Family Support Counselor

Overview

About Seneca

Seneca Family of Agencies was founded in 1985 as a small Bay Area residential and day treatment program with a simple but powerful mission: to help children and families through the most difficult times of their lives. Since then, Seneca has expanded to provide a broad continuum of permanency, mental health, education, and juvenile justice services, which today reach over 18,000 youth and families throughout California and Washington State each year. The agency’s growth has been guided by a commitment to our Unconditional Care® model – doing whatever it takes to help children and families thrive, even when faced with tremendous challenges. Seneca is committed to supporting historically underrepresented communities and informing agency policies and practices through its agency-wide DEI Initiative and DEI Advisory Board. Our agency’s values of love and compassion, hope and courage, respect, curiosity, joy, equity and justice anchor our work across all programs, ensuring our staff leverage the cultural strengths of the families and communities we serve. Seneca is committed to fostering an agency culture that is welcoming, cooperative, and inclusive of diverse peoples and worldviews.  

About the Role

The Family Support Counselor works to ensure that clients placed in Seneca’s foster care programs are successful in their placements by providing mental health counseling, crisis intervention, case management services and additional supports to children and families. The Family Support Counselor is a member of a treatment team and provides services primarily in community and natural settings including, but not limited to family homes and schools. The Family Support Counselor will meet with youth and families enrolled in Seneca’s Central Coast Placement Program, primarily serving Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties and may include travel to Santa Barbara county. Additionally, the Family Support Counselor will assist in performing assessments of Resource Families for approval, according to RFA guidelines and the template provided by a county contract.The Family Support Counselor will conduct the interviews with all members of the Resource Family home in accordance with current guidance. The Family Support Counselor will support Resource Parents in meeting all requirements to complete the assessment.  

Responsibilities

• Provide mental health interventions, skill building, crisis intervention, and case management services to support children and youth in their foster care placement. 
• Support resource parents in the implementation of client goals and guide them in assisting client’s in developing new skills and behavioral responses. 
• Support in the implementation of the client’s specific case plan including efforts related to family contact, visitation, and permanency planning. 
• Assist with arrangements for transportation to necessary services and appointments. 
• Assist with County efforts related to resource family approvals (RFA), recruitment and retention. 
• Conduct joint and individual interviews of all household members for RFA approval. 
• Complete reports within County or agency prescribed time frame, usually within 60 days from date of referral.  
• Submit report for supervisor review one week before they are due to the county and promptly complete any required edits.  
• Participate in all treatment reviews, program staff meetings, and Child and Family Team meetings when necessary. 
• Maintain accurate documentation and paperwork. 
• Bring any issues of concern to a supervisor and, as appropriate, the county social worker. 
• Participate in weekly supervision with the program supervisor. 
• Perform other duties as necessary for the good of the agency as directed by supervisor 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. 
• 2 years of experience in working with children and youth in out of home care/child welfare.  
• Bilingual Spanish/English abilities preferred. 
• Flexible schedule with ability to work evenings and weekends as needed. 
• Own vehicle, California driver’s license and insurance. 
• Strong writing skills.  
• Ability to work as a team player. 
• Ability to work with diverse population. 

Schedule

• Full Time
  • Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Sunday - Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Benefits

• Starting at $21.00 per hour and additional compensation provided upon passing bilingual language proficiency exam.
• Comprehensive employee benefits package, including:
  • Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic, acupuncture, and fertility coverage
  • Long-term disability, family leave, and life insurance
  • 50% paid premiums for dependents
  • 403b retirement plan
  • Employer-paid Employee Assistance Plan
• 5 weeks of paid time off and 11 paid holidays
• Scholarship opportunities, ongoing training, and professional development opportunities

Key Words: Non-profit, Nonprofit, Youth, Advocate, Family, Children, Families, Behavioral Health, Healthcare, Mental Health, Mental Health Agency, Counselor, Advocate, Children, Adolescent, Foster Youth, Foster Care, Social Services, Youth Development