Family Finding Specialist (Grant-Funded Family Services Specialist)

About the role

This is a 1-to-5 year grant-funded position contingent upon the continued availability of funding and compliance with the applicable grant requirements (Collaborative Grant through the Virginia Department of Social Services).

Responsibilities

• Completes Mutual Family Assessments to determine eligibility to become a foster family.
• Transporting program participants.
• Assesses the needs of clients and families to develop a service plan.
• Investigates referral and interviews clients as needed.
• Takes applications for services and determines service eligibility.
• Assesses/monitors situations and progress of clients by conducting field visits.
• Provides clinical and/or non-clinical services to families by listening to concerns and monitoring progress.
• Develops contacts and collaborates with community partners and service providers to make referrals for services to appropriate community resources and maintain relationships and continued referrals to programs.
• Conducts group information/education sessions for clients.
• Assists in the evaluation of programs and services.
• Provides trauma-supportive and appropriately responsive service.
• Conducts monthly home visits and may coordinate progress with the treatment team as necessary.
• May be responsible as an on-call staff on a rotating basis.
• Responsible for appropriate use and maintenance of City equipment, tools and other resources, including work time.
• Regular and reliable attendance.
• Performs additional duties to support operational requirements as apparent or assigned.

Requirements

The preferred hiring amount is between $56,326.40 - $59,870 Annually. Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, internal equity and available funding through the collaborative grant. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position which provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym membership reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education/training opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field, such as Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, or similar area.
• Bachelor's degree in any field AND 2 years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services related field; as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services may be substituted as equivalent.
• Masters in Social Work, Human Services, or a related field.
• Directly related experience (case management services) in Virginia within the past 2 years.
• Ability to communicate in a second language.

Skills

• Thorough knowledge and complete comprehension of eligibility requirements for public assistance, principles and practices of child welfare, substance abuse, employment services, family services and/or protective service work and state and federal procedures and legal terminology to solve common and unusual problems, advise on technical matters, and serve as a resource for others.
• Knowledge of counseling and social work principles and practices.
• Knowledge of community services and facilities available for clients served. Knowledge of crisis intervention and behavior changes techniques.
• Knowledge of human behavior and of current social, economic, and health problems of the community served.
• Intermediate: Ability to read and understand complex written materials, such as policies, regulations, and professional articles/journals.
• Intermediate: Ability to organize data, maintain case records, and write clear and concise reports and prepare explanations and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech.
• Intermediate: Ability to work with, understand, and apply simple formulas to process financial documentation related to client services, reimbursements, and prepare statistical reports.
• Intermediate: Establish and maintain effectively working relationships with clients, families, co-worker’s city staff, other agencies, and the public. Provide and receive standard to more complex information. May include interactions that involve stressful, negative situations requiring significant tact and the ability to diffuse aggressive behavior and reach consensus. Requires recognizing different points of view to ensure understanding and appropriate response. Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and understanding.
• Skilled: comprehensive knowledge of techniques for interviewing, counseling and investigating problems. Uses analytical judgment to develop comprehensive courses of action for families. Applies understanding of individual and group behavior and social, economic and health problems. Skill in the use of Microsoft Office applications and department software.

Benefits

- For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.

Pay

$56,326.40 - $59,870 annual

Schedule

Full time