Our Compass Housing Alliance emergency services case managers work with our guests to help them achieve their goals. This assistance can take many forms, from housing search assistance to securing vital documents, all while treating each person with dignity and respect.
The case managers pave the road to stability, growth, and community.
“The best part of being a case manager is being able to provide our guests with a community supporting them during rough patches in their life.” – Julian, case manager
Case managers work at our various emergency programs: Day Center, Otto’s Place, Blaine Veterans Center Enhanced Shelter, and Jan & Peter’s Place. They do important work with Coordinated Entry and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). Our case managers also work directly with the King County Veterans Program to provide support for our Veterans in our programs.
“I feel moments of joy and satisfaction when I’m able to help a guest accomplish something that makes their situation better.” – John, case manager
Our case managers have one goal in mind: to help our guests secure permanent housing and overcome any barriers they may face to achieve this. It is work that requires patience, flexibility, and a deep caring for others.
“What excites me most about this work is the balance between consistency and discovery. Compass provides reliable, steady support while allowing space for each day to bring something new — through the diverse talents, perspectives, and creativity our guests share.” – Sara, case manager
The day-to-day of a case manager is as varied as the guests we work with, but there are a few things that are consistent: caring for people, meeting them where they are, and walking alongside them to achieve their goals. Sometimes this is helping guests learn or relearn some of the skills that may have rusted, like how to fill out paperwork for an apartment, or understanding the different culture of living in an apartment building instead of in a shelter or outside.
Sometimes it is even more basic than that.
As a case manager first assesses a guest, they ask questions about any barriers the guest may have to permanent housing. Oftentimes, paperwork is a challenge for our guests if they’ve been outside for a longer period of time. IDs, passports, and birth certificates are all documents that can easily be misplaced, lost, or destroyed. Without those documents, many of the opportunities for housing cannot be realized. Our case managers are there to sort that out.
“I love the creativity this work demands. Every day is a new puzzle, and I enjoy finding thoughtful, outside-the-box solutions to help people move forward.” – Celia, case manager
As our case managers work side by side with our other employees, they bring a can-do attitude and flexibility to their work that helps our guests get the help they need while still being in control. We walk alongside our guests no matter what path they are taking to meet their goals. Our case managers take pride in it, and it shows every day.
“I do the work because it makes me feel more connected to my community, and I believe housing is a human right.” – Vance, case manager