Family Services Specialist II

Virginia Department of Social Services•Manassas Park, VA

About The Position

Family Services Specialist II (Foster Care)– A Family Services Specialist II provides intensive, specialized, culturally competent services to children and families, with complex psychosocial diagnoses and histories of abuse/neglect, to ensure the safety and well-being of children in foster care, while working toward permanency within State/Federal timelines. The work may involve providing independent living services to foster youth not living in a family-like setting, while maintaining family supports. The work may also include ongoing support services or prevention services; to support a relative or interested party, who may have stepped forward to raise the child/ren or services to prevent child abuse/neglect, if the child/ren are reunified with a prior custodian.

Requirements

Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field or a Bachelor’s degree in any field with at least two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services.
Experience working in CPS or In-Home Services as a Family Services Specialist I in a local VA DSS.
Experience working with community partners such as law enforcement, Commonwealth Attorney, Courts, school systems, Community Services Board, medical professionals, Mental Health Providers, and licensing.
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 ensure 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 work activities including service delivery preparing reports and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; establish and maintain effective relationships (i.e. public, community partners, co-workers); and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the Social Work field.
Valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver’s license is required, in addition to a driving record that meets agency standards.
Must be willing to participate in community shelter operations during disasters and/or emergencies, in addition to daily intake requirements.
After hours on-call coverage on a rotating basis is required.
Employee must be willing to work in the community emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.

Nice To Haves

Two years of experience providing foster care case management services to youth and/or adults. Experience acquired from an internship is acceptable. If no foster care case management experience applicant must have two or more years of Virginia CPS experience.
Experience in assigned program area(s) and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for optimal performance.
Direct knowledge of Foster Care policies and procedures.
Experience with agency associated software: OASIS, VACMs, COMPASS, PeerPlace, Thomas Brothers, CANVaS, NEICE,.
Bilingual English/Spanish skills.

Responsibilities

Provide case management services for children/youth in foster care;
Conduct monthly face-to-face visits with each child/youth in foster care;
Document monthly face to face worker visits, Structured Decision-Making tools, and mandated screens (court, and if applicable education and independent living, etc.) in OASIS;
Secure funding for needed services through the Family Assessment and Planning Team process;
Meet with supervisor regularly to address the case direction, services, and needs;
Complete Medicaid and Title IV-E redeterminations;
Maintain and document regular contact with foster care children/youth, community partners, parents, relatives, and providers via face-to-face contact, e-mail, or phone;
Facilitate monthly treatment team meetings which focus on safety, well-being, and permanency on each assigned foster care case;
Develop, write, and submit Foster Care Service Plans and Reviews;
Represent the Department in court proceedings to include interpreting laws, filing petitions, compiling evidence, preparing court reports, and testifying;
Provide or arrange transportation on each foster care case for visitation, appointments, school, etc.;
Use creative strategies to intervene with varied client populations;
Coordinate with peers and community partners to develop plans of service to meet the social, health and emotional needs to resolve client challenges;
Prepare social histories, psychosocial assessments and develop treatment plans;
Provide specialized casework to assist clients in confronting and resolving emotional and environmental problems;
Collaborate with the Independent Living Coordinator to ensure foster care youth receive needed life skills training and assessments;
Collaborate with public school systems to meet the educational needs of foster children/youth;
Provide continuous 24-hour on-call service for foster care cases, and immediate response to child protective service complaints and/or cases crises during working hours and on a 24-hour on call rotating basis;
Provide crisis intervention to foster children/youth or their families;
Guide case planning in accordance with local, state, and federal foster care policy. Reviews all policy changes when implemented.
On call rotation responsibilities
All other duties assigned.