Youth & Family Support Specialist

Description

Job Summary

The Youth and Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing continuous monitoring, support, and coordination of services for foster and adoptive kinship families, as well as families caring for youth aged 14 and older. This role also includes direct support to clients serving as a liaison between families, service providers, and the organization to ensure consistent and quality care.

Essential Duties:

Kinship and Foster/Adopt Family Development and Monitoring

• Provides assistance and support to foster families so that they remain in compliance with DFPS Minimum Standards and Pathways’ policies and procedures.
• Assists foster parents with documentation according to Pathways’ policies and procedures.
• Conducts and documents regular visits to all assigned kinship and foster/adopt homes.
• Provides and assists with training during regular visits to all assigned kinship and foster/adopt homes.
• Creates and ensures compliance with action/safety plans.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within two business days.
• Links families and clients to community supports and services based on need.

Client Placement and Monitoring

• Identifies and assists in preparing kinship families and children for placement with Pathways.
• Identifies and assists in preparing youth for transition support services and aftercare services.
• Assesses and ensures the child’s well-being and safety on an ongoing basis.
• Assesses ongoing needs of kinship families, as well as families caring for youth aged 14 and older in meeting the needs of the children they serve, to include completion of the Casey Life Skills Assessment, Preparation for Adult Living classes and other services to support independent living.
• Monitors kinship and foster/adopt homes and services provided to children through regular contact.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within two business days.
• Participates in Service Plan, Transitional Plan and Aftercare Plan development for assigned clients.

Aftercare Services

• Assesses, assists, and supports the needs of parents and/or subsequent caregivers and family.
• Assists with school enrollment (if applicable per the child’s age). Ensures the child is enrolled in school prior to discharge, if possible. Addresses any issues with the assistance of the education liaison for the operation.
• Organizes and facilitates the transition to other medical and mental health providers, as needed. This includes collaboration to ensure that there is no lapse in therapy or medication, if applicable.
• Consistently and ongoing engages with the child and families to support transition and to maintain healthy connections for up to six months post discharge.
• Uploads/completes aftercare documentation within two business days.
• Maintains all applicable service expectations outlined in the T3C Blueprint related to Aftercare Services, which vary by Service Package/Add-On Service.

Training

• Assist in facilitating initial orientation and ongoing training to prospective and licensed kinship families/support providers and staff via in-person, in-home, online, and uses audio/visual applications.
• Provides recommendations as to the abilities, skill level, and appropriateness of families that have completed applications, cleared background checks, and attended training.

Recruitment

• Participates in joint recruitment area events and activities with other supporting agencies.
• Facilitates initial orientations and informational meetings as needed.

Inquiries/Applicants

• Assists with tracking onboarding progress for kinship families/support providers to ensure efficiency, productivity, and compliance, to include due dates, training compliance, background checks, inspections, etc., prior to verification.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within three business days of receipt.

Home Study and Verification

• Prompts applicants, licensed kinship and foster/adopt parents, and applicable support providers to attend/receive all required training.

Supervisor:                Program Manager/Area Development Manager/Regional Director.

Supervises:               N/A.

Caseload:                   Estimated 30 clients/homes.

Work Hours:              Full-time, working a minimum of 40 hours per week approved by their supervisor with allowances in scheduling to be available to meet with staff, children, and families during times and dates convenient for all parties involved (i.e. evenings and weekends).

Classification:           Non-exempt.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Option 1: Master’s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and one year of supervised child-placing experience; the degree must include the following
  • Minimum of 9 credit hours in graduate level courses that focus on family and individual function and interaction; or
  • 350 hours of formal, supervised field placement or practicum with a social service or human services agency;
• Option 2: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university and two years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 3: Bachelor’s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 4: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 5: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and direct supervision from a person meeting one of the above qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Through working knowledge of the needs of children placed in substitute care.
• Ability to support the agency’s culture, growth, and success through communication, accountability, and positivity.
• Ability to be clear-headed and decisive based on the scope of the position.
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively both individually and as part of a team.
• Ability to appropriately accept feedback through the supervision process thus displaying the willingness to learn, grow, and improve.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Skilled in approaching care/services from a strengths-based perspective.
• Competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, GoToMeeting, the Internet, and other software applications.
• Effective organizational skills.

Additional Requirements

• Proof of valid Texas Driver’s License (Type C) and at least three years of driving experience.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Proof of valid/current auto insurance.
• Cleared motor vehicle driving record.
• Three employment references and two personal references.
• Cleared background check and signed affidavit.
• Cleared tuberculosis (TB) test results (current within 12 months prior to employment).
• Cleared drug test.
• Working cellular telephone at all times.

Physical & Mental Demands

With or without reasonable accommodation, the physical and mental requirements of this job include the following: frequent seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly. Occasional reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and frequent sitting, standing and walking may be required for long periods and may involve climbing stairs, walking up inclines and walking on uneven terrain. Additional physical requirements may include frequent lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.