Case Manager (Dallas)

Texas Family Care Network•Dallas, TX

About The Position

Case Managers are responsible for a child’s welfare when the child is removed from home. They work with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children find a permanent, safe place to live. They partner with families and community members to ensure the therapeutic needs of their caseload are addressed. Services to children, adolescents, and families must be individualized, appropriate to need, child-centered, family-focused, culturally competent, strengths-based, and goal-driven. The Case Manager plans for permanency, monitors children’s safety and services, develops and updates family service plans, advocates for educational needs, coordinates family contact, identifies placement and community resources, and works with parents, caregivers, and legal professionals. The role includes home and placement visits, court participation and reporting, case documentation, on-call duties, and support during reunification. The Case Manager also maintains professional relationships and pursues ongoing training and development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; or an associate’s degree plus two years of relevant work experience; or 60 accredited college credit hours plus two years of relevant work experience; or 90 accredited college credit hours plus one year of relevant work experience.
Valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and current auto insurance.
Successfully complete the 13-week case manager training and become certified as case assignable.
Clearances: DPS, DFPS, FBI, CBCU Eligibility Determination, and Child Abuse Clearances.
Ability to meet minimum hearing, speech, and vision requirements.
Ability to perform the described physical functions, including walking, standing, sitting, reaching, bending, twisting, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
Ability to work a non-traditional schedule that varies with client and department needs and participate in the on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

One to two years of relevant case-management work experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Work with children, families, and communities to plan for a child’s permanency and orient work toward positive permanency outcomes.
Supervise and monitor activities related to the treatment and needs of children in care through regular home visits and phone calls.
Create and monitor an individualized plan of service for each family, involve the family in its development, and modify it as needs change.
Advocate for children’s educational needs.
Use tools and training to assess children’s and parents’ needs and make appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, or other assessments.
Coordinate regular contact between children and their biological families when appropriate.
Participate in the on-call rotation and related duties.
Use Collaborative Family Engagement and other tools to identify resources and maintain connections with people important to the family.
Identify potential kinship or fictive-kin placements and request home studies as needed.
Participate in meetings and conferences at times and places convenient for family members and others involved in the case.
Monitor placement needs and collaborate with placement staff.
Meet with parents at their residence at least monthly to assess risk and safety, identify behavior changes needed for child safety, make referrals, and discuss progress toward goals.
Meet with children in their placements at least monthly to evaluate safety and services, discuss their wishes, provide case updates, and plan for permanency.
Follow policies, procedures, and standards relating to child safety and well-being.
Attend court hearings; contact case parties before hearings; prepare timely court reports; and testify regarding children’s needs, family progress, and efforts to achieve permanency.
Provide at least monthly updates to attorneys and other designated representatives, including the DFPS attorney, parents’ attorneys, Attorney Ad Litem, Guardian Ad Litem, and/or CASA.
Provide policy-required notifications about significant case events, hearings, meetings, and child or youth updates.
Use effective time-management skills and tools to work efficiently toward positive outcomes.
Document case records in accordance with policy.
Maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, law enforcement, judicial officials, legal representatives, medical professionals, community partners, and other professionals.
Comply with mandated child-abuse reporting laws.
Transition children home during reunification and support the family until the legal case is closed.
Work with kinship/fictive-kin caregivers and foster parents, keep them informed about case developments, return calls, and explain how to obtain assistance outside normal business hours.
Perform other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
Participate in individual and/or group supervision and staff meetings.
Attend required and other professional training and independently seek resources and learning opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Medical coverage with a Health Savings Account (HSA) and 100% employer match
Prescription coverage
Dental and vision plans
Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account
Retirement savings plan with employer match
Free life insurance and AD&D
Paid Time Off
Nine paid holidays: seven recognized holidays, one floating holiday, and one birthday holiday per year
Tuition reimbursement, if applicable
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)