Foster Care Case Manager/Adoption Specialist

OVP Health•Huntington, WV

15d•Onsite

About The Position

The Foster Care Case Manager/Adoption Specialist works with children and foster parents to help children reach their goals and achieve permanency. The position supports foster families’ growth and development and connects children and caregivers with the resources they need. Work takes place in the office, community, schools, and foster homes. This community-based position requires travel and use of a personal vehicle; mileage is reimbursed, and the employee must maintain car insurance. Responsibilities span placement, intake, assessment, ongoing treatment and discharge, crisis prevention and management, and documentation. The Case Manager participates in referral matching, develops and monitors service plans, coordinates assessments and services, supports foster parents and children, facilitates required meetings and visits, helps coordinate eligible adoptions, and ensures compliance with state, licensure, and accreditation requirements. The role also participates in a weekly rotating on-call schedule for referral and crisis calls, which may require travel to a foster home. This is a full-time salaried position. Core hours and workdays are Monday through Friday, with some evening hours; employees create their schedules around required office time and client and foster-parent availability. Weekend work may be required. The work environment includes an office and community settings, with most work performed in foster homes and the community. The environment is smoke-free.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or a related human-service field, or a bachelor’s degree and completion of department-approved training provided by the child placing agency.
At least one year of case management experience.
Must be 21 years of age.
Valid driver’s license.
Successful completion of required criminal background checks and drug screenings under state and company regulations.
Willingness to travel and attend training.
Successful completion of all required job-related training.
Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds.
Ability to perform job responsibilities in a facility with multiple levels and no elevator or mechanical assistance.
Ability to use a computer.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret human-service periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedures.
Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from groups, managers, clients, customers, and the public.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages, mean, and mode.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Organizational and written and oral communication skills.
Ability to navigate and use multiple software programs, including Microsoft Office, databases, and Electronic Health Records.
Ability to meet scheduled and unplanned deadlines.
Ability to travel for community-based work and use a personal vehicle; car insurance is required.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of experience working with children and families is preferred.

Responsibilities

Participate in referral matching for children and families and advocate for the best possible home match.
Facilitate and develop each child’s Initial Service Plan.
Facilitate or ensure completion of appropriate assessments, including Biopsychosocial, CANS, Independent Living, and Diagnostic assessments.
Refer foster children to applicable behavioral health, independent living, medical, educational, and other support services.
Ensure initial legal documentation is obtained before placement or service delivery.
Ensure appropriate safety plans are developed during intake.
Facilitate supervised biological-family visitation as requested by DHS or the court.
Assist with and coordinate adoptions for eligible children and families.
Develop and facilitate each consumer’s Individualized Service Plan and Service Plan Reviews.
Assist foster parents and children with implementation, tracking, and monitoring of Individualized Service Plans.
Build relationships with foster parents and children through training and support.
Meet or exceed state and licensure requirements for contact with children on the caseload.
Ensure children receive required medical and therapy services as outlined in service plans and state regulations.
Serve as liaison between OVP, placement agencies, and relevant community resource entities.
Provide transportation as needed.
Participate in service meetings with relevant parties, including community support representatives, guardians, biological family, state or county workers, outpatient clinicians, foster parents, and school personnel.
Build relationships with school and education personnel to help ensure children meet education goals and requirements.
Provide ongoing training and support to foster parents and children.
Monitor and review documentation for compliance with state, licensure, and accreditation requirements.
Maintain confidentiality in accordance with policy.
Provide input or assist team members with foster-parent Corrective Action Plans and complete assigned tasks related to them.
Monitor and review medication logs to ensure foster-parent compliance with medication administration.
Ensure discharge planning includes referrals to aftercare services when applicable.
Complete home visits as required by rules.
Participate in a weekly rotating on-call schedule to provide advisory and crisis support to children and foster parents.
Document and report on-call activities and follow up with leadership.
Immediately report noncompliance, abuse or suspected abuse, neglect, or suicidal ideation to a supervisor or designated authorities.
Ensure critical incidents are staffed with leadership and entered into the Electronic Health Record within established timeframes.
Complete and submit Medicaid documentation as appropriate.
Enter complete and accurate information into the Electronic Health Record in accordance with state rules, regulations, and company protocol.
Transfer established or stable caseloads and foster homes to new Case Managers and mentor them through the transition.
Ensure foster-parent and Case Manager needs are met during staff transitions.
Perform other duties assigned by the immediate supervisor.
Participate in the performance quality improvement process and complete assigned related tasks.
Keep employee-related documents current in the employee personnel file.