Foster Care Home Study Assessor

Christian Children•Wooster, OH

About The Position

Encourage Foster Care is seeking a Home Study Assessor to facilitate licensing requirements for Encourage families, including home studies, half-ways, fast-track families, and re-certifications. The assessor facilitates approval of alternative caregivers for foster care homes and assists with adoptions in the department. The employee is expected to be a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, adhere to the Standard of Moral Conduct and Statement of Faith, treat others with a Christ-like attitude, and demonstrate CCHO's core values of Relentless Commitment, Selflessness, and Kindness. The role promotes a team-first workplace and collaboration. The assessor manages assigned caseload licensing needs and documentation in SACWIS and Extended Reach. Standard home studies follow specified milestones, including timely initiation and visits, family licensing within 3–4 months, and post-licensing notifications and submissions. The fast-track process includes interviews before and after Pre-Service training and licensing within 30 days of training completion, subject to the Director's discretion. The position also participates in team meetings and quality improvement activities. There are no supervisory responsibilities. A bachelor's degree in an accredited social work program and an active Ohio LSW are required, or at least two years of current or prior experience as an Assessor with a public children services agency. Level I Assessor Certification must be actively maintained in Ohio. A valid Ohio driver's license and an insurable driving record are required because the job involves regular travel. Employment is contingent on satisfactory completion of required background checks, drug testing, and reference checks.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in an accredited social work program with an active Ohio LSW, or at least two years of current or prior experience as an Assessor with a public children services agency.
Level I Assessor Certification, actively maintained in the state of Ohio.
Valid Ohio driver's license and a driving record that allows the employee to be insured under agency policy.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to respond to questions by telephone or email and present information to agencies, families, clients, donors, and the public.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations.
Ability to write professional-quality reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to work independently as directed, multitask, prioritize, and carry out assignments.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to apply common sense, define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to interpret technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and work with abstract and concrete variables.
Competency with a personal computer and Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel.
Ability to use or learn SACWIS, Extended Reach, and similar systems.
Ability to sit for extended periods, use hands to operate vehicle controls, reach with hands and arms, and talk and hear.
Required vision abilities include close, distance, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus for driving and computer use.
Ability to answer telephones regularly and speak clearly and hear clients and the general public.
Ability occasionally to lift or move up to 50 pounds and crouch, stoop, and bend.
Ability to legally drive a passenger vehicle in Ohio and drive long distances at all hours and in varied conditions, including darkness.
Successful completion of required background checks, fingerprinting, drug test, reference checks, Department of Justice National sex offender search, Ohio and other-state Alleged Perpetrator Search, and other checks required by the licensing agency.
Candidates for most jobs must be at least 21 years old to apply.
Must be able to commute reliably for on-site positions.

Responsibilities

Maintain a team-first spirit, appropriate working relationships, and collaboration in the workplace.
Facilitate new home studies and additional licensing needs for assigned families, and complete documentation in SACWIS and Extended Reach.
Send out 1331s, process recertifications and amendments, approve alternative caregivers, conduct rules investigations, and track training needs.
Follow home study procedures and timelines, including initiating the process within one week of assignment and completing visits according to the stated schedule.
Within 24 hours of licensing a family, introduce the family to the team by email, attach the license in Extended Reach, and move the family to the open bed list in Extended Reach.
Within one week of licensing, send the family's information to Cuyahoga County for approval.
Facilitate the fast-track process by completing two interviews before Pre-Service training and one interview after training, and license the family within 30 days of training completion, subject to the Director's discretion.
Facilitate approval of alternative caregivers for foster care homes.
Assist with adoptions in the department.
Attend and participate in Encourage Team meetings and Quality Improvement activities.
Support quality improvement, teamwork, service delivery, department goals, and a safe and healing environment for clients and staff.
Perform other duties as assigned.