Position Overview

Reporting to the Manager, Intake and Supportive Housing, the Intake and Housing First Outreach Caseworker is a dual role providing both intake services to potential new agency clients, as well as providing ongoing intensive community support to a partial caseload of ongoing clients.

In the Intake role, this position acts as the front door to accessing services at Summit Housing & Outreach Programs (Summit). The Intake and Housing First Outreach Caseworker provides client support by responding to requests for service, assessing client needs, and providing short-term transitional community and housing supports. Further duties include gathering client demographics, demonstrating strong clinical judgment and risk assessment skills, and possessing a strong knowledge of multiple community agencies.

This dual role also carries a client caseload and provides intensive community, and housing supports to people accessing mental health services, including people living in supportive housing and institutional or community-based homes, who have a history of difficulty maintaining secure housing. The position follows Housing First principles and uses a flexible, comprehensive, and individualized support model to advance the goals and objectives of Summit.

Key Responsibilities

- Conduct intake assessments for individuals seeking services who experience serious mental health issues and may be at risk of homelessness
- Screen for risk, assess referral priority, and determine immediate service needs
- Provide short-term community, housing, and wait-list support to individuals seeking services
- Act as a first point of contact for the agency, building relationships with clients, families, referring providers, community partners, hospitals, and health and social service agencies
- Promote and educate community partners about Summit Housing & Outreach Programs’ services through liaison activities, presentations, community events, and committee participation
- Provide intensive, individualized community and housing support in accordance with Housing First principles, including consumer choice, self-determination, recovery-oriented practice, harm reduction, separation of housing and services, and community integration
- Assess clients’ rehabilitative potential and collaborate with clients to develop, implement, and review individual service plans and goals that support independence
- Develop or participate in coordinated care plans with internal teams and external health service providers, following applicable provincial requirements
- Support clients in securing and maintaining safe,



stable housing, including liaising and advocating with landlords and assisting clients to meet Community Housing Program requirements
- Ensure clients are meaningfully involved in program planning and decision-making to support self-determination
- Support clients in developing activities of daily living skills, including budgeting, cooking, cleaning, shopping, personal hygiene, and social or recreational activities
- Maintain cooperative relationships with clients’ families and circles of care, and engage other community agencies in service delivery, where applicable and permitted
- Recognize, assess, respond to, and de-escalate crisis situations, engaging appropriate clinical, emergency, or community supports as required
- Participate in client intake, assessment, orientation, goal reviews, team meetings, and service coordination activities
- Accurately complete client records, case notes, outcome reporting, and other documentation within required timelines and in accordance with PHIPA, other applicable privacy legislation, and legal and organizational requirements
- Work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining open and consistent communication with management and the staff team
- Identify service gaps, report concerns and housing maintenance issues, and support continuous improvement in service delivery
- Perform duties in accordance with applicable legislation, Summit Housing & Outreach Programs’ policies and procedures, and the Collective Agreement
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Management Team or Senior Management

Required Qualifications & Experience

- Degree in mental health discipline or social work, or diploma coupled with extensive
- community and housing supports and intake experience
- Registered health care professional in good standing, preferred
- Experience providing frontline support or case management in one or more of the following: Shelters or emergency housing, Supportive or congregate housing, Residential or transitional housing programs, and/or Community mental health or outreach services
- Case-management, harm reduction and Housing First principles knowledge and experience




- Understanding of the Residential Tenancies Act and a capacity and skill in supporting
- difficult to house individuals

Demonstrated ability to:

- Work effectively with individuals with serious mental illness and complex needs
- Respond appropriately to crisis and high-acuity situations (recognize, assess, respond, and/or diffuse crises)
- Balance client support with residential and community safety considerations
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and documentation skills
- Ability to work both independently and co-operatively within a community-based service providers’ team
- Knowledge of community resources in Halton Region (asset)
- Valid driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle with adequate insurance

Working Conditions

- Work is primarily conducted in congregate residential settings and community locations
- The role involves working with individuals who may be experiencing distress, crisis, or behavioural escalation
- Environments may be unpredictable and require sound judgment regarding personal and client safety
- Appropriate training, policies, and safety protocols are in place to support staff
- Moderate physical activity may be required when supporting daily living skills

Why Work at Summit

- Meaningful work supporting housing stability and recovery
- Opportunities to gain experience across residential and outreach settings
- Supportive, team-based environment grounded in dignity, respect, and harm-reduction principles
- Ideal role for experienced shelter or residential workers seeking to transition into supportive housing and case management

Equity & Inclusion

Summit Housing and Outreach Programs strives to foster an equitable workplace that reflects the diversity of the community we serve and welcomes all qualified candidates including racialized individuals, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities and people with culturally diverse backgrounds.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Lived or shared experience related to mental health challenges is considered an asset.

Important Disclosure

We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants at any stage of the hiring process.

This posting is to fill an existing permanent vacancy.

Pay: $26.82 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care

Work Location: In person

📌 Intake and Housing First Caseworker (Oakville)
🏢 Summit Housing & Outreach Programs
📍 Oakville