Transitional Case Manager

Working with us takes a certain kind of person; we want someone who identifies with our values and is willing to challenge themselves both personally and professionally. We seek employees who are passionate about serving and making a difference in the lives of others.

Eckerd Connects’ Strive Academy is a day-treatment program serving teens between the ages of 12 through 19 who have been placed on probation, post commitment probation, conditional release or minimum risk commitment by the court and who are assessed as moderate-high or a high risk to re-offend. Eckerd Connects partnered with the Local County School Districts of Pinellas and Polk counties Florida to serve as a DJJ Alternative School.

This school model offers an array of services and interventions tools that are designed to help youth build needed skills to successfully and permanently exit the Juvenile Justice system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipNp9vyfkxE

Please follow the link for more information about this program: https://eckerd.org/juvenile-justice-services/community-based-services/strive-academy/

Position Concept
To coordinate services with the youth, their family, residential providers, and the Department of Juvenile Justice to assure effective reintegration into the youth’s return community. Collaboration is necessary to ensure a successful transition/ reentry plan to include core services (Vocation, Education, Transportation, Related Support, and Transportation). This shall commence 120 days prior to the youth’s projected discharge.

Essential Functions

• Visit Department of Juvenile Justice Residential facilities on a monthly basis as well as use a range of contact options to supplement or supplant face-to-face visits as required.
• Will facilitate youth contact with their assigned JPO and community resources.
• Conduct face-to face/one-on-one coaching sessions with each youth at least once a week to fully support the youth.
• Shall have an overarching focus on preparing the youth for the aftercare period.
• Will focus on planning for the youth’s success in the future and life after day treatment by assisting youth to develop and acquire the skills needed to build a successful future and be a productive contributing member in their communities.
• Assist youth in obtaining internships or reenrolling in school, setting up extracurricular and free-time activities, placement in college, jobs, or the military.
• Monitors/follow-up with youth 30 days from discharge to document youth’s progress with community-based activities.
• Completes 12 month after-care follow-up to determine if youth have recidivated and been Adjudicated/Adjudication With-held and documents appropriately.
• Make initial contact with the residential treatment team, the community reentry services team, the JPO, the youth and his/her family.
• Review necessary assessments on the youth to make a determination of services.
• During the preservice time the Pre-Service Coordinator will make necessary connections with the youth and his/ her family and surrounding community network to ensure that critical services are mobilized before he/she returns to community placement.
• Pre-Service Coordinator will act as an additional resource to the youth and residential treatment team to identify local community supports and in conjunction with the JPO, assist with making necessary referrals.
• Participate in ongoing monthly treatment meetings, transition staffing’s, exit staffing’s, and Community re-entry meetings to identify services needed for youth upon return to the community.
• Communicate with residential program staff, local school district, Mentor provider, Community Re-entry teams, JPO, educational and vocational partners/subcontractors.
• Initiate and maintain contact with the youth’s family prior to the youth’s release to initiate early engagement.
• Assist youth with obtaining records and other supportive services as required to include any early referrals.
• Maintain relationships with youth, families, residential programs, prospective employers, public schools, alternative schools, vocational resources, DJJ staff, local law enforcement, juvenile court judges, state attorney offices, public defender offices and local service providers.
• Maintain up-to-date youth case files and case notes on all contact and activities relating to cases; Complete required tracking and follow-up data collection.
• Maintain an organized system for referred youth.
• Present services to community members to include residential programs and other stakeholders. Be an advocate for the program and share success stories to solicit additional referrals.
• Be the point of contact for all pre-service youth to include contacting youth that may be awaiting services in the program.

Position Specifications
Education: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, in criminal justice, human services or related field required. Master’s degree in criminal justice or related field preferred. An exception to the degree requirement may be made when there is multiple years of direct experience in a similar capacity with Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
Experience: Minimum of two years’ experience with at-risk youth.
Skills: Knowledge of behavior and needs of adolescents and delinquents; Intermediate word processing skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Ability to work independently in self-directed fashion, and exercise good judgment; Ability to balance multiple, diverse and conflicting priorities.
Physical Demands: Must be capable of extensive travel and driving; Must be able to provide 24 hour, 7 day a week on-call crisis intervention to youth; Must be able to work a flexible schedule that includes some nights and week-ends; Ability to transport youth, volunteers and others; Must be free of communicable disease as defined by the state and to the extent that knowledge is attainable under the law.
Other: Must interface effectively at all organization levels, with commitment to professional standards and personal development; must meet state criminal and Eckerd background screening requirements.
Travel: must be able to meet requirements for Eckerd’s Auto Insurance and be able to drive for business purposes. Must maintain an appropriate and valid state driver’s license. Must be capable of travel and driving. Must maintain a safe driving record, and provide annual proof of appropriate auto insurance; must have use of a vehicle capable of transporting three adults, plus driver.

Make more than a Living, Make a Difference

We provide our employees with numerous opportunities for growth, education, advancement, and the chance to contribute to business objectives. We offer competitive salaries and an excellent comprehensive benefits package including:

Health, Dental and Vision Insurance | 19 days of Paid Time Off the first year | 11 paid holidays | Retirement savings plan with employer match up to 5% | Flexible spending accounts | Paid short-term and Working d long-term disability | Group Term Life and AD&D Insurance | Voluntary term life insurance

Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, and founded in 1968 by philanthropists, Jack and Ruth Eckerd, Eckerd Connects is one of the largest national nonprofit child and family service organizations in the United States. Eckerd provides a full continuum of life-changing behavioral health, child welfare services, and workforce development through multiple offices and facilities nationwide that strengthen families, assist young adults, and help children succeed.

Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc. ("Eckerd Connects") considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Eckerd Connects is a drug-free workplace and utilizes E-verify to confirm employment eligibility.