Children's Services Specialist, Home Study & Post Release Services

The Children’s Services Specialist (CSS) for the Home Study and Post Release Services program is primarily responsible for the oversight of social service programs providing home studies and post release services to unaccompanied undocumented children and their families under the Office of Refugee Resettlement/Department of Unaccompanied Children’s Operations (ORR/DUCO). This position provides oversight to a network of providers to include training, technical assistance, case consultation, assistance with monitoring and quality assurance to ensure compliance with program policies and procedures.  This position is also responsible for reviewing sub-recipient reports, data collection and analysis, facilitating trainings as needed to internal and external stakeholders, and submitting reports to ORR/DUCO at required intervals. 

Contributes to the Bishops’ strategic plan for the Conference and demonstrates willingness and ability to understand, respect and contribute to the USCCB mission and to fulfill job duties in accordance with its Catholic identity.

Continuing Responsibilities: (List from highest to lowest priority.)

Provides technical assistance, training, and case consultation related to the provision of Home Study and Post-Release services to a national network of Home Study and Post Release Service providers to ensure quality and timeliness of services in accordance with grant obligations.

Provides continuous programmatic support and oversight of network providers, in collaboration with other Home Study and Post-Release team members, to monitor local service delivery to children and families. 

Along with the Monitoring and Quality Assurance (MQA) Specialist, the CSS could assist in the ongoing desk monitoring of assigned network programs, in addition to, collaboration with annual on-site monitoring visits to budgeted Home Study and Post-Release programs

•Responsible for review and collaboration with monitoring reports for site visits conducted.

• Analyzes and prepares data and related reports both for internal use and for required reporting to our funderonoutcomesrelatedtounaccompaniedchildrenservedthroughtheFamilyReunificationProgram. This includes preparing data and information for the Quarterly, Annual, and other ad-hoc reports and ensuring timely submission to ORR/DUCO.

•Conducts ongoing quality assurance reviews of Home Study and Post-Release reports, provides technical assistance and consultation on report writing to local providers, and ensures timely submission of required reports to ORR/DUCO.

•Disseminates and updates family reunification related resources and news to provider network through mechanisms to include web library, newsletters, conference calls, and social media

•Assists with the development of and implementation of the Family Reunification team’s outreach plans to ensure adequate national coverage of available service providers to promptly respond to case referrals of unaccompanied children; continually evaluates plan and makes modifications, if needed, to ensure effectiveness and ability to place cases.

•Provides, on an as needed basis, remote case management services to children when necessary to include home visits, post-release services, and completion of required forms and reports.

•Maintains detailed knowledge of the Family Reunification referral and placement protocol and to provide coverage for the Placement Specialist, as needed, to ensure timely response to all referrals for Home Study and Post-Release services as well as placement with an appropriate local service provider within required timeframe.

•Develops and facilitates web-based trainings and educational materials for the USCCB/MRS national network of family reunification service providers. Continually evaluates effectiveness of training and revises as needed.

•Liaises with other MRS segments on curriculum development and implementation for MRS convenings, New Director Orientations and other events aimed at building diocesan capacity to serve unaccompanied children and families.

•Conducts research and remains knowledgeable of current evidence-based practices for quality service programming for immigrant families, national accreditation standards, and complex mental health/trauma, medical, safety, and juvenile justice issues that impact children who are referred for family reunification.

•Keeps abreast of federal legislation related to migration and child welfare and its impact on programming for unaccompanied children.

•Continually evaluates the on-going training needs of the network in response to the needs identified through case work, funder and network requests, and program outcomes.

•Identifies trends and gaps in care and informs MRS/Children’s Services accordingly

•Provides language translation and interpretive services, as possible/necessary

•Assists in training new MRS family reunification staff

•Utilizes current internal systems and develops new systems for tracking outreach and training activities.

•Responsible for other duties pertaining to the Safe Passages program as assigned.

General Responsibilities, Children’s Services

•Remains knowledgeable of all federal government and USCCB/MRS guidelines, policies and procedures related to family reunification.

•Maintains technical assistance and training records as well as agency and case data in the MRIS database and/or UAC portal.

•Participates in family reunification team meetings as required

•Advise and assist the Assistant Director in developing guidelines and procedures related to the Family Reunification program.

•Engages in USCCB/MRS quality assurance and evaluation activities.

•Provides back-up coverage for other family reunification team members.

Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Level: 

•Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or related field; Master’s degree is a plus

•Two years related experience or combination of education and experience

Major Field/Specialty: Social Work, Child Welfare, Case Management, Mental Health, or related field.

Number of Years Required: Minimum of 2 years

Language: Spanish

*This position can be remote but must live in the DC/MD/VA region