Permanency Recruiter

Youth Villages • Columbia, TN

20d

About The Position

Youth Villages is a nonprofit organization striving to help troubled youth and families live successfully. We are a team of 4500 individuals who’ve come together across 27 states to change the landscape of child welfare and juvenile justice across the country. Our work involves providing an array of counseling and treatment services to 43000 youth annually with severe emotional and behavioral problems. Eighty-four percent of those who go through treatment are succeeding two years after leaving our program. These youth are living at home, remaining in school, and are not experiencing trouble with the law. The Permanency Recruiter connects youth in foster care and residential treatment settings who have no identified permanency options with adoptive families through intensive, child-focused recruitment efforts. Using evidence-based practices, the recruiter identifies, engages, and supports permanent connections for children who may have special needs, behavioral and mental health concerns, older youth, sibling groups, or those at risk of aging out of care without legal permanency. The caseload consists of approximately 15 youths in active recruitment status.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work, Drug and Alcohol Education or Counseling, Counseling, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Guidance Counseling, Human Services, Marriage and Family Therapy; or a Bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter hours in human development, human behavior, child development, family intervention technique, diagnostic measures or therapeutic techniques will be considered.
• Computer proficiency with case management software and Microsoft Office Suite
• Willingness/desire to maintain an untraditional schedule
• Strong writing skills and experience with electronic documentation
• Acceptable driving record - Three or fewer moving violations within the past 36 months
• Employed with Youth Villages at least 6 months

Nice To Haves

• Minimum of two years post-degree experience in child welfare or adoption services is preferred
• Minimum of 6 months experience at Youth Villages.
• Experience with youth in state’s custody and knowledge of permanency planning process preferred

Responsibilities

• Work in partnership with agency staff to identify and accept appropriate referrals of youth in states custody who have no known adoptive resources and meet eligibility criteria.
• Conduct in-depth file reviews and interviews with youth, caseworkers, family members, and other significant individuals in the youth's life.
• Develop and implement individualized, child-specific recruitment plans informed by case history, youth preferences, and professional recommendations.
• Conduct monthly face-to-face visits with each youth to assess and support adoption readiness and permanency planning.
• Utilize tools including internet searches, genograms, and historical documentation to identify past and potential connections.
• Create written assessments of adoption readiness and progress.
• Collaborate with caseworkers and other professionals to coordinate recruitment and permanency activities monthly.
• Communicate with the caseworker monthly to review the progress of the recruitment plan.
• Effectively provide case management and customer relations. Will need to coordinate and organize their own work schedule and vary appointments to fit the needs and schedules of involved parties (including meeting times after normal ‘business hours’) Once matched, assist with pre-placement planning and support, including coordination of visits and safety planning.
• Assist with developing and implementing a transition plan. Includes but not limited to following up/connecting the family to mental health treatment, community resources, education support, providing psychoeducation on the youth’s specific needs, developing support network, safety planning etc.
• Advocate for the youth’s best interest, including overcoming resistance to permanency within systems or support networks.
• Participate in and facilitate team meetings, case conferences, and permanency planning reviews.
• Work in conjunction with the caseworker and other involved professionals to ensure that the adoptive family is working towards adoption finalization.
• Maintain accurate documentation of recruitment activities, youth engagement, and family matching in accordance with agency and program standards.
• Submit required data and documentation to relevant systems according to set quality and timely standards.
• Attend all required trainings and conferences, including Wendy’s Wonderful Kids and agency professional development sessions.

Benefits

• Affordable access to medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Tuition Reimbursement and Licensure SupervisionPriority consideration for leadership openings throughout the organizationMileage and cell phone reimbursement
• 401(k) andPaid time off: Two weeks for vacation
• 11 paid holidays
• 12 sick days annually
• Paid Parental LeaveSupportive leadership and coworkers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level