Outcome Specialist

Northern Children Services•Philadelphia, PA

12d

About The Position

Evidence- and strength-based models are integrated into the design and implementation of administration and services. Northern incorporates strength-based, recovery and resilience-focused and trauma informed care principles across all its programs. They are client-centered, family-focused, community-based, multi-systemic, culturally competent, and least-restrictive. These services are individualized to meet the needs of the young person and work with the young person as a partner in the development of goals and the planning of services. It is expected that all of Northern’s programs and program staff adhere to this approach. The Northern Generation I program is a congregate care foster care program that serves young women up to age 21 who are pregnant and/or parenting. The program provides comprehensive supports during and after pregnancy, including therapy, connections to pre-and post-natal care other medical care, education and school resources, and social supports and activities. As part of a team, the Generation I Outcome Specialist provides direct individual and family services to facilitate healing through trauma-informed services and Positive Youth Development. The Generation I Outcome Specialist is responsible for ensuring connections to services, programs, activities, and resources that lead to positive short and long-term outcomes for program participants. Generation I Outcome Specialist helps pregnant, expecting and parenting adolescent females between the ages of 13-20 stabilize and needing individualized skill development and support to transition successfully into adulthood. This includes obtaining and maintaining safe and suitable housing, continuing education, learning independent living skills, obtaining employment, building a support system, and remaining free from legal involvement. In addition, she will ensure all parenting youth served are provided with supportive resources to pursue education to enhance parenting skills and to prepare youth for self-sufficiency upon aging out of care. Generation I serve eight pregnant, expecting or parenting adolescent who are under the care of the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS), either directly through DHS or through a Community Umbrella Agency (CUA), and also possibly through involvement in the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice system. The Generation I Outcome Specialist will be responsible for a total of eight residents and their children. Regulatory compliance and reporting is a fundamental requirement for this position. S/he establishes effective relationships with the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services, all ten Community Umbrella Agencies (CUAs), the Philadelphia Court and Probation systems, and other systems and agencies, including the 5th Police District for the City of Philadelphia, and the School District of Philadelphia. Under the Supervision of the Director of Residential Programs the Generation I Outcome Specialist develop positive and fruitful relationships with NCS’s Generation I, Generation II, New Generation and Crossroads staff members as well as staff in other Northern Departments. S/he works closely with these parties to ensure quality service delivery and an appropriate level of supports for each resident. S/he supervises the planning of high-quality, comprehensive, and effective linkages, resources, and programming for the residents and their children including effective and appropriate educational programs life skills, and parenting. Importantly, s/he completes as required, assessments and service plans for assigned clients that adequately and appropriately address the client/family’s unique service needs. Responsibilities of the Generation I Outcome Specialist include implementation of client service plans, monitoring service plan progress, along with bi-weekly individual case overview with the Director of Residential and stakeholders as required. Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should also demonstrate insight regarding client strengths and needs and incorporate this into service planning and assessments. Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should assess and monitor the safety of clients and provide any needed recommendations and referrals for appropriate discharge placement. In conjunction with a client’s DHS/CUA team, Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should assess permanency options; recommend permanency plan for clients; along with assist a Client’s DHS/CUA team with plan implementation with aim to achieve permanency. The Generation I Outcome Specialist will ensures that all residents receive comprehensive behavioral health assessments, and that those in need of behavioral health services be connected to the appropriate services upon entry in the program, or as possible new issues arises during their time at Northern. These services may be delivered at Northern through 1:1 or group activities, or through an external provider. Through these efforts, our young residents will be provided with a highly structured and supportive community, which will motivate them to make positive choices, and will prepare them for successful independence.

Requirements

Ability to communicate and interact with all staff
Ability to assess consumer treatment needs and apply appropriate therapeutic intervention.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from consumers, and collateral agencies.
Ability to accurately calculate figures such as addition, subtraction and percentages.
Ability to give clear and concise, oral and written instructions.
Working knowledge of Child Welfare system and ability to navigate other systems.
Ability to read and understand complex instructions such as regulatory policies
Working knowledge of the use of computers and pertinent software programs
Master’s degree preferred in social work, child welfare, or other social service field; Minimum-Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, Social Service or related work area required.
3 years’ experience in Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, or related social service field.
Demonstrated understanding of trauma-informed practice
Develop a working knowledge of community parenting resources, which may be used in serving clients and maintaining close working relationship with these resources.
Demonstrate understanding of Positive Youth Development.
Demonstrate professional accountability for results and keeps commitments to others.
Demonstrate openness and respect for cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of clients and coworkers.
Ability to define problems collects data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
Strong written and verbal skills.
Excellent working knowledge of the Behavioral Health system.
Knowledge of and ability to navigate other support systems.
Competence in the use of computers and pertinent software programs.
Ability to walk up and down stairs.
Ability to lift 20 lbs.
Ability to operate a computer
Current valid driver’s license and the willingness to transport children in accordance with NCS and 3800 regulations.
Requires some flexible work schedule, evening and weekend hours.

Responsibilities

Attends and actively participates in all required trainings and pursues other training for professional development.
Manages time effectively in order to complete direct service requirements and required documentation. (I.e., ISP, Quarterly report, maintains updated dentals, physicals, educational documents etc.)
Attend interviews for potential Generation I residents.
Plan for processes of supporting the mothers in enhancing their overall parenting skills, educational goals and strategies and daily living skills.
In conjunction with the Director of Residential Programs, Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should effectively provide daily programming for young mothers and their children.
Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.
Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should provide frequent reports to the Director of Residential Programs on progress of client services, as well as required written reports.
Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist will assist in providing 24/7 on call services (rotating on-call at night and on weekends) along with respond in person at any time when it is determined to be necessary by the Director of Residential Programs.
Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist will provide individualized education to teen parents regarding developmental expectations, health and safety issues, and infant/child bonding.
Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist will assist clients in obtaining daycare, WIC, their child(ren) immunization and medical records, and Head Start.
Northern Generation I Outcome Specialist should assess and monitor the safety and well-being of children living with clients and makes any needed re commendations and referrals for appropriate placement and services.
Willingness to learn and maintain the value of a trauma-informed culture.
Commit to the maintenance of a therapeutic environment and community that promotes safety, nonviolence, and resilience as the basis for all we do with clients and staff.
Knowledge and utilization of trauma-informed practices: Emotional intelligence Effective communication Understanding of the impact of trauma on human development Use of person-first, strengths-based language
Maintains the appropriate number of training hours as required by local, state and federal regulations.
Monitors the goals and objectives in the Individual Service Plan and Single case Plan.
Tracks performance indicators/outcomes for each resident
Ensures that the youth understand the requirements of placement and their ISP and to obtain feedback on the placement.
Ensures that all City, State and County and funding requirements and standards are effectively and efficiently met.
Consults and collaborates with Philadelphia County DHS Central Referral Unit (CRU) to coordinate Intake /Admission for Generations 1
Assist in maintaining full capacity for residential programs.
Remain in contact with CRU staff and maintain a waiting list of potential residents for admissions.
Communicate daily with Director of Residential Program, Lead Support Aides, and Support Aides in regard to current and potential Generation I residents.
Clearly and effectively communicate with outside agency affiliates to assure that program expectations are met.
Regularly communicate with the DHS CRU, Achieving Independence Center (AIC), CUA Case Managers and Supervisors, Juvenile Probation, the Philadelphia Court System, Public Defender’s Office, Child Advocates, and other stakeholders to receive potential residents for admission and to collaborate on the discharge planning and process.
Communicate with DHS, CUAs, and other stakeholders when a resident is ready to move on to another level of care, either more restrictive or less restrictive, depending on their acclimation and learning curve while living at Generation I.
Complete and maintain all relevant information pertaining to residents and City and State compliance.
Maintain contact with consumers, referral sources, agents of the court, internal and external resources.
Maintain weekly and when appropriate more frequent client face-to-face contact through required dorm and office visits.
Engage and support resistant clients with treatment compliance.
Provide outreach to client, family members and other significant people in the client’s life to maintain contact and to develop resources for the client.
Maintain required contact with relevant family members, assesses their need for services, and works on relationship building between client and family.
Complete other duties as assigned.
Complete all pre-placement paperwork as required.
Complete required admission/intake and discharged paperwork (placement and discharge memos and census reports)
Complete Individual Service Plans (ISP), Quarterly Progress Reports, and Discharge Summaries according to the 3800 regulations timeline
Maintain a Daily Contact log and reports of weekly contacts with residents.
Document all contacts involved in the child’s placement and maintains the child’s confidential case record, consistent with Northern Children’s Services and Department of Human Service contract standards.
Maintain current data related to goals and achievement of program and contractual outcomes for residents.