Family CINA Court Navigator

COOK INLET TRIBAL COUNCIL, INC.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:            Family CINA Court Navigator

Department:      Child & Family Services Department

Reports to:         Program Manager, Reunification

Supervises:        None

FLSA Status:     Non-exempt

Pay Grade:         N5

Job Type:           Full-time, Regular

AKBCU:              Yes      ICPA:  Yes

General Functions:

The Family CINA (Child in Need of Aid) Court Navigator will work to expedite safe, permanent placement of Alaska Native and American Indian children and youth with families through coordination of support and resource linkages for parents, children and youth among OCS, CINA court and service providers.  The Family Court Navigator provides navigation of all related systems, facilitates multi-disciplinary meetings to monitor progress toward permanent placement of children, and provides coaching to participants to meaningfully connect and engage in the array of services, particularly recovery services, within CITC’s service areas and within the Alaska Native system of care.

Duties and Responsibilities, including but not limited to: 

• Provide orientation and navigation assistance to parents, youth and children at all points of system entry and engagement to reduce stress and to improve meaningful participation.
• Provide emotional support, explains, reiterates or helps to manage the pace in multi-disciplinary meetings for family members to fully participate in the meetings.
• Assist parents to develop an informal support network of family members and other supportive people to function in various capacities including safety plan participants and licensed or un-licensed placements to manage safety of children.
• Coordinate access to services to promote change that supports safety and well-being of children.
• Conduct relevant surveys to identify needs, resources and readiness for change with participants toward successful case plan completion.
• Collaborate with the CFS Family Navigator, Clinical Consultant, Family Contact Specialist and RS Peer Recovery Coach to conduct outreach and engagement of participants pending enrollment and throughout engagement in services. 
• Collaborate among external systems to monitor and promote behavior change and to support present adjustment of family members toward a positive permanency outcome.
• Develop post-reunification support plans with participants to ensure key resources and services continue and are relevant to the needs of the children, youth and parents after system exit.
• Document activities for purposes of service provision and evaluation activities.
• Maintain operations by following policies and procedures.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending workshops; reviewing profession publications; establishing personal networks.
• Comply with federal, state and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; advising management on needed actions.
• Maintain client confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• All other duties as needed and assigned.

Job Specifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  
• Demonstrated knowledge of child welfare systems and associated family serving systems.
• Excellent problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to make sound decisions and exercise good judgment.
• Ability to prioritize workload and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to coordinate multiple activities with limited supervision while maintaining attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to use Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint and other survey platforms such as Qualtrics.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate, to lead and to work collaboratively within Cook Inlet Tribal Council and with OCS and other community partners.
• Maintain a high degree of sensitivity regarding confidential information.
• General knowledge and understanding of the social, health, educational, training, and cultural needs of the Alaska Native and American Indian community. 

Minimum Core Competencies: CITC Values, Respectful Leadership, Professionalism, Emotional Intelligence, Problem Solving/Critical Thinking, Communication Skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis. 
• Two full years of experience working with the OCS system and other services systems accessed by participants.
• One year of experience working with Alaska Native families, knowledge of their values and belief systems.
• Continued employment status will be contingent upon satisfactory completion of a state and federal criminal background check.
• Valid Alaska driver’s license and insurable under CITC’s automotive insurance, which requires a driver to be at least 21 years of age and have had a driver’s license for at least three years. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Primarily works in an office setting, with extended periods of time at a desk and on a computer.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents within this job.  It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and working conditions required of employees assigned to this job.  Management has sole discretion to add or modify duties of the job and to designate other functions as essential at any time.  This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.