City of New York

Job Description

Customized Assistance Services (CAS) assists Human Resources Administration (HRA) clients with health and/or mental health conditions reach the highest attainable level of functioning and self-sufficiency by providing comprehensive, integrated, individualized clinical and support services.

The Office of Coordinated Supportive Housing and Disability Services is responsible for CAS' collaborations with City, State, and other internal and external agencies on clinical initiatives that impact HRA clients in their effort to achieve their maximum functional capacity. The Office is composed of the Disability Services Program (DSP), Placement Assessment and Client Tracking (PACT), and Coordinated Entry (CE) units. Applicants should be aware this is a grant funded position.

Under the direction of the HRA CAS Director of Coordinated Entry, the Senior Coordinated Entry Research Analyst will support the ongoing research and evaluation of a City-wide Coordinated Assessment and Placement System (CAPS). This system is required to meet the Federal mandate that ensures localities use a coordinated system so that as homeless clients are matched to the appropriate housing programs that the most vulnerable clients are given priority; and that all activities are streamlined to ensure the timely placement of clients into the most appropriate housing programs. CAPS includes assessment services for individuals/families potentially eligible for supportive housing or rental assistance programs; an application system to determine supportive housing eligibility; an electronic referral component; and a vacancy control system to verify and monitor placements.

The Senior Research Analyst will support research into all internal and external activities and processes that inform the evaluation, development, and implementation of CAPS. The Senior Research Analyst will collaborate with the Office of Business Strategies and Solutions and support the Director of Management and Planning to provide research and evaluation support for Coordinated Entry at HRA.

The Office of Customized Assistance Services (CAS) is recruiting for one (1) City Research Scientist level II to function as a SENIOR COORDINATED ENTRY RESEARCH ANALYST, who will:

• Support the Director of Coordinated Entry and Director of Management and Planning in evaluating and researching housing program and rental assistance eligibility criteria using data inputs from multiple system matches. This involves client-level quantitative research on Coordinated Entry and Supportive Housing eligibility. This evaluation ensures the Coordinated Entry system adequately provides the services required to meet Federal mandates. Prepares and presents progress reports, research findings, and administrative data monitoring and evaluation reports to appropriate internal stakeholders to determine efficacy and support efforts to improve the CE system.
• Extract data sets and conducts research and data analysis using SQL and SPSS or other programs on internal and external systems that compose the CE system. Performs SQL and SPSS programming, collaborating with the Office of Business Strategies and Solutions as needed. Quantifies and reviews data using various research methodologies. Prepares and presents analysis to support recommendations for CE system and operational development.
• Support existing analysis on the accuracy of the Coordinated Entry CAPS Survey and Supportive Housing Application system functionality that identifies potential eligibility for homeless or at-risk individuals or families and assesses the severity of need; ensures fidelity to vulnerability, eligibility and other criteria so that clients are appropriately prioritized. To accomplish this, writes SQL and SPSS code to extract and analyze CAPS data. Periodically assesses these functions within CAPS for effectiveness and possible modification as required.
• Monitor existing reporting mechanisms to facilitate the exchange of information with stakeholders including housing providers, intergovernmental partners, and oversight committees. Performs gap analysis and presents statistical data to develop/inform performance measures used by operations so that successful models of service provision may be replicated and deficiencies corrected.
• Perform literature and data reviews to evaluate the validity and reliability of prior studies and reports to be utilized in formulating research questions and determining the methodology for future research studies and reports.
• Review automated data systems to understand data collected and to propose system enhancements that will support research and performance evaluation activities. Administrative data review with internal staff and external users, user focus groups and committee discussions.
• Support the Director of Management and Planning with federal HMIS reporting on New York City’s Coordinated Entry system. This includes uploading into NYC’s HMIS system file sets extracted from CAPS, along with validating imports and troubleshooting issues that arise. Collaborate with Office of Business Strategies and Solutions and ITS as needed to refine the logic for generating Coordinated Entry HMIS file sets extracted from CAPS.

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or

2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:

Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.