Family Services Specialist I
About The Position
The City of Roanoke is seeking a Family Services Specialist to work with the 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. NOTE: If you do not hold a State of Virginia Drivers License, you will be required to provide a certified copy of a DMV report from the state of previous residence before you can be considered for this position. The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer. To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community. This is a non-exempt position.
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
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
