Early Childhood Case Manager

About the role

This position provides continuity of care for children by supporting permanency through a case management model that develops, expands, accesses, and connects families with community resources that meet each child’s needs. The position also provides specialized case management support to children ages 0–5 who are at heightened risk for developmental, physical, and mental health challenges due to their young age and experiences of maltreatment.

Responsibilities

• Function as a contributing member of a case management team.
• Provide case management services, including assessment, planning, linking, monitoring, and advocacy, to assigned children and families from intake to discharge from the system.
• Provide increased parent-child visitation with a focus on increasing parent engagement and attachment.
• Increase parent participation in Early Childhood Court (ECC), seeking to overcome systemic barriers to attendance.
• Manage cases involving families participating in Early Childhood Court and dependency drug court.
• Link families to evidence-based parenting and early childhood services, incorporating infant mental health principles into case planning.
• Conduct weekly home visits for high-risk cases.
• Ensure appropriate case plans and treatment plans are developed for all children and families in the foster care system.
• Ensure that families are staffed with the multidisciplinary team as needed and appropriate.
• Develop and ensure the service/case plan includes a realistic permanency goal that can be achieved within 12 months, measurable objectives related to the permanency goal, specific task assignments with timelines, and all legal requirements under Chapter 39.
• Review and update service/case plans monthly, or more frequently as needed, to ensure progress is being made toward permanency and that modifications are made in a timely manner.
• Complete monthly progress reports and updates case plans whenever goals, interventions, or timelines need to be changed.
• Provide families with educational information to increase awareness of child abuse and neglect, promote family stability, and support a healthy family system.
• Maintain electronic and paper records of each case, ensuring that chronological notes and activities are accurate and entered timely into the appropriate data system.
• Ensure all judicial work is prepared timely and in accordance with Florida Statute.
• Identify and monitor children and families at risk of abuse or neglect.
• Refer children and families to appropriate community services and otherwise ensure continuity of care for children and families.
• Participate in staff development programs and opportunities, such as training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and/or Circle of Security.
• Other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor or leadership.

Requirements

• Trained and authorized to access protected health information.

Preferred Knowledge and Understanding

• Knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed principles and practices, including creating a safe environment, fostering trust, promoting collaboration, and empowering individuals.