Family & Juvenile Court Improvement Program Coordinator

Kitsap County•Port Orchard, WA

About The Position

Kitsap County is hiring a Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Program (FJCIP) Coordinator to improve how dependency courts serve children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system. The coordinator identifies challenges, reviews court data and best practices, coordinates improvement efforts, and helps implement changes. The role works with judicial officers, court staff, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), government agencies, and community organizations to strengthen communication, address barriers, and support fair, respectful, trauma-responsive court practices. The coordinator supports data-informed decisions, cross-system collaboration, equitable and family-centered practices, access to services, judicial education, continuous quality improvement, and statewide court improvement initiatives. The position also coordinates the Finding Fathers program, manages required reporting to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), and works with the clerk's office on dependency case linking and coding. The minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree in social work, human services, criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or a related field from an appropriately accredited institution, and one year of program experience in child welfare, juvenile or family courts, human services, court services, or a related field. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position is exempt from overtime under the FLSA and is covered by a collective bargaining agreement; union membership is optional.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or a related field from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
One year of program experience in child welfare, juvenile or family courts, human services, court services, or a related field.
Ability to coordinate cross-functional initiatives, facilitate meetings, build partnerships, and guide collaborative improvement efforts.
Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data; monitor performance indicators; and prepare reports.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to communicate complex information clearly and foster a respectful, collaborative learning environment.

Nice To Haves

Social work experience.
Experience working with state systems such as DCYF, juvenile courts, or public agencies.
Juvenile court dependency experience.
Experience in juvenile probation, dependency casework, or family law.
Familiarity with legislative requirements and case law related to dependency proceedings.
Experience collaborating with community stakeholders involved in dependency court processes.
Understanding of Washington State's child welfare and dependency court systems.
Experience with data-driven program evaluation, court improvement initiatives, interagency collaboration, judicial education coordination, or child welfare reporting.
Familiarity with trauma-responsive approaches, equitable service delivery, family-centered practices, and the challenges faced by children and families involved in dependency court proceedings.

Responsibilities

Collect, analyze, and distribute dependency court data and performance indicators to identify trends, evaluate outcomes, and guide improvement efforts.
Build partnerships with judicial officers, court staff, DCYF, community organizations, and other system partners.
Convene and facilitate meetings, workgroups, and community discussions to improve dependency court operations and outcomes.
Gather input from families, caregivers, court participants, and system professionals to assess needs and barriers and inform program development.
Collaborate with DCYF and court partners to identify disparities and disproportionate impacts on BIPOC families and youth and develop strategies to address inequities.
Coordinate with partner agencies to improve access to court and community resources and supports.
Coordinate judicial officer training, support compliance with training requirements, and promote educational resources for court staff and system partners.
Analyze dependency case management data, research evidence-informed practices, and recommend system improvements.
Coordinate with the clerk's office on dependency case linking and coding for statistical reporting and court improvement needs.
Apply quality improvement principles, support a learning environment, and contribute to statewide court improvement initiatives.
Evaluate court processes, identify training and program needs, improve efficiencies, and participate in monthly FJCIP Community of Practice meetings.
Coordinate the Finding Fathers program, including scheduling, filing, and reporting genetic testing for children and alleged fathers in dependency cases.
Prepare and submit required AOC reports, including local improvement plans, semiannual reports, expenditure reports, and spending documentation.
Participate in continuing education and training on child welfare, family and juvenile court operations, and applicable legal and court requirements.