Family Services Specialist 1/2

The Rappahannock County Department of Social Services seeks an energetic and versatile team player, committed to working towards the best outcomes possible for youth and families to join our agency in a Family Services Specialist position.

• Relocation assistance is available for new hires needing to relocate to within 60 travel minutes of the agency.

• Signing Bonus possible for highly qualified candidates.

Rappahannock County is a rural county in the northern region of Virginia with a population of approximately 7,400. The agency office is in the town of Washington, Virginia, approximately 120 miles northwest of Richmond and 65 miles southwest of Washington, DC.  The town is surrounded by the beautiful Blueridge Mountains and rolling farmlands.

As an agency, we believe in the power of the team, exercising creativity and commitment in meeting the needs of our clients and community, and growing our agency and ourselves. Work-Life harmony is an agency core value. Upon demonstrating an acceptable level of proficiency in areas of assignment and verification of reliable and secure internet connection, a Family Services Specialist is eligible for a hybrid telework workweek of 1 day remote/4 days on-site, with additional remote days for virtual training and/or other events determined on a case-by-case basis. Family Services Specialists serve in a rotating schedule of on-call for afterhours/weekend coverage of CPS/APS response.

The Family Services Specialist I position represents the introductory level of the Family Services Specialist occupational group. Employees work under close supervision while training in programs areas such as In­ Home (formerly Prevention), Foster Care and Adoption, Child Protective Services, and Adult Protective Services.  Employees perform routine- to journey-level casework activities.   Upon completion of all required new worker trainings and demonstration of acceptable levels of knowledge and proficiency in responsibilities, the Family Services Specialist I is administratively moved to a Family Services Specialist II with the accompanying salary adjustment included in the agency’s annual compensation plan active at time of promotion to II status.

The Family Services Specialist II position represents the full performance level of the Family Services Specialist occupational group. Employees are responsible for developing and implementing individualized service plans involving the application of casework methods and basic service level caseloads in one or more program areas.  Employees perform all tasks independently with general supervision, and seek expanded supervisory advice on unusual situations, or when policies and procedures require supervisory review or involvement. The Family Services Specialist I is distinguished from the Family Services Specialist II by the latter’s functioning more independently as a full performance Family Services Specialist. 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility

• Monitors, coordinates and administers specific programs as assigned

• Coordinates services within specific area of responsibility

• Interviews and assesses customer needs and other relevant factors – such as education/skill levels, abilities, interests, and support systems

• Informs clients of related service programs rules/regulations, and right to participate

• Presents cases to determine appropriate services and writes/implements service plan

• Provides case management services to monitor compliance

• Tracks expenditures, prepares/submits budget estimates and ensures payment for services

• Completes necessary federal, state and local planning and reporting requirements

• Coordinates with other agencies and participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers

• Conducts overall monitoring of programs in specific area of responsibility

• Serves as resource to clients and the community

• Provides after hours on-call coverage and responds to emergencies in child/adult protective services and/or foster care

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services.
• Some knowledge of social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems.
• Skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software (Microsoft Office including Word and Excel).
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; plan and manage own work activities; and establish and maintain effective relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Possession of a BSW or MSW degree is desirable.
• Experience working directly with diverse groups of clients, co-workers and community agencies, in a criminal justice and/or human services setting.
• Experience working with families that have been impacted by substance abuse disorders and/or generational poverty.  
• Working knowledge of the Practice Profiles (Advocating, Assessing, Collaborating, Communicating, Demonstrating Cultural and Diversity Competence, Documenting, Engaging, Evaluating, Implementing, Partnering and Planning).
• Experience working with families to prevent out of home placements.
• Demonstrated ability to provide Court testimony.
• Considerable knowledge and/or public child welfare experience: Child Protective Services (CPS), Foster Care, In-Home, Adoption.
• Experience in a local VA DSS with Foster Care or CPS case management as a Family Services Specialist or like position.

 Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Relevant to the Position

Demonstrated ability to interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed; develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client; make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations; respond to the client's emotions in order to accomplish services objectives; plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.

Special Requirements
This position is covered under Code of Virginia §63.2- 1601.1 or §63.2-1720 requiring the finalist candidate to submit to fingerprinting and provide personal descriptive information for a criminal history record check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange and a search of the Virginia Child Abuse Central Registry. Applicants may be subject to additional background checks including a DMV/driving record check, pre-employment drug screening, local agency checks, employment verification and references, verification of education (relevant to employment}, credit checks (relevant to employment), and other checks as determined necessary and appropriate to the position to be filled.

• All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of the required checks and screenings.
• Employee will be required to participate in afterhours on­ call schedule on a rotating basis and must be willing to work in community emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster or emergency, or work during unscheduled office closures.
• Employee must be able to telework if necessary.
  

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applications for this position must be submitted electronically through this website. Mailed, e-mailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications will not be accepted.  Applicants are encouraged to provide a complete relevant listing of work experience and qualifications in the applicable sections of application. Selection of candidates for interviews is based upon the information contained in the application package.