Permanency Specialist - Marion

State of Illinois•Marion, IA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized, professional, and results-oriented Permanency Specialist. Under general supervision, the specialist provides professional child welfare casework services to children and families, determines the need for and coordinates placements in substitute care, and interviews clients and professionals to support continued assessment and treatment planning. The position works with intact families and children in their homes or substitute care and supports safety, stability, family preservation, reunification, adoption, or another appropriate permanency outcome. The specialist develops and implements service plans, assesses family needs and strengths, evaluates progress toward parenting standards and permanency goals, and coordinates services with families, foster parents, service providers, community organizations, and other state agencies. The role also includes court-related work, case documentation, client transportation, field visits, and rotating 24-hour on-call duty. Travel, overtime, evening and weekend work may be required. The position is based at 107 Airway Dr, Marion, Illinois. The anticipated hybrid schedule requires 2 to 5 days per week in the office, depending on operational needs. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the stated on-call and overtime requirements. This is a full-time, salaried union position in the Upward Mobility Program.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work; OR a master’s degree in a related human service field plus one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience; OR a bachelor’s degree in social work plus one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience; OR a bachelor’s degree in a related human service field plus two years of directly related professional casework or case management experience.
Related experience must concern family preservation, family reunification, adoption, youth development, counseling and advocacy services, or a related field.
Ability to travel in the performance of duties, including overnight stays as appropriate.
Appropriate, valid driver’s license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.
Completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
Ability to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime; evenings and weekends; and in a 24-hour on-call capacity.

Responsibilities

Provide professional casework services to children and families and determine and coordinate placements in substitute care facilities.
Make recommendations and testify in court regarding client history and future plans; assist with witness preparation and prepare court-ordered studies.
Participate in administrative case reviews and inform clients of appeal rights and procedures, assisting with appeals when needed.
Establish goals for children and parents, prepare progress reports, and coordinate comprehensive, family-centered, culturally relevant assessments.
Assess ongoing needs and strengths and evaluate family progress toward minimum parenting standards and the effectiveness of services toward permanency goals.
Provide families with feedback on progress and develop service plans within agency timeframes; evaluate service delivery and revise plans and permanency goals as needed.
Interview clients and professionals to gather information for diagnosis and treatment planning; counsel clients on available supportive, concrete, and therapeutic services.
Implement service plans, provide services directly or make referrals, and support, guide, and coordinate foster parents and service providers.
Monitor appropriate visits between parents and children in placements and between siblings who are placed separately.
Drive to field locations to conduct on-site interviews.
Transport clients when taking protective custody, arranging or changing substitute care placements, and attending appointments or receiving other client services.
Prepare and maintain case documentation and agency forms, including case notes, payment, eligibility, visitation, and court reports; prepare statistical and narrative reports.
Participate in case staffings and multidisciplinary diagnostic and technical conferences; contribute to casework planning and supervisory consultation.
Identify community and agency resources, seek specialized services for clients, and maintain working relationships with community organizations and other state agencies while explaining agency responsibilities.
Perform other duties reasonably within the scope of the position.
Serve on a rotating 24-hour on-call basis in addition to normal assignments.
Travel in the performance of duties, including overnight stays as appropriate, and work overtime, evenings, and weekends when required or requested.

Benefits

Pension program and retirement packages.
Competitive group insurance benefits, including health, life, dental, and vision insurance.
Three paid personal business days annually.
Twelve paid sick days annually, with unused sick days carrying over from year to year.
Ten to 25 paid vacation days annually, with 10 days in the first year of employment.
Thirteen paid holidays annually and 14 paid holidays in even-numbered years.
Flexible work schedules when available and dependent on the position.
Twelve weeks of paid parental leave.
Deferred compensation supplemental retirement plan.
Optional pre-tax Medical Care Assistance Plan and Dependent Care Assistance Plan.
Eligibility for the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
GI Bill training and apprenticeship benefits eligibility for qualifying veterans.
Five percent salary differential for bilingual positions.
Commuter Savings Program for Chicago employees.