Family Services Specialist III

Virginia Department of Social Services•Alexandria, VA

6h•$69,836 - $93,549•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Alexandria is seeking a Family Services Specialist III to join the Department of Community and Human Services. This role is a beginning leadership position within the Family Services occupational group, functioning as a lead worker or expert resource specialist. The position supports the supervisor by ensuring staff coverage, workload balance, training staff, reviewing case files, and providing back-up supervision. Employees may offer consultation on complex cases and handle assignments such as individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education. Work is performed with a high degree of independence within established policies and procedures, with supervisory assistance sought only for unusually complicated situations. The Family Services Specialist III (Crossover Youth Coordinator / Senior Child Protective Services (CPS) Worker) specifically manages a specialized caseload of families and youth involved with other child-serving systems who are at risk of abuse, neglect, or out-of-home placement, but may not meet the criteria for CPS involvement. Cases require both short-term assessment and service coordination, and long-term case management and service planning. This role involves representing Child Welfare Services (CWS) on multi-disciplinary teams to coordinate services for cross-system involved youth and improve outcomes. The position also provides case consultation and training on working with multi-system involved youth and their families, trains new CPS workers, and offers occasional supervision to workers and teams in the absence of their regular supervisor. Work is performed under the general supervision of a CPS Family Services Specialist Supervisor.

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 area (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia).
Considerable experience in assigned program area/human services programs and completion of required training programs.
Equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Comprehensive knowledge of laws, policies, and regulations relating to human services program areas.
Skill in operating a personal computer and the associated software.
Demonstrated ability to make clinical judgments, assess clients’ needs, and formulate plan of action.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in a human services field.
Considerable relevant experience.
Some work experience in a leadership role.
Possession of a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) OR Master of Social Work (MSW).
Possession of an active Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license.
Spanish-speaking.

Responsibilities

Assess for safety and well-being while coordinating services for multi-system involved youth, and their families, at risk for out-of-home placement due to behavioral health challenges and/or involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Provide intensive case management, including serving as Children’s Services Act (CSA) case manager, for families requiring longer-term services to meet therapeutic goals and for youth to remain with their families.
Provide services in response to Relief of Custody petitions filed by legal custodians and other court notices.
Conduct Human Trafficking Assessments with families of youth suspected to be victims of trafficking and coordinates treatment services.
Refer families to the Family Engagement Unit and participate in Family Partnership Meetings to expand family and fictive kin supports and seek kinship placements.
Document case actions timely in the automated data system.
Serve as a liaison between the Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and its judges, the Court Services Unit, City Attorneys, and the Child Welfare Services Division.
Research and respond to requests for child welfare information from the J&DR Court Services Unit and City Attorneys on past agency involvement when youth are before the Court.
Provide oral testimony and written reports to the J&DR Court as necessary.
Represent Child Welfare Services on multi-disciplinary teams to provide both case-specific consult and referral; and to improve systemic coordination and outcomes through evaluation and policy/procedure development.
Provide case consultation and training regarding challenges and best practices when working with multi-system involved youth and their families.
Collect, maintain, and interpret data and statistics regarding families served by this FSS III position. Identify trends and needs to assist in further program planning and budgeting.
Assist in the training and development of CPS and CWS staff.
Provide occasional supervision to the CPS Hotline and Intake/In-Home teams and workers in the absence of their regular supervisor.
Participate in after-hours CPS coverage on a rotation basis.