Conference Facilitator

Permanent Child and Family Specialists are encouraged to apply. The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports.

About the role

The Office of Family Team Conferencing facilitates a continuum of conferences and related duties in support of Child Protection divisional best practices, including processing out-of-home foster care placements for children deemed unsafe or at risk. The role focuses on family support, well-being, child safety, risk, and permanency. The facilitated Child Safety Conference ensures appropriate safety decisions and plans are developed to prevent removal when safe, or to decide on the best suitable out-of-home placement to keep the child safe from imminent danger through familial and fictive kin resources.

Responsibilities

• Attend and facilitate all Family Team Conferences (FTCs) focusing on child safety, risk, well-being, permanency, and family support, ensuring placement and discharge decisions reflect ACS commitments, values, and principles.
• Address critical issues and concerns of the child, family, provider agencies, divisional partners, and Family Court during conferences.
• Use a decision-making process involving key stakeholders, children, families, service providers, and community resources to make recommendations for referrals and resources when appropriate.
• Prepare and complete administrative functions, including timely documentation of conferences, data, action plans, and all other reports related to Family Team Conferencing.
• Complete Expedited Home Study packages (5300 series) with kinship resources in the community (resource homes).
• Make DOAS requests for items to support children in kinship resource homes.
• Request Emergency Funds/Miscellaneous Reimbursement Payments for kin resources caring for children.
• Interface with interagency critical support resources (e.g., clinical consultation team, MCHU, Investigative Consultants) to identify critical issues, barriers, and concerns specific to children’s safety.
• Provide case conferencing and consultation to reexamine and ensure the appropriateness of decisions and service plans; consult with FCLS attorneys for guidance on legal posture and relevant court orders.
• Provide conferencing in the family’s natural community when appropriate, necessary, and safe.

Requirements

• A Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.
• One of the following:
  • A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and at least one year of full-time, satisfactory, post-graduate experience in one or more of the following:
    • Facilitation of family team conferences or family group decision-making meetings using a conferencing model emphasizing family engagement and consensus-based decision-making.
    • Clinical group work with children, youth, parents, or individual families.
    • Professional training on topics related to child and family services.
  • A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and at least three years of the experience described above (up to two years may include supervision of such practice areas).
  • At least three years of the experience described above. A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) must be obtained within one year of appointment.
• At least one year of the required experience must have been obtained in the last five years.

Note: Employees who fail to obtain their LCSW or LMSW within one year after appointment may have their probationary periods extended for no more than six months. Failure to obtain the license by the end of the probationary period will result in dismissal.

Pay

$84,863.00 – $97,593.00.

It is important that you take and pass the next open competitive exam for the civil service title to avoid being "bumped" out of your position when the eligible list for this title is established.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter if you would like to be considered through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County.