Housing Consultant, High Health Risk Populations

at  Fraser Health

Salary range: The salary range for this position is CAD $45.46 - $65.35 / hour Why Fraser Health?:
Fraser Health is the second largest health system in Canada with over 45,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers, and is the largest of five regional health authorities in British Columbia, providing hospital and community-based health services to nearly 2 million people in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
We invite you to apply today and find out why employees recommend Fraser Health to their friends as an exceptional place to work. We are committed to planetary health, we value diversity in the work force and seek to maintain an environment of Respect, Caring and Trust. Curious to learn what it’s like to work here? Like us on Facebook (@fraserhealthcareers), follow us on Twitter & Instagram (@FHCareer), or connect with us on LinkedIn (fraserhealthcareers) for first-hand employee insights.

PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES:

• Demonstrated knowledge of housing (supportive living) principles, best practices and trends in not for profit community settings related to high health risk populations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of housing (supportive living) needs, services and issues for high health risk populations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the broad determinants of health.
• Demonstrated abilities in managing complex projects and programs.
• Knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in health care.
• Ability to operate a PC and effectively utilize a variety of software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, database and e-mail.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

The Housing Consultant, High Health Risk Populations, provides leadership in the delivery of emergency, residential and supported housing programs and services across Fraser Health. High health risk populations include individuals with serious and persistent addictions, persons with serious physical disabilities, persons with brain injury, and persons with chronic medical conditions. Responsible and accountable for leading the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of multi-year housing plans and services that meet the goals and objectives of the program, and are in alignment with Fraser Health’s (FH) strategic plan. Ensures the identification and incorporation of best practices for care delivery within housing models. Liaises with non-profit agencies and private service providers on specific housing projects. Acts as an intermediary between FH, non-profit societies, municipalities, and BC Housing to develop housing opportunities.

Responsibilities:

• Develops, implements, and evaluates comprehensive multi-year supportive housing plans for high health risk populations consistent with best practices framework and in alignment with Fraser Health’s (FH) strategic plan. Develops proposals in advance of funding announcements by other government agencies. Acts as an intermediary between FH, non-profit societies, municipalities, and BC Housing to develop housing opportunities.
• Liaises with non-profit agencies and private service providers on specific housing projects and takes a leadership role in initiating and supporting education opportunities for housing providers.
• In consultation with FH program leadership. Identifies and develops service delivery/program priorities, standards and policies for supportive housing for high health risk populations based on identified needs for new or changed services and best practices. Projects future housing needs, priorities and resource requirements.
• Coordinates quality improvement and risk management activities. Facilitates the implementation of approved modifications and evaluation of process effectiveness to ensure optimal use of organizational resources and safe delivery of client care. Monitors initiatives and takes corrective action to ensure implementation strategies and services continue to operate efficiently and effectively. Identifies, documents and follows-up on risk management and quality issues. Ensures appropriate processes are in place for responding, and develops a proactive approach to risk management.
• Participates in evaluative research initiatives, initiative planning, and evaluation activities, taking an interdisciplinary and consultative approach.
• Establishes relationships with stakeholders to optimize the program and service access and flow. Ensures effective client access and flow within programs/services by incorporating standardization of practice, quality and system effectiveness parameters.
• Collaborates with leaders to promote a seamless transition and innovative client-centred access and flow solution to programs/services, including the identification of service, system and client quality impacts. Develops and implements mitigation strategies, as needed to correct gaps in access and flow to programs/services.
• Expedites the access and flow of clients by identifying the appropriate intake of clients between acute and community. Reviews referrals and assesses the status of clients and available resources. Monitors daily priorities related to access and flow, identifies barriers and escalates appropriately. Ensures appropriate organizational structures and processes are in place to promote safe and timely client transitions throughout sites and into community.
• In collaboration with FH program leadership, BC Housing, and/or other partnerships, researches and develops appropriate housing models and policy. Ensures supportive housing plans meet the needs of the community, and supports and builds on community capacity.
• Develops benchmarks and evaluation tools that measure supportive housing services performance indicators including appropriate client and program indicators, consumer feedback, service delivery trends, emergent patterns and innovations to support a quality improvement approach to supportive housing in keeping with FH frameworks.
• Develops processes for maintaining and enhancing the inclusion of consumers and their families in the planning and delivery of supportive housing services for high health risk populations, with special emphasis on ensuring inclusion of perspectives of population groups with unique needs. Ensures ongoing relevance and progress towards regional goals that are in keeping with the mandate of FH.
• Works collaboratively with BC Housing and other provincial and federal authorities and organizations to provide the resources and contacts necessary for sourcing and developing alternative housing models. Represents FH at various homelessness planning tables at the municipal and provincial level as appropriate.
• Liaises with the Ministry of Health regarding funding structures for housing models and keeps up to date on funding mechanisms and various approaches to providing housing to people with high health risks.
• Participates as a member of the Community Health Services teams in developing policy, priority setting, systems thinking, and strategic planning and resource allocation decisions as they relate to housing services.
• Consults with various FH leadership teams regarding housing initiatives that affect high health risk populations in the region and recommends appropriate strategies.
• Develops and maintains a database system to track high health risk population housing management information. Extracts information to assist in program planning and evaluation and prepares an annual high health risk populations Housing Report and/or other ad hoc reports.
• Develops and maintains liaisons with health care facilities, community organizations and agencies, as well as, municipal, provincial and federal government agencies regarding partnerships, funding opportunities and service delivery.

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences or related discipline, plus a minimum five (5) years in housing and policy development, analysis, and management of diverse non-profit community housing programs, preferably for high health risk populations.