential evaluation service indicating equivalency to degrees or coursework completed at a college or university accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.
  
• Experience: Qualifying e xperience, including field-based work, must be clearly demonstrated on the application and supplemental questionnaire.
  
• Eligibility Worker experience is not considered qualifying.
  

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas in a homeless services program environment:

• Collaboration Across Departments & Organizations: Experience coordinating efforts across various county departments and entities to support homeless individuals and families.
• Conflict Resolution and Client Management: Proven ability to manage challenging interactions with homeless clients, using de-escalation techniques with a compassionate, professional approach to resolve conflicts and reach positive outcomes.
• Client Engagement & Responsibility: Experience employing strategies that help re-engage clients who may struggle with following through with housing commitments and responsibilities; providing support and motivation in reaching housing stability and self-sufficiency.
• Building & Maintaining Relationships with Service Providers: Ability to build positive and collaborative working relationships with local organizations and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and improve client outcomes.
• Empathy, Trust, & Direct Service: Ability to build rapport and maintain a client-centered approach in every interaction; understanding the importance of empathy and trust when working with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Managing Administrative Duties with Client-Focused Care: Experience balancing administrative tasks with direct, effective, and compassionate service delivery.
• Public Speaking & Community Engagement: Experience delivering presentations and engaging with diverse audiences on homelessness issues, including addressing difficult questions or concerns.

Selection Process

Examination Procedure :
There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on a review of the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire; therefore, it is to your advantage to provide as much relevant and detailed work experience in the work experience section of your application. Do not refer to a resume; it will not be reviewed.

Application Procedure :
Complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 PM, Friday, May 30, 2025.

To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application before the posted filing deadline. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.

If you require technical assistance, please click on the following link to review the Government Jobs online application guide o r contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by the internet connection, computer or browser used to submit the application.

EEO/ADA: San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.

Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Please review the Veteran's Preference Policy for information and instructions to request Veteran's Preference points.

Please click HERE for important Applicant Information and the County Employment Process .

Administrative Services Unit

The County of San Bernardino offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

For a summary of benefits, please click here .

Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the Benefits website for more detailed information at hr.sbcounty.gov/employee-benefits/ .

Closing Date/Time: 5/30/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$70,844.80 - $97,344.00 Annually