Family Services Specialist I

Virginia Department of Social Services•Rocky Mount, VA

14d

About The Position

A Family Services Specialist I represents the entry level in the occupational group. Employees learning their program areas. Employees will receive every training available to provide the foundation needed to successfully become a I with direction to move upward as needed. Learns how to use OASIS, COMPASS, SPIDER, and any other system needed for the program assigned; Learns to effectively and appropriately work with stakeholders to include: co-workers, supervisors, clients; Children’s Services Act employees to include FAPT, private providers, families of clients, fictive kin of clients; guardian ad litem; law enforcement, attorneys, Health Department, CASA, Community Services Board (CSB); CART. Learns how to Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility; Learns to assess risk and safety; Learns appropriate and independent judgment in dealing with cases and clients; Learns how to independently develop Case Plans for clients with timely submission when necessary (Court, FAPT, etc.); Learns how to understand and accurately utilize the CANS Assessment as documented by both the supervisor and the CSA Coordinator; Learns how to create court notes and other documents for court; Learns how to effectively, accurately, and articulately testify in court; Learns how to use proper technique and how to accurately document all relevant case information; Learns how to utilize program-specific software (IPADS, Encryption programs) available to accurately document and update all case information, in a timely manner; Learns to serve as a resource to clients in the community in area of expertise; If resource worker, learns to solicit, approve and manage resource homes; If resource worker, learns to write MFA/Home Studies; If carrying adoption cases, learns how to navigate and find adoptive homes; If carrying adoption cases, learns how to handle all case management, subsidy paperwork, documentation, customer service, and all associated work for adoptions; Provides after hours on-call coverage and responds to emergencies in child/adult protective services and/or foster care (after 6 months if new FSS employment or 3 months after previous FSS DSS experience); ( Revised 100925 )

Requirements

Some knowledge of: Social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems.
Skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software.
Demonstrated ability to: communicate effectively both orally and in writing; interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed; develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client; make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations; respond to the client's emotions in order to accomplish services objectives; plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; establish and maintain effective relationships; and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.
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 area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services.