ASO Intake Specialist in Spokane, Washington at Volunteers of America Eastern Washington

Crosswalk Youth Shelter
Regular Full-Time | Hourly, Non-Exempt

Crosswalk Youth Shelter is a WA DCYF-licensed youth shelter serving young people experiencing housing instability, family conflict, behavioral health needs, substance use concerns, crisis, or barriers to care.

As the ASO Intake Specialist, you are often one of the first people a young person meets when they walk through our doors or reach out for help. This role is a great fit for someone with strong customer service skills who can stay calm, welcoming, organized, and clear while helping youth and families understand what comes next.

This position supports Behavioral Health Transitional Support Program services through intake, outreach, screening, documentation, referral coordination, and warm handoffs to ongoing behavioral health and community-based supports.

When the first connection matters — you help make it safe, respectful, and clear.

What You’ll Do

• Provide a welcoming, calm, and professional first point of contact for youth, families, providers, and community partners.
• Complete intake processes, eligibility screenings, releases of information, HMIS enrollment, SUPRT documentation, and other required forms.
• Follow Crosswalk entrance procedures and help create a safe, respectful, youth-centered experience.
• Use strong customer service skills to answer questions, explain next steps, reduce confusion, and support youth through the intake process.
• Build trust with youth using a trauma-informed, nonjudgmental, and person-centered approach.
• Identify behavioral health, substance use, housing, medical, insurance, transportation, and social service needs.
• Help youth connect with practical supports, including identification documents, transportation, insurance enrollment, and basic needs.
• Coordinate warm handoffs to behavioral health providers, housing programs, care coordinators, peer support, and community partners.
• Work closely with the Crosswalk team to share intake information, support follow-up, and maintain continuity of care.
• Use de-escalation, motivational interviewing, and engagement strategies when youth are overwhelmed, frustrated, guarded, or in crisis.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation in accordance with agency, county, state, HIPAA, and DCYF-related requirements.
• Complete required data collection, reporting, and program outcome tracking.

Minimum qualifications include one of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least one year of full-time experience applicable or transferable to the population of children and youth served.

OR

• Associate degree, 90 quarter credits, or 60 semester credits, and at least two years of full-time applicable or transferable experience.

OR

• At least three years of full-time experience applicable or transferable to the population of children and youth served.

Lived experience may count toward part of the required experience, consistent with program requirements.

You will also need:

• Must be 21 years of age or older due to WA DCYF licensing requirements for this youth shelter position.
• Strong customer service, communication, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to stay calm, professional, and solution-focused when people are upset, confused, frustrated, or in crisis.
• Ability to explain information clearly and respectfully to youth, families, staff, and community partners.
• Ability to build rapport with youth who may be hard to engage or hesitant to accept support.
• Strong organization skills and comfort managing documentation, follow-up, and competing priorities.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and accurate records.
• Comfort working in a youth shelter environment that can be busy, unpredictable, and emotionally complex.
• Ability to work independently while staying connected to a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to obtain an AAC credential within 30 days of hire.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel locally as required.

Experience That Helps

• Customer service, front desk, intake, outreach, case coordination, behavioral health, youth services, shelter services, social services, healthcare, or crisis response experience.
• Experience working with youth, families, people experiencing homelessness, or people navigating behavioral health needs.
• Training or experience in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, crisis intervention, de-escalation, or recovery-oriented services.
• Familiarity with Washington State behavioral health systems, SCRBH/BH-ASO programming, DCYF-licensed youth programs, HMIS, or community resource navigation.

Schedule

This is a full-time position, typically working 40 hours per week. Crosswalk operates as a 24/7 residential youth shelter, so schedules may vary and may include day, evening, weekend, and occasional holiday hours based on participant and program needs.

Total Rewards That Support You

• 8 paid holidays plus up to 5 floating holidays
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, approx. $12,000–$15,000 annual value
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability, approx. $1,500–$2,500 annual value
• Generous PTO, including sick leave and vacation
• 403(b) retirement plan
• PSLF-eligible employer
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Free electric vehicle charging at our main location

Why This Role Matters

At Crosswalk, intake is more than paperwork. It is often the moment a young person decides whether they feel safe enough to stay, ask for help, and take the next step.

The ASO Intake Specialist helps ensure that the first connection is clear, respectful, and supportive. If you bring strong customer service skills, can stay grounded in hard moments, and believe young people deserve care that is calm, practical, and kind, this may be a great fit.

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AI is not used to screen, rank, or make hiring decisions. Our hiring team reads applications, reviews screener responses, and takes time to understand each candidate’s experience, skills, and interest in the role.