Family Services Specialist I

Virginia Department of Social Services•Roanoke, VA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Roanoke is seeking a Family Services Specialist to work with their CPS In-Home division. The successful candidate provides support and assistance to agency clients in meeting their personal, social, health, and economic needs. The role involves identifying problems and referring families to outside services to address the needs and issues that are of risk to the safety of families and children in their own homes. It also includes maintaining case records, preparing written reports of services, and testifying in court hearings when required. This program specifically works with families whose children are at risk of being placed in foster care. The work involves facilitating services that address mental health, substance abuse disorders, and skill-based services for parents within their homes to prevent placement of children outside the home. The position is also responsible for creating prevention strategies, developing prevention service plans, and accessing federal funding in order to keep families together. Collaboration with agencies such as the courts, schools, and other community partners is essential. The position also entails managing a caseload within the Child Protective Services (CPS) program while completing routine paperwork in accordance with Virginia State Code requirements. The ability to multitask and respond professionally and promptly to crisis situations is crucial. The ideal candidate should also be a team player, willing to assist co-workers, and flexible to work outside regular hours when necessary. Participation in a rotating after-hours beeper team that responds to emergency CPS/APS/Foster Care situations is required.

Requirements

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as laws, policies, regulations, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to respond effectively to inquiries orally and in writing.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. If you do not have a Drivers License issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, you must submit a certified copy of your driving record issued by the DMV from your previous state of residence with your application.
Must be willing to work outside normal work hours and respond to both routine and emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply

Responsibilities

Supports and assists agency clients with personal, social, health and economic needs.
Interviews clients to assess the nature and extent of needs
Identifies problems, counsels with clients and confers with supervisor in preparing social studies in the formulation and delivery of service plans
Maintains records through the course of client's service relationships with agency
Makes referrals for service to agencies, such as clinics, employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, etc
Performs work with agencies such as juvenile and domestic relations courts, circuit courts, etc
Provides protection and care to abandoned, abused and neglected children and adults on a regular and emergency basis in potentially dangerous situations
Works with abusive or neglecting parents and families to help effect changes in family situation, usually in a family home setting
Makes decisions to remove children from dangerous situations and recommendations regarding institutionalization of adults and children
Studies homes for day care, foster care of adoption placement and/or foster care and adoptive placements
Maintains case records, prepares written reports of services, findings and actions
Serves as agency representative on a variety of multi disciplinary teams
Shares a 24-hour on-call rotation