Family Services Specialist- CPS

The essential functions of the job are not limited to those listed in the job description.  The City retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.

When Assigned to Social Services - Childcare:

• Schedules and conducts interviews, by reviewing additional history, completing narrative, evaluating information of client’s resources, determining current and future needs, identifying needs of client, completing forms, involving client in service planning process, preparing client to utilize service plan, and setting appropriate goals.  Conducts case redetermination.  Instructs client how to properly use the child care card, authorizes purchase orders/payment, provides service to clients with unusual circumstances, contacts employers, and contact community partners (Head Start, community Action, Health Dept. and other State Agencies).
• Organizes, case records, monitors incoming cases on Common Help, maintains case records to ensure documentation of chronological history and completes necessary reporting and record keeping requirements.  Regularly monitors and updates Virginia Child Care Management System, EPPIC, SPIDER, ADAPT, Common Help, and other systems as needed.  Maintains regular contact with clients within a quarter, redetermination of eligibility completed yearly, updates Service Plans, completes authorizations for payment, and prepares records for State review and audits.
• Regularly maintains person to person contact with vendors.  Trains vendors (CPR/First Aid), provides skills training for providers in age appropriate groups and special needs areas, and makes referrals to other agencies for required training when needed.  Counsels vendors.  Makes referral to State agencies for approval and updates, maintains close contact with Virginia Child Care Licensing, Child Care Aware of Virginia.  Monitors Electronic Payment Processing and Information Control System in order to review child attendance, child care payments, card history. Reissues child care cards.  Troubleshoots and mediates disputes between vendors and clients.
• Participates in mandated trainings, community collaborations, State and Local committees and boards, Court and appeal hearings.  Gathers information for investigation of fraud cases.   Maintains ongoing waiting list when money is not available for child care program and dispute resolutions.

 
When Assigned to Social Services – Foster Care Prevention Unit:

• Assesses families and child(ren)’s strengths and needs and develops a service plan to address the needs of the child & family; making home visits announced or unannounced; attending Court Proceedings and providing sworn testimony to the court; making referrals for counseling; serving as an advocate for families and children; attending IEP Meetings; providing crisis intervention; provide supportive services to families with at-risk child/children.
• Provides administrative duties by having client sign service application; documenting all information; completing referral for FAPT funding of services; completing any letter or correspondence for court; completing referrals for services; and closing files when services are completed; enters case information into state tracking system of OASIS.
• Provides complete court ordered home studies by contacting all clients and scheduling time to meet to begin home study process; gathering information for report; researching criminal background; completing home study and submitting it to the court; and contacting the court date to find out the outcome.
• Provides transportation by transporting clients to appointment; and transporting guardian and clients to out of town placements to residential facilities.

 
When Assigned to Social Services - Court-Ordered Home Studies:

• Assesses report and provides case management to individuals concerning custody disputes of child/children, which may ultimately affect parent-child relationship through a written comprehensive social study.  The case management service to families and child/children is delivered in accordance with State and Local rules and regulations evaluating and focusing on the best interests of child or children and to complete an impartial and comprehensive evaluation for the benefit of providing recommendations to the court regarding custody. The report is submitted to the court of jurisdiction for disposition of the case.  Interviews with all parties, involving child/children involved in the custody/visitation dispute must be interviewed and assessed as to their ability to provide safety and stability to the child/children, while focusing on the child/children’s best interest.  
• Assists clients in referrals to community resources including counseling, psychological evaluations, school meetings, and other community sites.  Obtain school records, medical reports, references in regards to parent and child/children.
• Performs administrative duties by documenting all contacts with clients or referral sources; preparing Case Action forms for payment of services and crisis intervention items; typing correspondence to court personnel, clients, and referral sources; monthly time sheets and activity reports. 
• Performs on-call duty at least two times per year.

 
When Assigned to Social Services – Foster Care Unit:

• Provides case management, support and services by developing service plans to meet the needs of specific families; making regular home visits; attending court and providing testimony or information as requested; making referrals for counseling, intensive in-home services, job readiness programs, independent living programs, etc.; advocating for child/children in school and in the community; attending various related meetings; assisting parents and guardians in placing child/children in residential facilities as needed; monitoring home environments, school achievement, discipline and attendance; assisting families with crisis when needed; performing drug tests; and supervising visitation between family members and child/children.
• Prepares home studies for the court by contacting and visiting all parties listed on court order; gathering information from home visits for the study; gaining and contacting references given by families; researching criminal histories; contacting schools to gain attendance, grade, and discipline records; and delivering and distributing completed study to Clerk of Court’s office.
• Assists clients in transportation by transporting clients to medical appointments, counseling, psychological evaluations, school meetings, and community worksites, among others; providing alternative transportation to child/children if they miss their ride to school; and facilitating family’s presence at court hearings, counseling sessions, or out-of-town residential facilities.
• Performs administrative duties by documenting all contacts with clients or referral sources; preparing Case Action forms for payment of services and crisis intervention items; typing correspondence to court personnel, clients, and referral sources; and preparing funding requests for FAPT Team as well as monthly time sheets and activity reports.
• Assess needs by making home visits or meeting with parents; talking with child/children, family members, and school personnel; making referrals for parenting assessments and/or psychological evaluations; and distributing necessary forms for service to appropriate parent or guardian.

 
When Assigned to Social Services – Resource Families:

• Assesses individuals for approval as a kinship care, respite, foster and/or adoptive provider.   This position requires the employee to possess knowledge and skills to interpret and apply local, state and federal laws, policy, and procedures. The position requires the ability to conduct structured interviews, review and compile information gathered from interviews, assess training, supported documentation into comprehensive, detailed reports; create and maintain provider’s files.
• Provides the community information regarding the services the agency offers, the needs of our community in regards to foster and adoption and the assessment process to become an approved provider, by answering questions and requests of the public regarding foster/adopt process; distributing foster care awareness information throughout the community; participating in community awareness events; conducting bi-monthly orientation meetings for prospective families.
• Provides ongoing support to approved providers/ child/children’s family services worker; maintaining quarterly contact with providers or more frequently as needed; addressing concerns of providers and locating appropriate community resources as needed.  Monitors approval status of providers; assesses the ongoing training needs of providers; completes contingency claims for property damage caused by foster child/children; maintains foster care/adoption lending library; facilitates or co-facilitates support groups; acknowledges providers during holidays with card and/or calls; acts as liaison between the provider and the child/children’s worker; works with the child/children’s worker to resolve issues with the provider in regard to conflicts with child/children or state standards/regulations; participates in family engagement meetings and placement staffing; coordinates foster home placements; supervises child/family visits.
• Plans and implements training and respite care programs through completing annual application packages for training and respite care programs; maintaining budgets/data for training and respite care programs; purchasing supplies/resources for training program; reviewing and developing training material (handouts, newsletters, etc.); coordinating and conducting individual and group trainings. Types, prints and collates training materials and all provider correspondence.
• Submits semi-annual report to Virginia Department of Social Services; maintains professional technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications establishing personal networks and collaboration with other agencies.

 
When Assigned to Social Services – Adult Services:

• Provides case management, support and services by developing service plans to meet the needs of specific adults; making regular home visits; attending court and providing testimony or information as requested; making referrals for counseling, intensive in-home services,   etc.; advocating for incapacitated and elderly adults in the community; attending various related meetings; transporting adults to needed services; assisting families/ guardians in placing adults in residential facilities as needed; monitoring home environments, adult adjustment to new home environment: assisting adults with crisis when needed; and   developing support systems for adults either within the community or family.
• Makes initial contacts via phone calls, faxes and walk-ins. Coordinate with the Health Dept RN to schedule home visits for nursing home preadmission screenings; complete 12- page assessment to determine criteria for community based, in home care or nursing home placement; assessment for assisted living based on level of care. Documentation in the Adult Protective Services Program; gathering information from home visits for the study; gaining and contacting community entities to develop Adult Protective Services dispositions and services appropriate to the client’s need in the most restrictive manner.
• Assists clients in transportation by transporting clients to medical appointments, counseling, psychological evaluations, school meetings, and community worksites, among others; and facilitating family’s presence at court hearings, counseling sessions, and facilities.
• Performs administrative duties by documenting all contacts with clients or referral sources; preparing Case Action forms for payment of services and crisis intervention items; typing correspondence to clients, and referral sources; and preparing monthly invoices for companion services, as well as monthly time sheets and activity reports.
• Assesses needs by making home visits or meeting with the adults; talking with the adult, family members, researching criminal histories to determine approval of home-based care providers (companion providers). Contacts approved companion providers to determine if standards are met. Prepares information for guardian court hearings or emergency involuntary APS.

 
ADDITIONAL DUTIES 

• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Education and Experience
Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Services field.  No experience required.
 
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the specific requirements listed above
 
Certifications/Licenses 

• Valid Driver’s License with acceptable driving record according to City Criteria

 
Job Knowledge 
Basic familiarity with the work to know common principles and terminology and to understand and solve simple problems.
 
Reading
Advanced:  Ability to read literature, books, reviews, scientific or technical journals, abstracts, financial reports, and/or legal documents.  
 
Writing
Intermediate:  Ability to write reports, prepare business letters, expositions, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech.  
 
Math
Intermediate:  Ability to deal with a system of real numbers; and practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios/proportions and measurement.  
 
Communication Skills 
Decisions regarding interpretation of existing policies may be made.  Contacts may involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions.   Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas.  
 
Independence and Decision-Making 
Normally performs the duty assignment according to his or her own judgment, requesting supervisory assistance only when necessary. Special projects are managed with little oversight and assignments may be reviewed upon completion. Performance reviewed periodically.
 
Technical Skills
Work requires a comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities appropriate to the work environment of the organization.
 
Fiscal Responsibilities 
No budgetary/fiscal responsibility.
 
Supervisory Responsibilities
No responsibility for direction or supervision of others.PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Work is sedentary in nature, requiring occasional light physical exertion. Requires adequate vision, hearing and talking to use a computer, telephone and communicating effectively with others. 
 
NON-PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

• Responsible for appropriate use and maintenance of City equipment, tools and other resources, including work time.  
• Regular and predictable attendance is expected.
• May frequently experience time pressure, change or tasks, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, and working closely with others as part of a team.
• May occasionally experience emergency situations, irregular work schedule/overtime, and tedious or exacting work.
• May rarely experience noisy/distracting environment.

 
MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE
Typically requires use of standard office equipment, including computer and related hardware and software, and any other equipment as appropriate or required.
 
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work is typically performed in an office environment with rare exposure to physical danger or abuse,
 
The employee is expected to use appropriate protective equipment for the assigned task; and any other equipment as apparent or assigned.