Director of Best Practices

FORESTDALE INC.•Town of Perinton, NY

4d•$90,000 - $100,000

About The Position

Forestdale is a child welfare agency working to enhance family well-being and prevent child maltreatment through parenting, prevention, and foster care services for families in Queens and Brooklyn. We help thousands of families work through complex trauma, parents raise the next amazing generation of children, and youth successfully launch into adulthood. Forestdale’s mission is “to ensure that children and families have the fundamental assets they need to thrive and live independently.” The Director of Best Practice oversees the delivery of Solution Based Casework (SBC) model implementation, Best Practice Casework, Family Team Conferencing and training supports for foster care and prevention programs. The Director of Best Practice and their team work closely with Preventive and Foster Care managers and staff to ensure that high-quality supports enhance and complement case planning services, centering family voice and choice. Solution Based Casework is an evidence-informed model that organizes a practical, family-centered approach to case planning. Family Team Conferencing ensures that family members and their chosen support networks drive planning conversations.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or a related subject area.
NYS License, including LMSW, LCSW, LCAT, LMHC, or LMFT preferred.
Minimum of five years of post-masters experience in the field of child welfare, including at least 4 years of supervisory experience.
Knowledge of Solution Based Casework, certification preferred
Experience facilitating training in a variety of topics for social services staff in casework practice and treatment models.
Must have experience with Family Team Conferences (FTC); FTC facilitator experience preferred
Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including evenings
Ability to read, analyze and interpret policies and procedures related to the job
Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations
Ability to travel in and around the metropolitan New York City region
Strong interpersonal and team building skills
Ability to work under pressure in a calm and reassuring manner
Work from a strength-based perspective with families and staff
Ability to identify gaps in services and develop plans to address them
Knowledge of child welfare
Strong clinical, risk assessment and safety planning skills
Knowledge of effective operational and administrative strategies

Nice To Haves

Ability to speak and read another language a plus

Responsibilities

Ensure that Family Team Conferencing and SBC implementation interface effectively with all programs and deliver consistent service, assistance, and data;
Assist programs in conducting holistic and deep work with families by ensuring agency best practice and achieving regulatory standards in these areas, continually improving performance and meeting challenges proactively and effectively;
Provide ongoing supervision to Family Team Conference Facilitators Supervisors, Solution Based Casework Coordinators and trainers;
Ensure staff receive required and practice improvement training, including funder and agency required training and model-specific training by conducting, tracking, monitoring and creating training for staff;
Help develop and implement new programs, projects and initiatives
Utilize data to inform planning, service delivery and overall management
Perform all other duties assigned.