Family Assessment Specialist

City of New York•New York, NY

10d

About The Position

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $84,863.00 - $97,593.00. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU FILE FOR, TAKE, AND PASS THE EXAM FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE TITLE LISTED WHEN IT IS NEXT OFFERED TO AVOID BEING “BUMPED” OUT OF YOUR POSITION WHEN THE ELIGIBLE LIST FOR THIS TITLE IS ESTABLISHED. PERMANENT CHILD AND FAMILY SPECIALIST ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. PLEASE VISIT: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/how-can-you-find-upcoming-exams.page. The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community. The Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) provides a wide range of services and programs for youth at every stage of the juvenile justice process. Our goals are to (a) build stronger and safer communities and advance public safety by preventing juveniles from entering the New York City's juvenile justice system, (b) provide therapeutic treatment and services to youth in our custodial care, and (c) help juveniles access the tools they need to leave the justice system for good. We strive to help families and young people by providing supportive services that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families. The Family Assessment Program conducts screening and assessment of families requesting Person in Need of Supervision (PINS) related services in Family Court. The overarching goal of this intervention is to engage families in appropriate services to preserve the family unit, divert them from Family Court and prevent foster care placements. ACS will offer referrals for on-going services through various programs such as community-based services, home-based crisis intervention and evidence-based therapeutic interventions. Under general supervision, with wide latitude for independent action and decision, the Family Assessment Specialist will intervene at Family Court for youth at risk of placement.

Requirements

A Masters Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work and 1. A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and at least one year of full-time, satisfactory, post-graduate experience that includes substantial experience in one or more of the following modalities of practice: facilitation of family team conferences or family group decision-making meetings utilizing a conferencing model which emphasizes family engagement and consensus based decision-making; clinical group work with children, youth, parents or individual families; or the conduct of professional training on topics related to child and family services; or 2. A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and at least three years of the experience required in "1" above. Up to two years of this experience may have been in the supervision of social work practice areas described in "1" above; or 3. At least three years of the experience required in "1" above.
A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Master of Social Work license (LMSW) must be obtained within one year of appointment.
Note: Employees who fail to obtain their LCSW or LMSW within one year after appointment may have their probationary periods extended for no more than six months. Failure to obtain the LCSW or LMSW by the end of the probationary period will result in dismissal.
Note: At least one year of the required experience described in "1", "2" and "3" above must have been obtained in the last five years.

Responsibilities

Conduct a service-oriented assessment interview with families to provide an immediate evaluation of the circumstances and appropriate services deemed necessary for the family and then educate, evaluate and assist the family in developing a course of action.
Facilitate the initial interview with families in order to bring clinical experience and knowledge to the process, with the goals of promoting a reduction in the number of court level cases and assisting families in making the best available decision regarding appropriate services.
Hold conferences with families, both in the office and at Family Court which may include other support and service providers in order to develop the most appropriate service plan.
Confer with and make referrals to service providers as appropriate.
Develop written reports for judges and attorneys and give oral presentation to the court on the appropriateness of the service plan.
Assist families in developing realistic expectations of the PINS diversion process by offering in-depth information regarding the continuum of service interventions, Family Court and placement.
Report any signs of neglect and/or abuse to the Borough Director and the State Central Register.
Consistently apply and uphold state and city law, regulation and policy related to delivery of child welfare services.
Report regularly to the Borough Director concerning the progress of each child/family on assigned caseload and make recommendations to the manager concerning planning.
Complete administrative functions, including the timely documentation and data entry.
Complete a written assessment of the families’ strengths, needs and service referral.
Work with the youth, the family, the service provider and other stakeholders to continually ensure that services meet the needs of the youth and families.
Collaborate and strengthen partnerships with a variety of community representatives and stakeholders.