Job: DHS Foster Care/Family Engagement Coordinator

Job Description

Job Type: Full time, Salaried

Wage: $62,148/yr. 

Location: Salida, CO.

Job Description

This is a Foster Care Coordinator position with emphasis on spending a portion of their time as a Family Engagement Coordinator. This person will spend part of their time coordinating our family engagement model. This will include facilitation of all of our family engagement meetings and/or red team meetings, which will be part of our intake model through Differential Response (DR). This worker will help implement DR and the IV-E programming. This worker will also carry a caseload of kinship and foster care provider cases. Will be responsible for the recruitment, retention, certification and recertification of both kinship and foster care providers. Coordinate and assist with the placement of youth in kinship and foster care. Also may provide emergency on-call availability and response. Must be or eligible to be certified as Colorado Child Welfare Caseworker.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: The following duty statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job and do not include other non-essential or marginal duties that may be required. The County reserves the right to modify or change the duties or essential functions of this job at any time.

 Coordinates RED TEAM for our intake process. This will include collecting information, getting people together quickly, organizing the meeting, following RED TEAM protocol and procedures, staying on task and following the children codes to keep kids safe.

 Spearheads our family engagement plan and helps schedule all our family meetings. Structures the meeting and helps implement the goals according to a prescribed family engagement model and agreed upon outcomes for each family meeting. Supports the case worker responsible with the case and their treatment plan.

 Responsible for organizing and implementing all foster care recruitment efforts. This may include managing a social media account affiliated with county foster homes, creating radio and newspaper ads as well as radio and newspaper interviews. Strategies such as offering informational sessions to the public can also be expected.

 Initiate home study process with kinship and foster care providers. This will include conducting background checks and reviewing requirements and documentation. Conducting a thorough home study process and adhering to all guidelines relating to certification tracks under the timeframes set by the State.

 Review kinship and foster files to ensure that all requirements continue to be valid and ensure all recertification obligations are met in a timely manner. 

 Collaborate with caseworkers regarding possible placement options for youth when necessary. Locate placement appropriate to client’s needs and monitors client’s progress in placement.

 Conduct home visits with kinship and foster care providers and provide documentation regarding these routine meetings.

 Utilizes State mandated information systems for case management, report writing and documentation. Develops and writes reports for appropriate documentation of case plans, recommendations, contacts, assessments, etc.; develops and files case file information in accordance with state mandates/standards; completes forms and writes correspondence.

 Coordinate, maintain, apply Interstate Compact Act for Placement of Children (ICPC) Rules and Regulations for Chaffee County Department of Health and Human Services

 Provides counseling services to foster parents and/or children regarding parenting skills, family problems, parent/child relationships, child/foster/adoptive relationship problems, and problems with community entities. May refer to ongoing individual/family counseling, psychiatric services, or other such resources to ensure ongoing placement of children in the home.

 Will coordinate and communicate effectively with ongoing child welfare caseworkers, supervisor and/or Director regarding referrals, assessments, and/or ongoing cases. Will assist with placement of children into foster, kinship and adoptive homes.

 Will participate in state meetings and trainings, as necessary and with approval of supervisor, in order to follow through with new and ongoing rules and regulations.

 May provide transportation services to children and their families to visits and activities required for placement needs.

 May need to testify in court on a variety of ongoing cases and/or shelter hearings in initial stages of child welfare cases, placement of children, adoption recommendations, and other such casework court testimony. May make recommendations to the courts on abuse/neglect cases, placement of children, guardianship of adults, and on custody investigations.

 Will need to take on call for emergency reasons weekdays and weekends.

 Performs other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Entry Level: These are professional training level positions in which assignments are planned and devised to develop and teach professional casework techniques and concepts appropriate to the assigned program areas. Basic foundations of professional theories, concepts and principals are required. Knowledge of Child and Adolescent and Family development. Will have or will gain knowledge of the workings of the juvenile justice system, civil and court processes, the Children’s Code and Volume VII. Will have or will gain knowledge of and ability to utilize family assessment skills.

Journey Level: These are positions that require a working knowledge of established theories, principals and concepts of social work practice related to the assigned program areas, as stated above. Incumbents are not expected to utilize extensive diagnostic oriented skills as are required at the senior level. Employees continue to develop knowledge and utilize professional techniques and concepts beyond the mere application of detailed rules and procedures.

Senior Level: These are positions that require thorough knowledge of the theories, principles, and concepts of social casework practice (assessment and treatment oriented) related to all of the assigned program areas, and as stated above. Knowledge of social group work principles and methods. Knowledge of medical symptoms related to injuries or failure to thrive in children. Knowledge of the battered child syndrome, and the laws dealing with child abuse, neglect and other dependency conditions. Knowledge of the problems of the elderly, physical disabled, developmentally disabled, emotionally disturbed, alcoholics, drug addicts and dementia. Knowledge and skill in interviewing techniques, crisis intervention methods, and relevant treatment modalities. Knowledge of community resources, of agency rules, regulations and procedures related to assigned program areas. Ability to establish support with multi-problem, dysfunctional clients. Ability to independently analyze complex situations, formulate plans and make quick decisions as needed. Ability to clearly and concisely express oneself both verbally and in written format. Ability to establish and maintain harmonious professional relationships with other employees, outside agencies and the public. Ability to testify effectively in court hearings.

DIFFICULTY OF WORK

Entry Level: The complexity at this level is significantly restricted in scope. The incumbent handles overall cases appropriate to experience levels while learning regulations, laws, and procedures and developing knowledge of casework techniques and methodology. Guidelines used are directly applicable to the assignments. Only the most routine case management decisions are made without supervisory review.

Journey Level: The scope of the work at this level is somewhat restricted. Incumbent is not expected to handle difficult and complex cases without consultation and supervisory review. Critical decisions are made regarding difficult case situations only with the involvement and concurrence of the supervisor. Incumbent is expected to develop skill in the application of various case work techniques and methodology.

Senior Level: The incumbent independently evaluates each case assigned and develops extensive ongoing case plans. The incumbent is expected to deal with unusual and/or difficult cases when they arise with appropriate supervisory assistance. The incumbent is expected to be knowledgeable of guidelines and regulations available covering the work done, including but not limited to the Children's Code, Title XX, Senate Bill 94, Volume VII of the Department of Human Services Rules and Regulations, which regulate procedures to be followed but do not provide the worker with instructions about how to treat or assess dysfunctional clients. There are a wide variety of recognized social casework techniques, and the incumbent must use judgment and situational evaluation to determine which are appropriate for each of the cases assigned.

RESPONSIBILITY

Entry Level: All critical decisions in assessment and ongoing cases are made with direct input from the supervisor. Close, detailed supervision is provided before and during the course of work. Incumbent keeps the supervisor informed of the progress of each case.

Journey Level: Detailed instructions are often received from the supervisor normally when cases are assigned and during the progress of cases that involve extensive assessment and diagnosis of dysfunctional individuals and families. Case management functions are expected to be performed with little supervision. Work is reviewed for compliance to procedures, methods, general conclusions, final results and accuracy on a regular basis through staffing and supervisory reviews.

Senior Level: Instructions may be received from the supervisor when cases are assigned and during the progress of the case. The supervisor may provide instructions and to act as a consultant. Work is reviewed for compliance to policy, general conclusions, staffing, and supervisory meetings.

EDUCATION:

Minimum Education:

Entry Level: Four year college degree in a behavioral science area. Must comply with CDHS rules regarding educational requirements.

Journey and Senior Level: Four year college degree in a behavioral science area such as Social Work, Behavioral or Social Science, Sociology, Psychology.

Experience:

Entry Level: No minimum experience required, but must have a four year degree or higher in a behavioral science field.

Journey Level: One full year of full time professional casework experience acquired after the degree in a public or private social services agency in an assignment appropriate to the position.

Substitutions: Master's degree in one of the behavioral science fields may substitute for the required experience.

Senior Level: Two years of full time professional social casework experience acquired after the degree in a public or private social services agency in an assignment appropriate to the position. One year of the experience must be at full Journey Level work.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS: This Position Reports to: Child Welfare Certified Supervisor.

This Position has Supervisory and/or Management Responsibility for: None, except for Senior Level which may be appointed as "acting supervisor" during times the supervisor is away from the office. In such cases, the Senior Level Social Caseworker would assume the decision making and supervisory roles of the supervisor.

SCOPE OF INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS: Requires contact with legal, medical, psychiatric/psychological professionals, members of the judicial system, community organizations and resources, Child Welfare clients/families, adoptive homes, foster parents and other members of the agency for the purpose of developing effective treatment plans for clients and to help clients solve problems, as well as to educate the community about protection of clients and services available and foster care needs.

MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT USED: Computer, printer, telephone, copier, fax machine, county and personal vehicles.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Approximately 50% of the work is generally performed in a standard office environment. The balance of their work is performed out of the office. Noise level is generally moderate but may become loud on occasion.

Employee may be exposed to:

- conditions such as fumes, noxious odors, dusts, mists, gases, and poor ventilation that affect the respiratory system, eyes, or the skin.

- disease of known or unknown origin, blood-borne pathogens, body fluids and tissue, the threat of direct or indirect violence/conflict by other individuals, and other unanticipated circumstances associated with the position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The following are some of the physical demands commonly associated with this position.

Mobility:

- Stands 10% of the time, walks 10% of the time, and sits 80% of the time.

- Ascends or descends ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like using feet and legs or hands and arms.

- Bends body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

- Bends body downward and forward by bending legs and spine.

- Reaches, extending hand{s) in any direction.

Lifting:

- Exerts up to 10 pounds of force occasionally or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

Dexterity:

- Handles, seizes, holds, grasps, turns, or otherwise works with hand or hands.

- Fingers, picks up, pinches, or otherwise works primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm. Needs to type on computer.

Vision:

- The vision requirements for this position are as follows:

- Close vision {clear at inches or less).

- Distance vision (clear at feet or more).

- Peripheral vision (ability to observe an area than can be seen up and down or to the left or right while eyes are fixed at a given point).

- Depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships).

- Ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).

Communications: Individual must be able to clearly understand the English language and be understood while speaking the English language. Must be able to read and write proficiently in the English language. Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner. Ability to testify in court. Multilingual skills including Spanish are an asset. .

Driving: Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and have a valid driver’s license.

**Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “Visit” below for more detail on this specific job.