SUMMARY
The Family Engagement Specialist I provides residential screening and parent education for youth and/or families who have requested the services of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches. The Family Engagement Specialist I works cooperatively with the staff, acting as a field liaison between the parents of placed youth and the agency and provides time limited aftercare support and networking depending on the youth’s length of stay in the program. The Family Engagement Specialist I will engage community partners such as Sheriffs offices, schools, churches, job fairs, shelters, and other community resources in order to share the mission of our Agency and to seek out disadvantaged students that could benefit from our program.
The Family Engagement Specialist I is directly responsible to the Family Engagement Specialist II.
This position is exempt from overtime pay.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The following duties and responsibilities are the various types of work performed in this position. Other duties and responsibilities may also be assigned.
- Receives and promptly responds to all incoming inquiries and requests for services within 24 hours, conducts a timely in-depth review of requests, and ensures completion of all casework steps required for placement consideration.
- Assists the family in obtaining appropriate evaluation and consultation, as needed, for psychological, physical and learning problems.
- At the request of the program, assists the family in complying with the Family Agency Agreement through consistent evaluation of the monthly support payment balance and follow up when the account is not current, there are changes to the agreement, or the family is having difficulties meeting the terms of or is in noncompliance of the agreement.
- Develops, maintains, and submits timely accurate case record documentation, mini social histories, 6 month post placement surveys, outcome measures, and other reports as needed
- Assists the family in identifying community resources and developing an alternative plan when services are no longer needed or provided by the Youth Ranches, which may include providing direction to families after youth’s discharge from the residential program and/or the aftercare monitoring program.
- Maintains a resource knowledge within the assigned outreach area that includes the regional Community Based Care organization (CBC), schools, mental health programs, social/human services agencies, sheriff’s offices and other identified agencies and maintains quality relationships with all resources through a disciplined pattern of visitation.
- Maintains contact with the program where the youth is located and meets with the youth at the program site and/or school no less than monthly.
- Manages a caseload of 20% of residential capacity and add students to the waiting list when census is full.
- Develops a schedule to engage community partners such as Sheriffs offices, schools, shelters, job fairs, churches and other community resources in order to share our mission and seek out disadvantaged students that will benefit by attending our program.
- In cooperation with other Agency Staff, participates in the planning and delivery of family engaged activities such as Family Fun Days at the Boys Ranch and Weekend TBRI camps.
- Assists with coordination of the annual summer camp program by establishing community referral contacts to assist in the placement process.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
A Master’s degree in Social Work, or Counseling, is preferred from an accredited college or university; or a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a directly related field from an accredited college or university and two (2) years’ experience in child welfare and/or working with children with serious emotional disturbances is acceptable.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each area of responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.
- Must have good oral and written communication skills and group facilitation skills and the ability to write legibly and document accurately.
- Must have the ability to efficiently organize work and meet service objectives and deadlines.
- Must have knowledge of proper initial assessment and casework techniques and have the ability to apply them when conducting bi-monthly meetings with families.
- Must have the ability to maintain emotional stability to cope with events, crises, extensive documentation, and other stresses related to the position.
- Must have knowledge of state/federal laws and regulations and legal and ethical issues related to patients’ rights.
- Must have the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; interpret extensive variety of instructions, and deal with problems involving a variety of situations.
- Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals, compute rate, ratio and percentage.
- Must have the ability to use sound judgment in assessing a youth’s physical and emotional needs.
- Must possess a high degree of cultural competence.
- Must have a valid Florida Driver License and be able to maintain a safe driving record consistent with agency policy.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical requirements described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear and reach with hands and arms. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception and the ability to focus.
WORKING CONDITIONS
This position requires work in an office environment as well as extensive driving, which may include overnight travel. The work environment and work schedule will vary and the person in this position must be flexible and adaptable.
BASE SALARY $45,760.00 Annually
DEADLINE TO APPLY Open Until Filled
