Care Coordinator

Care Coordination is a home-based service that helps families with children who have serious emotional disturbance by using a Wraparound model; we are strength-based, empowering caregivers to help their child improve functioning in home, school, and community. We work with children between 3-18 (or a bit older if still in school) to help build resources to support the child’s challenges through professional and community-based connections. Eligible children display serious emotional and behavioral disturbances and require intensive coordination of multiple services to meet those needs.

The program, open to families without active DCF involvement, is provided at no cost; participation is voluntary. Referrals come from a variety of sources including families themselves and community providers. Our Care Coordinators pride themselves on being culturally competent and attentive to all family members’ perceptions of their family vision, needs and goals. A Care Coordinator, helps families build a team of natural, informal, and formal supports through a process using a child and family team meeting’ to create goals around support.

Responsibilities

1. Referrals are assigned by the Care Coordination Supervisor - you will manage a “caseload” of approximately 10-12 families.
2. Meet with families at a time and location that is most convenient to them. This may include doing home visits on evenings, and holidays, as needed.
3. Maintain weekly in-person and/or phone contact with families served and document all contacts.
4. Perform family assessments using “Wraparound” principles and standardized forms (“Uniform Client Record” -“UCR”, etc.). This includes the identification of Family Strengths, Vision, Needs, and Strategies in the development of an Individualized Service Plan.
5. Assist families in setting up and convening Child Specific Team (CST) meetings – at least once per month – to develop, implement, and monitor progress on their Individualized Service Plan.
6. Help families to manage crises through the development and implementation of a proactive and reactive safety/crisis plan.
7. Maintain confidentiality in the management of records and communications regarding families – including obtaining appropriate consent to release information.
8. Attend school-related meetings (e.g. “PPTs”) with families, as needed – providing advocacy and support for the family at those meetings.
9. When appropriate, access “Flex-funds” to help meet family needs identified in the CST process and documented on the family’s service plan (within Flexible Funding Guidelines and available funds).
10. Develop knowledge of existing community resources and educate families on resources that will best meet their needs.
11. Inform families about available Family Support Groups and other “natural supports” available to them in the community.
12. Complete case closure forms and ensure a smooth transition out of Care Coordination. Obtain satisfaction surveys at the time of case closure.
13. Regularly attend monthly Community Collaborative meetings and present identified service gaps and needs. Seek assistance from the Collaborative in filling those gaps and in identifying formal and natural community supports for families.

Annual Salary: $45,000 plus mileage reimbursement of any business-related miles

Location(s) available: Waterbury and Danbury

Hours: The typical schedule is Monday - Friday; flexible schedule to meet with families in their homes and/or schools.

Requirements:

A bachelor's degree in a human service field (e.g., social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology, etc.). In exceptional circumstances, persons with a degree in an unrelated field or without a college degree may be considered if they have at least 5 years of experience in human services.

Care Coordinators must have the skills necessary to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of the families to be served by the Systems of Care.

Bi-lingual (Spanish-English) is preferred but not required.

Must have a valid driver's license, auto insurance, and reliable transportation.