Position Function:
Provides permanent planning and placement to abused and neglected children in Cooke and Wise counties. This position is legally responsible for a child’s welfare in the position that the child is removed from their home. The Permanency Worker monitors the child’s care while in care. They work closely with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children find a permanent, safe, place to live. The position recruits, trains, studies, licenses, and develops foster and adoptive homes for the program. Additionally, provides support to families and children dealing with separation and attachment issues in preparation of permanent placement. The position may participate in abuse and neglect investigations related to foster and adoptive families. This position will support both Wise and Cooke counties.
Working Conditions:
Position includes interaction with parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel. Out of state travel may be a requirement of this role. The position is sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
The Permanency Specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care and adoption records, and foster parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
· Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.
· A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems.
· Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person.
· A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
· The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
· The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
· The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
· The ability to set appropriate limits.
· Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
· Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Implementation:
· Receives cases from investigators after children from their homes placed in CPS conservatorship and placed in care outside their home.
· Determines each child’s needs and ensuring that appropriate referral for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments are made.
· Ensures all services are focused on achieving positive permanency.
· Identifying potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them.
· Searching for potential kinship providers throughout the case.
· Meets with the parents to assess risk and safety issues, identify behavior changes necessary to achieve child safety, referring parents to appropriate services to address the identified needs to move towards positive permanency.
· Discusses with parents their progress towards making changes to behaviors that pose dangers to their child(ren).
· Collaborates with a Placement Team, including Kinship staff, for placements, as needed.
· Participates in meetings and conferences at times and places convenient for the family members, as well as everyone involved with the case.
· Visits child(ren) monthly to assess the child’s feeling of safety in their current home to plan for permanency, and to discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
· Attends and participates in court hearings about the child and family. This includes contacting the parties in the case before hearings, preparing court reports, and testifying in court on the child’s needs, the family’s progress, and the department’s efforts to achieve permanency.
· Keeps the child’s parents, caregivers, court-appointed attorney and guardian ad litem(s) informed about the child’s circumstances and significant events.
· Works with the department’s attorney to prepare for contested-court hearings and trials.
· Works with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure that they have what they need to care for the child or youth placed with them. Ie; keeping them informed about developments of case, returning phone calls, and in some areas of the state being available 24/7 at certain times.
· Transitions children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
· Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final.
· Documents case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
Training and Supervision:
· Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.
· Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.
· Participate in in-service training.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, in a human services field, is required.
Experience: Two years experience working within human services required. Case management experience is preferred.
Functional: Knowledge of good child placement practices. Skills in preparing children for permanency. Skills in developing and maintaining professional working relationships. Ability to support families dealing with separation and attachment issues. Ability to access child’s needs and process in the placement progress. Ability to maintain timely documentation and effectively manage caseload. Knowledge of agency policies, procedures, and regulations. Knowledge of laws and regulations to child care, abuse, and neglect. Ability to assess current life situations of children to determine the presence of child abuse or neglect. Ability to articulate an understanding of the intersection between race and poverty and the different outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment of services. Ability to negotiate available services. Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts. Ability to prepare clear and concise reports. Ability to travel locally, within the region, and out of state, as needed, to best support clients and client needs.
#OCOK1
Read LessPosition Function: Responsible for ensuring that youth receive the most appropriate level of residential services for well-being and to achieve permanency. Responsible for ensuring that exceptional services and/or placement waivers are secured and reviewed, with all deadlines met. Negotiate and communicate with parties within and outside of OCOK. Responsible for tracking length of stay and initiating measures for ensuring stepping down youth to achieve timely permanency.
Educational Requirements: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; a master’s degree in social work or related field is preferred.
Experience Requirements: A minimum of three years of experience working with children, youth and families in foster care or related experience with some knowledge of the regulations that guide residential services is required. Experience working with children and youth through the adoption process. Experience with utilization management in behavioral and/or medical healthcare. Experience driving quality and timely discharge planning from residential facilities as deemed appropriate in review of child’s assessments and progress.
Functional Requirements: Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with youth, families, collaborating agencies, community professionals, and OCOK/ACH Child and Family Services staff. Must be willing to increase knowledge in the application of all related standards that govern residential services. Must demonstrate excellent organizational skills as well as the ability to develop systems that support compliance. Must work autonomously to ensure that all deadlines are met, and utilization review tasks are completed. Must demonstrate an ability to continue learning through supervision, continuing education, and experience, and work cooperatively using a team approach. Must be willing to put into practice Trauma-Informed Care principles.
Working Conditions: Position includes exposure to parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. Will be required to travel to attend meetings, training, or conduct business off site. Must have a valid driver's license and meet agency’s underwriting standards if driving on agency business. A personal vehicle is required for travel.
Exposure to Confidential Information: The Utilization Review Specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care/adoption records, foster/adopt parent information and biological family history. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
Planning
Coordinates and/or participates in meetings with collaborating partners and agencies as assigned.Participates in other administrative and planning meetings as needed to facilitate referral and placement.Initiates and facilitates step-down and other utilization related meetings. Coordinates and manages all utilization review tasks for OCOK related to placement with or between Network Provider.Implementation
Receives and reviews client information from OCOK, DFPS, Network Providers, and other agencies to ensure the appropriate utilization of services to youth placed in an OCOK Network Provider. Reviews and responds to all 3rd party level of care utilization reviews to ensure that OCOK youth are receiving appropriate services based on their needs. Will track Network Provider progress. Responsible for ensuring that exceptional services are negotiated, secured, reviewed, approved, and implemented, with all deadlines met. Ensures services adhere to applicable OCOK policy and procedures and other Contract outcomes.Maintains an up-to-date listing of all Agency network providers and services.Ensures youth are placed in properly trained and licensed facilities with appropriate capacity to provide services.May participate in crisis calls as they relate to provision of services. Requests documentation to ensure psychological and/or psychiatric services are provided as needed when performing utilization reviews. Tracks length of stay for youth placed with OCOK and ensure that youth are stepping down and achieving permanency. Complete Utilization Review for clients in residential facilities as necessary. Reviews documentation provided for youth’s Service Planning as needed to review utilization. Reviews child assessment tools as needed to ensure proper utilization of services. Ensure quantified and measurable data is used during the child assessment phase to make appropriate decisions regarding the type and level of placement for the child and for the purpose of identifying needed family services. Ensures youth placed in higher level settings are properly placed and stepped down to a less restrictive setting in accordance with treatment goals and length of stay compliance. Promotes safety and encourages the least-restrictive and shortest length of out-of-home placement for children.Reviews provider documentation and conducts on-site inspections to determine that services outlined in rate agreements are being implemented.Ensures contract outcome measures are met with emphasis on utilization management. Refrains from assuming any duty that is unrelated to and/or interferes with the responsibilities of the position.Advocates, promotes, and practices cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all day-to-day interactions.Develops, promotes, and practices teamwork in all activities.Completes other duties as assigned.Training
Attends relevant in-service training offered at ACH to expand knowledge of services and the application of clinical skills.Attends mandatory training such as, but not limited to, Emergency Behavior Intervention, CPR and First Aid, Psychotropic Medications and Trauma-Informed Care training.Communicates regularly with Therapeutic Services Manager and seek supervision when appropriate.Attends continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.Notifies supervisor properly when absent.Ensures that all deadlines are met and decisions affecting OCOK payments are communicated. Establishes effective working relationships with co-workers.Deals satisfactorily with and acknowledges work-related stress.Maintains appropriate boundaries between professional and personal issues.Adheres to all policies and procedures of the agency and its accrediting and standard setting bodies, such as Council on Accreditation (COA) and state licensing.Respects the dignity and worth of all clients and families.Maintains client confidentiality per agency standards and all applicable codes of ethics.Uses outside professional collaboration and intra-agency teamwork appropriate to the agency.Learns, understands, and supports the agency’s mission, purpose, and function.Is prepared to address appropriate issues during supervisory conferences and meetings.Accepts direction from supervisor and implements supervisor’s suggestions and instructions.Understands the job description in relation to other agency positions.Continues to work to improve skills needed for position held.Considers the environmental, cultural, safety, diversity issues and needs of the clients.Identifies and understands the strengths, abilities, and competencies of the clients.The above-mentioned job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.
Position Function: Responsible for ensuring that youth receive the most appropriate level of residential services for well-being and to achieve permanency. Responsible for ensuring that exceptional services and/or placement waivers are secured and reviewed, with all deadlines met. Negotiate and communicate with parties within and outside of OCOK. Responsible for tracking length of stay and initiating measures for ensuring stepping down youth to achieve timely permanency.
Educational Requirements: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; a master’s degree in social work or related field is preferred.
Experience Requirements: A minimum of three years of experience working with children, youth and families in foster care or related experience with some knowledge of the regulations that guide residential services is required. Experience working with children and youth through the adoption process. Experience with utilization management in behavioral and/or medical healthcare. Experience driving quality and timely discharge planning from residential facilities as deemed appropriate in review of child’s assessments and progress.
Read LessPosition Function:
Responsible for supervising a unit of caseworkers and clerical staff. Performs highly complex consultative services, technical assistance, and supervisory work. Work involves planning, developing, and implementing an agency program. The role of the Permanence Supervisor is fast-paced, high energy requiring daily assessment and decision-making of child safety issues, and permanency. This role must ensure documentation is thorough and concise. The Permanency Supervisor must ensure safety plans are individualized and associated with immediate child safety, and that the service plans are individualized and associated with the treatment services to enhance protective capacities. This position interacts routinely with clients, judges, attorneys, children, school personnel, and all other aspects of the community.
Working Conditions:
Position includes interaction with parents, guardians, and conservators, as well as youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel. The position is sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
The Permanency Supervisor will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care and adoption records, and foster parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
· Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.
· A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems.
· Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person.
· A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
· The ability to lead and manage staff.
· The ability to develop goals for the program and implement strategies for achieving these goals.
· The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
· The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
· The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
· The ability to set appropriate limits.
· Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
· Promotes, monitors, and ensures that respect is demonstrated for cultural diversity.
· Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Planning:
· Conduct regular group and individual supervision meetings.
· Participate in meetings with collaborating partners and agencies.
· Participate in ACH Leadership meetings.
· Provide leadership in QCC process and planning meetings as needed to facilitate quality care.
Implementation:
· Evaluates unit performance through case readings, computer reports, and observations of unit operations to ensure unit compliance with policies, procedures, and service control requirements.
· Assists in preparing management reports, analyses, and correspondence on the effectiveness of program activities.
· Assists in the preparation of program budget requests.
· May prepare and conduct presentations for citizens, clients, staff, management, or elected officials.
· Interprets program policy and procedures to unit staff, other agency staff, parents, children, youth, caregivers, the courts, CASA, other stakeholders, and the general public.
· Makes casework decisions regarding the reunification and placement of children, and works with county and district attorneys on legal measures to initiate cases.
· Review and approve child placement casework decisions, and when requested by the client or others to ensure decisions are appropriate and consistent with policies and procedures.
· Select, manage, and develop staff through the review of performance data, conferences, training, and performance appraisal.
· Plan, promote, and encourage the professional growth and development of management and service delivery personnel.
· Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
· Ability to learn and integrate the agency philosophy and values in service delivery.
· Empower and support unit staff to make informed case decisions on assigned cases.
Training and Supervision:
· Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.
· Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.
· Participate in and sometimes conduct in-service training.
Requirements:Education: A Master’s degree in a human services field is required. A professional licensure in a human services related field is preferred.
Experience: A minimum of two years working with Foster Care, Adoption, Kinship, Conservatorship, or a related field is required.
Functional: Knowledge of program planning and implementation. Knowledge of agency policies, procedures, and regulations.
Knowledge of laws and regulations to child care, abuse, and neglect. Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships. Skills in effective verbal and written communication. Ability to articulate an understanding of the intersection between race and poverty and the different outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment of services. Ability to negotiate available services. Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts. Ability to prepare clear and concise reports. Ability to develop and analyze special projects. Ability to supervise the work of others. Ability to travel locally and within the region.
Read LessPosition Function:
Provide safety, childcare, in-region transportation, and empathetic adult guidance to clients. This role requires sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population and the ability to work independently. In-person onboarding and annual trainings will be required in Fort Worth, TX.
Responsibilities:
Oversee the physical, medical, emotional care, and safety of clients.Use and support a Trauma Informed Care model.Perform duties such as meal preparation.Provide care to children without on-site supervision and use judgment to seek supervision when needed.Work flexible hours, including mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends, and holidays based on client needs.Transport children and have reliable transportation with minimum liability insurance.Possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle with a clean driving record.Working Conditions:
Frequent and prolonged driving in agency-issued vehicles, including multi-passenger vans, as a core function of the role.Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression.Exposure to illness and blood.Sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population.Confidentiality:
Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personal and client records
Expectations:
Values:
Maintain high ethical standards.Empower others to solve their problems.Value a nurturing family environment.Believe in the capacity of people to grow and change.Establish respectful relationships to help clients gain skills and confidence.Work collaboratively with other personnel and service providers.Maintain a helping role and intervene appropriately to meet service goals.Set appropriate limits and represent OCOK professionally.Client Care:
Administer and document medication as directed.Establish and follow appropriate routines for childcare.Provide clients with basic needs and a clean, safe living environment.Supervise clients based on their needs.Support case plans and teach clients day-to-day skills.Policies and Procedures:
Complete all required documentation (incident reports, case notes, medical documentation, etc.).Maintain staff-to-client ratio as determined by the supervisor.Follow DFPS minimum standards.Deadlines:
Complete incident reports and case notes within 24 hours.Notify the supervisor of serious incidents immediately.Complete and maintain the required training hours within the outlined timeframe.Ensure clients attend appointments on time.Program Operations:
Maintain necessary documentation on fiscal matters.Attend and participate in shift change meetings and other staffing as directed.Provide clients with opportunities to learn and practice skills.Participate in planning and implementing childcare activities.Perform any other duties as directed by the supervisor.Maintain safety, confidentiality, and protection of clients.Build strong relationships with volunteer organizations.Transport clients to appointments.Youth Care and Support:
Collaborate with family and other support systems to advocate for clients.Work with TDFPS and other caseworkers to support clients.Collaborate with resources to support clients' individual needs and transition goals.Requirements:Education: High School diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree in a human service field preferred.
Experience: Minimum 6 months of childcare and positive guidance of youth. Experience working in a child placing agency, residential, or professional setting preferred.
MVR Requirements: Must be able to transport children, have reliable transportation with a minimum of liability. Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle. A minimum of 2 years of valid driving experience is required. Must have a driving record, which is within the guidelines of the insurance underwriter.
Read LessPosition Function:
Provide safety, childcare, in-region transportation, and empathetic adult guidance to clients. This role requires sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population and the ability to work independently.
Responsibilities:
Oversee the physical, medical, emotional care, and safety of clients.Use and support a Trauma Informed Care model.Perform duties such as meal preparation.Provide care to children without on-site supervision and use judgment to seek supervision when needed.Work flexible hours, including mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends, and holidays based on client needs.Transport children and have reliable transportation with minimum liability insurance.Possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle with a clean driving record.Working Conditions:
Frequent and prolonged driving in agency-issued vehicles, including multi-passenger vans, as a core function of the role.Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression.Exposure to illness and blood.Sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population.Confidentiality:
Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personal and client records
Expectations:
Values:
Maintain high ethical standards.Empower others to solve their problems.Value a nurturing family environment.Believe in the capacity of people to grow and change.Establish respectful relationships to help clients gain skills and confidence.Work collaboratively with other personnel and service providers.Maintain a helping role and intervene appropriately to meet service goals.Set appropriate limits and represent OCOK professionally.Client Care:
Administer and document medication as directed.Establish and follow appropriate routines for childcare.Provide clients with basic needs and a clean, safe living environment.Supervise clients based on their needs.Support case plans and teach clients day-to-day skills.Policies and Procedures:
Complete all required documentation (incident reports, case notes, medical documentation, etc.).Maintain staff-to-client ratio as determined by the supervisor.Follow DFPS minimum standards.Deadlines:
Complete incident reports and case notes within 24 hours.Notify the supervisor of serious incidents immediately.Complete and maintain the required training hours within the outlined timeframe.Ensure clients attend appointments on time.Program Operations:
Maintain necessary documentation on fiscal matters.Attend and participate in shift change meetings and other staffing as directed.Provide clients with opportunities to learn and practice skills.Participate in planning and implementing childcare activities.Perform any other duties as directed by the supervisor.Maintain safety, confidentiality, and protection of clients.Build strong relationships with volunteer organizations.Transport clients to appointments.Youth Care and Support:
Collaborate with family and other support systems to advocate for clients.Work with TDFPS and other caseworkers to support clients.Collaborate with resources to support clients' individual needs and transition goals.#OCOK1
Requirements:Education: High School diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree in a human service field preferred.
Experience: Minimum 6 months of childcare and positive guidance of youth. Experience working in a child placing agency, residential, or professional setting preferred.
MVR Requirements: Must be able to transport children, have reliable transportation with a minimum of liability. Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle. A minimum of 2 years of valid driving experience is required. Must have a driving record, which is within the guidelines of the insurance underwriter.
Read LessPosition Function:
Provides permanent planning and placement to abused and neglected children. This position is legally responsible for a child’s welfare in the position that the child is removed from their home. The Permanency Worker monitors the child’s care while in care. They work closely with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children find a permanent, safe, place to live. The position recruits, trains, studies, licenses, and develops foster and adoptive homes for the program. Additionally, provides support to families and children dealing with separation and attachment issues in preparation of permanent placement. The position may participate in abuse and neglect investigations related to foster and adoptive families.
Working Conditions:
Position includes interaction with parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel. Out of state travel may be a requirement of this role. The position is sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
The Permanency Specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care and adoption records, and foster parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
· Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.
· A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems.
· Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person.
· A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
· The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
· The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
· The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
· The ability to set appropriate limits.
· Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
· Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Implementation:
· Receives cases from investigators after children from their homes placed in CPS conservatorship and placed in care outside their home.
· Determines each child’s needs and ensuring that appropriate referral for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments are made.
· Ensures all services are focused on achieving positive permanency.
· Identifying potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them.
· Searching for potential kinship providers throughout the case.
· Meets with the parents to assess risk and safety issues, identify behavior changes necessary to achieve child safety, referring parents to appropriate services to address the identified needs to move towards positive permanency.
· Discusses with parents their progress towards making changes to behaviors that pose dangers to their child(ren).
· Collaborates with a Placement Team, including Kinship staff, for placements, as needed.
· Participates in meetings and conferences at times and places convenient for the family members, as well as everyone involved with the case.
· Visits child(ren) monthly to assess the child’s feeling of safety in their current home to plan for permanency, and to discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
· Attends and participates in court hearings about the child and family. This includes contacting the parties in the case before hearings, preparing court reports, and testifying in court on the child’s needs, the family’s progress, and the department’s efforts to achieve permanency.
· Keeps the child’s parents, caregivers, court-appointed attorney and guardian ad litem(s) informed about the child’s circumstances and significant events.
· Works with the department’s attorney to prepare for contested-court hearings and trials.
· Works with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure that they have what they need to care for the child or youth placed with them. Ie; keeping them informed about developments of case, returning phone calls, and in some areas of the state being available 24/7 at certain times.
· Transitions children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
· Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final.
· Documents case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
Training and Supervision:
· Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.
· Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.
· Participate in in-service training.
#OCOK1
Requirements:Education: Bachelor’s degree, in a human services field, is required.
Experience: Two years experience working within human services required. Case management experience is preferred.
Functional: Knowledge of good child placement practices. Skills in preparing children for permanency. Skills in developing and maintaining professional working relationships. Ability to support families dealing with separation and attachment issues. Ability to access child’s needs and process in the placement progress. Ability to maintain timely documentation and effectively manage caseload. Knowledge of agency policies, procedures, and regulations. Knowledge of laws and regulations to child care, abuse, and neglect. Ability to assess current life situations of children to determine the presence of child abuse or neglect. Ability to articulate an understanding of the intersection between race and poverty and the different outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment of services. Ability to negotiate available services. Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts. Ability to prepare clear and concise reports. Ability to travel locally, within the region, and out of state, as needed, to best support clients and client needs.
Read LessPosition Function:
Provide safety, childcare, in-region transportation, and empathetic adult guidance to clients. This role requires sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population and the ability to work independently.
Responsibilities:
Oversee the physical, medical, emotional care, and safety of clients.Use and support a Trauma Informed Care model.Perform duties such as meal preparation.Provide care to children without on-site supervision and use judgment to seek supervision when needed.Work flexible hours, including mornings, evenings, overnights, weekends, and holidays based on client needs.Transport children and have reliable transportation with minimum liability insurance.Possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle with a clean driving record.Working Conditions:
Frequent and prolonged driving in agency-issued vehicles, including multi-passenger vans, as a core function of the role.Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression.Exposure to illness and blood.Sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population.Confidentiality:
Maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personal and client records
Expectations:
Values:
Maintain high ethical standards.Empower others to solve their problems.Value a nurturing family environment.Believe in the capacity of people to grow and change.Establish respectful relationships to help clients gain skills and confidence.Work collaboratively with other personnel and service providers.Maintain a helping role and intervene appropriately to meet service goals.Set appropriate limits and represent OCOK professionally.Client Care:
Administer and document medication as directed.Establish and follow appropriate routines for childcare.Provide clients with basic needs and a clean, safe living environment.Supervise clients based on their needs.Support case plans and teach clients day-to-day skills.Policies and Procedures:
Complete all required documentation (incident reports, case notes, medical documentation, etc.).Maintain staff-to-client ratio as determined by the supervisor.Follow DFPS minimum standards.Deadlines:
Complete incident reports and case notes within 24 hours.Notify the supervisor of serious incidents immediately.Complete and maintain the required training hours within the outlined timeframe.Ensure clients attend appointments on time.Program Operations:
Maintain necessary documentation on fiscal matters.Attend and participate in shift change meetings and other staffing as directed.Provide clients with opportunities to learn and practice skills.Participate in planning and implementing childcare activities.Perform any other duties as directed by the supervisor.Maintain safety, confidentiality, and protection of clients.Build strong relationships with volunteer organizations.Transport clients to appointments.Youth Care and Support:
Collaborate with family and other support systems to advocate for clients.Work with TDFPS and other caseworkers to support clients.Collaborate with resources to support clients' individual needs and transition goals.#OCOK1
Requirements:Education: High School diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree in a human service field preferred.
Experience: Minimum 6 months of childcare and positive guidance of youth. Experience working in a child placing agency, residential, or professional setting preferred.
MVR Requirements: Must be able to transport children, have reliable transportation with a minimum of liability. Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license and be able to operate a multi-passenger vehicle. A minimum of 2 years of valid driving experience is required. Must have a driving record, which is within the guidelines of the insurance underwriter.
Read LessPosition Function:
The Local Permanency Specialist (LPS) is legally responsible for providing courtesy services/secondary casework to abused and neglected children who are in relative placements, foster homes, residential treatment facilities, independent living programs, and young adults who are participating in extended foster care in Region 3B. The specialist interacts routinely with Texas Department of Family & Protective Services staff, clients, contract providers, civil and criminal court personnel along with community representatives, CASA, etc. The Local Permanency Specialist monitors the child’s overall wellbeing while in care. They work closely with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help secure and maintain a permanent and safe place for the children to live. Additionally, the specialist is responsible for: Completing monthly, announced and unannounced, contact with children in the conservatorship of DFPS who are placed in Region 3B, entering documentation in IMPACT, attending monthly medication reviews for children placed in residential treatment settings, assisting primary workers with family visits and subsequent placement moves as needed. LPS will assure the child's needs are being met appropriately by the authorize caregiver and/or facility staff. LPS will also provide the primary worker with written information of any meeting/staffing and provide information to assist in the completion of the child's plan of service, common application and court report. LPS will facilitate parent and/ or sibling visitation as needed.
Working Conditions:
Position includes interaction with parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
The Local Permanency Specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care and adoption records, and foster parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
· Provides time limited services to meet the specific needs of children in substitute care and their placement providers by identifying problem areas, assisting the primary worker in the development of treatment plans, and using appropriate and necessary resources to minimize risk and provide for safety of the child; and maintains contact with caregivers and children through home visits in order to achieve treatment goals.
· Assists the primary worker with appropriate legal action by preparing affidavits and other documents as needed for court related activities.
· Enters contact, documentation information and narratives into the Information Management Protecting Adults and Children System within required agency time frames.
· Develops and maintains effective working relationships between Child Protective Services staff and law enforcement officials, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources. Works closely with Kinship Development staff to provide and/or make referrals for services not provided thorough foster care system. Works closely with educational service providers and CPS Educational Specialist.
· Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.
· A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems.
· Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person.
· A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
· The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
· The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
· The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
· The ability to set appropriate limits.
· Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
· Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Implementation:
· Receives cases from investigators after children from their homes are placed in CPS conservatorship and placed in care out of the legal region.
· Ensures all services are focused on achieving positive permanency.
· Identifying potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them.
· Meets with the caregivers/foster parents to assess risk and safety issues, identify behavior changes necessary to achieve child safety, referring parents to appropriate services to address the identified needs to move towards positive permanency.
· Collaborates with a Placement Team, including Kinship staff, for placements, as needed.
· Participates in meetings and conferences at times and places convenient for the family members, as well as everyone involved with the case.
· Visits child(ren) monthly to assess the child’s feeling of safety in their current home to plan for permanency, and to discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
· Attends and participates in court hearings as requested by the legal region. This include providing documentation for court reports and testifying in court on the child’s needs, the family’s progress, and the department’s efforts to achieve permanency.
· Works with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure that they have what they need to care for the child or youth placed with them. I.e; keeping them informed about developments of case, returning phone calls, and in some areas of the state being available 24/7 at certain times.
· Transitions children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
· Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final.
· Documents case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
• Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers
and all work-related contacts.
• Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
• Attends and participates in training/meetings/staffing's, and transitional planning
meetings, in particular, for adolescent youth.
Training and Supervision:
· Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.
· Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.
· Participate in in-service training.
Requirements:Education: A Bachelor’s degree is required. A major, or minor, in a human services field, is preferred.
Experience: The Local Permanency Specialist must have three or more years of protective services case management or and in social, human, or within social services agencies or communities providing services to families or other at-risk population.
Functional: Knowledge of good child placement practices. Skills in preparing children for permanency. Skills in developing and maintaining professional working relationships. Ability to support families dealing with separation and attachment issues. Ability to access child’s needs and process in the placement progress. Ability to maintain timely documentation and effectively manage caseload. Knowledge of agency policies, procedures, and regulations. Knowledge of laws and regulations to child care, abuse, and neglect. Ability to assess current life situations of children to determine the presence of child abuse or neglect. Ability to articulate an understanding of the intersection between race and poverty and the different outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment of services. Ability to negotiate available services. Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts. Ability to prepare clear and concise reports. Ability to travel locally and within the region.
Read LessPosition Function:
Provides administrative support to supervisor and staff.
Working Conditions:
Heavy computer usage, administrative and clerical functions in a “team” office environment, attendance at public functions, and some evening and weekend work may be required. Lifting files and office supplies, up to 25 pounds, is required.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
Maintain confidentiality, and follow policies related to personnel and client records
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH/OCOK Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.The capacity to maintain a helping role.The ability to set appropriate limits.Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.Implementation:
Performs data entry into IMPACT and other electronic programs and systems.Answers and screens telephone inquiries; takes and routes messages and records intake information for referral to caseworkers.Prepares and maintains statistical reports, leave and personnel records, case control systems, case records, and related files for the unit.Functions as the unit time keeper and will process purchase orders as directed.Types correspondence, forms narratives, travel vouchers, meeting notes, performance evaluations, and other documents to support work of the unit and file related documents. Provides program and agency information and/or makes referrals to other community resources.Greets visitors, responds to general questions, and directs callers to proper location.Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among co-workers and all work related contacts.Training and Supervision:
Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.Participate in in-service training.#OCOK1
Requirements:Education: High School Diploma, or equivalent.
Experience: One year of full-time administrative support, general office, clerical, secretarial, or Texas Department of family and Protective Services experience.
Functional: Knowledge of basic computer functions. Skills in using Microsoft Works or Windows environment. Skills in working in an office supporting several staff members. Ability to effectively handle multiple assignments in a dynamic environment. Excellent verbal communication skills, customer service and organizational skills.
Read LessPosition Function:
Responsible for processing referrals and placing youth referred to the Agency by TDFPS and other agencies. Promotes the well-being of children, participates in staff meetings/trainings and coordinates with staff from other agencies involved in providing services to children. Performs the following duties directly: Receives and reviews youth referral and intake information from DFPS staff. Accepts and coordinates appropriate placement of youth in properly trained and licensed facilities within timelines required. Handles crisis calls and emergencies which are called in to the OCOK intake line.
Working Conditions:
Position includes interaction with parents, guardians, and conservators, as well as youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. Will be required to travel in order to attend meetings, training, or conduct business off site. Must have a valid driver's license and meet agency’s underwriting standards if driving on agency business. Will be required to transport clients. A personal vehicle is required for travel.
Exposure to Confidential Information:
The Intake Specialist will have access to confidential records including youth’s files, foster care/adoption records, and foster/adopt parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities:
· Maintain high ethical standards which are outlined in the ACH Child and Family Services Code of Ethics.
· A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems.
· Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person.
· A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
· The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
· The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professionals.
· The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
· The ability to set appropriate limits.
· Represent OCOK in a professional manner at all times.
Planning
· Participates in meetings with collaborating partners and agencies as assigned.
· Participates in other administrative and planning meetings as needed to facilitate referral and placement.
Implementation
· Receives and reviews client referrals and intake information from TDFPS and other agencies.
· Coordinates and assists to locate and arrange for appropriate placement of clients in out of home care.
· Serves as a liaison for all Agency children placed in residential and psychiatric facilities.
· Ensures placements adhere to applicable OCOK policy and procedures and other Contract outcomes.
· Ensures an accurate system of identifying available resources to satisfy youth placements.
· Maintains an up-to-date listing of all Agency network providers and licensing capacity.
· Assigned to shifts that enable the Agency to provide 24-hour Region 3b intake and placement services.
· Ensures children are placed in properly trained and licensed facilities with appropriate capacity to accept placement.
· Handles crisis calls and emergencies called in to the Agency’s intake line.
· Completes all intake and placement documentation for the youth, and forwards reports containing descriptive, analytical and evaluative content as needed.
· Ensures child assessment tools are properly used to correctly evaluate children referred to the Agency for placements or services.
· Ensures quantified and measurable data is used during the child assessment phase to make appropriate decisions regarding the type and level of placement for the child.
· Promotes safety and encourages the least-restrictive and shortest length of out-of-home placement for children.
· Communicates youth’s needs and concerns to residential program and/or child placing agency.
· Ensures contract outcome measures are met with emphasis on the placement activities.
· Refrains from assuming any duty that is unrelated to and/or interferes with the responsibilities of the position.
· Advocates, promotes and practices cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all day-to-day interactions.
· Develops, promotes and practices teamwork in all activities.
· Completes other duties as assigned.
Training and Supervision
· Attends relevant in-service training offered at ACH to expand knowledge of services and the application of clinical skills.
· Attends mandatory trainings such as, but not limited to, Emergency Behavior Intervention (SAMA), CPR and First Aid, Psychotropic Medications and Trauma-Informed Care training.
· Communicates regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate.
· Attends continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses.
· Notifies supervisor properly when absent.
· Completes assignments on time.
· Establishes effective working relationships with co-workers.
· Deals satisfactorily with and acknowledge work-related stress.
· Maintains appropriate boundaries between professional and personal issues.
· Adheres to all policies and procedures of the agency and its accrediting and standard setting bodies, such as Council on Accreditation (COA) and state licensing.
· Respects the dignity and worth of all clients and families.
· Maintains client confidentiality per agency standards and all applicable codes of ethics.
· Uses outside professional collaboration and intra-agency teamwork appropriate to the agency.
· Learns, understands, and supports the agency mission, purpose and function.
· Is prepared to address appropriate issues during supervisory conferences and meetings.
· Accepts direction from supervisor and implement supervisor’s suggestions and instructions.
· Understands the job description in relation to other agency positions.
· Continues to work to improve skills needed for position held.
· Considers the environmental, cultural, safety, diversity issues and needs of the clients.
· Identifies and understand the strengths, abilities and competencies of the clients.
Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, or related degree, is required.
Experience: A minimum of one year of experience working with children, youth and families in foster care system or related experience with some knowledge of the regulations that guide residential services is required.
Functional: Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with youth, families, collaborating agencies, community professionals, and OCOK/ACH Child and Family Services staff. Must be willing to increase knowledge in the application of all related standards that govern residential services. Must demonstrate good organization skills as well as the ability to develop systems that support compliance. Must demonstrate an ability to continue learning through supervision, continuing education and experience, and work cooperatively using a team approach. Must be willing to put in practice Trauma-Informed Care principals.
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