Family Preservation Services Worker

County Of Albemarle•Charlottesville, VA

About The Position

The Family Preservation Services Worker partners with families receiving In-Home Services to develop and implement individualized psychosocial case plans. The work applies social work theories and interventions to increase child safety, reduce the risk of abuse, neglect, and foster care, and build on family strengths. The worker provides strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally humble, and family-centered services and assessments, and clinical case management grounded in family-systems approaches. The position connects families with resources and services, identifies natural supports, and engages community partners in case planning. It also involves collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and agencies, home and school visits, team meetings, critical casework decisions, and planning and participating in court interventions. The worker must comply with applicable laws, policies, regulations, and reporting requirements; maintain thorough case records; inform clients of their rights and responsibilities; and follow fiscal requirements for service funding and payments. The role serves the public frequently in home settings, including remote rural areas, and includes office-based documentation and data entry. Some telework is available for virtual meetings and administrative work. The worker must drive, may travel overnight occasionally, may assist in managing emergency shelters, and must work beyond regular hours and participate in rotating after-hours and weekend on-call coverage for emergencies involving children.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field, or a bachelor's degree in any field plus at least two years of appropriate, related experience in a Human Services area, as specified in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia.
Meet the County's safe driver policy eligibility requirements.
Be willing to travel occasionally overnight, work beyond regular working hours, and participate in on-call coverage.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Working knowledge of social work principles and practices; current social, economic, and health problems; social institutions and community resources; helping-process methods; individual and group behavior; child and adolescent development; family structure and dynamics; effects of physical and mental conditions on families; crisis intervention; and trauma, systemic discrimination, and intergenerational disadvantage and effective intervention strategies.
Skills in critical thinking, crisis intervention and de-escalation, decision-making, independent judgment, and using a personal computer and associated software.
Ability to identify social problems, client strengths and needs, and individuals' and families' ability to use services in problem-solving.
Ability to build rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds, respect others' rights and differences, and work effectively with individuals and families.
Ability to plan and organize work; understand and interpret laws, policies, and regulations; communicate and establish effective working relationships; prepare reports; and maintain records.
May be subject to criminal history and central registry background checks.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the assigned program area and completion of required training programs, or an equivalent combination of training and experience providing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), or related master's degree.
Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement family-specific psychosocial case plans for In-Home Services cases.
Provide services and conduct assessments using strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally humble, and family-centered approaches.
Provide clinical case management using family-systems treatment models, including ongoing assessment, planning, intervention, collaboration, and evaluation.
Connect families with resources and services that reduce risk and build protective capacity.
Use family engagement and family-finding practices to identify natural supports and involve them in case planning.
Participate in multidisciplinary and interagency teams and coordinate services with community partners, including schools, the Court Services Unit, Region Ten, and therapeutic providers.
Conduct home and school visits and participate in team meetings.
Apply critical thinking, laws, policies, and regulations to casework decisions; plan, oversee, and participate in court interventions to protect children and achieve safety, permanency, and well-being goals.
Maintain thorough case records and comply with federal, state, and local laws, policies, regulations, planning, and reporting requirements.
Inform clients of their rights and responsibilities related to In-Home Services.
Follow funding authorization and payment requirements and demonstrate fiscal stewardship.
Provide rotating after-hours and weekend on-call coverage for child abuse or neglect emergencies and situations requiring immediate attention involving children in the Department of Social Services' legal custody.
Perform other duties as required.