This month I'd like to introduce you to Melissa Bahnke, a supportive services coordinator in our Leasing Assistance Program.
Melissa Bahnke works to support people in our housing programs by guiding them in achieving program goals of financial security, self sufficiency and obtaining permanent housing.
The grants CHN receives dictates the amount of support each participant will obtain. These grants have special requirements.All potential program participants have to be literally homeless and working with a core provider seeking services for a qualifying disability. Some grants require that the program participant has a developmental disability or previous substance abuse.
It is Melissa's job to assist program participants working
toward their goals to become as successful as they can be.
She also supports program participants while they're living in apartments or homes by making sure they are on the right track. If, for any reason, a participant is not working toward their housing goals or they are violation of the terms of their lease, they will receive a warning. However, Melissa works with them to keep any situation from moving in the wrong direction.
Many departments within CHN work with people to obtain
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Melissa visits a program participant in our Leasing assistant program.
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successful housing. However, the supportive service aspect of the department is what separates them from others. As a supportive services coordinator, Melissa works directly with participants. She meets them after they have signed a lease and then meets with them multiple times a week or monthly depending on the need.
Her busy days on the road mean she is usually in the office only 3-4 hours a week.
Let's turn to Melissa now and give her a chance to answer a few questions.
How exactly did you become involved with CHN?
During grad school I was an intern at CHN. Then, I started doing intakes and was offered a position when my internship was over. I began officially working here in 2012. Over the years, we've developed a really good group of supportive services coordinators. We now work in teams and each of us knows someone has their back if needed.
As a supportive services coordinator what kind of things do you encounter daily?
Due to unpleasant experiences before being involved with CHN, some program participants have many fears. We help them overcome this and work with them to become contributing members of society again.
How does what you do specifically fit into keeping people safe and affordably housed?
We mutually establish goals. One of these is a financial stability goal. We work with the case managers for the program participants who may be working with them to get Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Income. I make certain they are doing as much as possible to gain income.If they are trying to obtain employment, I make sure they are working with their job counselor. The second goal is to make sure they are working with their case manager/core provider to be as self sufficient as possible and keep their mental health stable. The third goal is to secure permanent housing either through a voucher, subsidized housing or graduating from the program because they earn a high enough wage to be able to provide their own support without assistance. Everything does come down to housing and keeping your housing, but there are definitely a lot of things that branch off of that.
What kinds of training programs are necessary for this job?
We do regular and mental health First Aid training, Non-Abusive Psychological and Physical Intervention (NAPPI) and defense training, which helps keep us and the program participants safe in the community. I'm now the trainer for our group. Whenever a new supportive services coordinator is hired, I work with them making sure they know how to conduct a home visit, I make sure they spend time with the intake and leasing specialists and show them the ins and outs of documentation requirements.
Any parting words of wisdom?
"No matter what the circumstances are, you can always bring out the best in someone."
I am grateful for Melissa's work, as well as for the work of all CHN team members.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Marc Craig
President