Family Services Specialist 2 - Family Preservation Services Worker - Albemarle

Performs responsible, equitable, and professional In-Home Services casework in an inclusive team environment in accordance with established social work/counseling principles and policies. Uses a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to partner with families facing many challenges that place their children at very high risk of child abuse, neglect, foster care, and/or out of home placement. Prevents the recurrence of child abuse/neglect and preserves families through engaging practices that build capacity for families to provide safe, stable, and nurturing environments for their children. Empowers the client/family to the highest level of self-sufficiency. Work requires a broad specialized knowledge of department, local, state, and federal policies to perform duties that are vital to achieving unit work process and state requirements, while establishing and maintaining files, frequently of a confidential and/or sensitive nature. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

•  Partners with families through In-Home Services cases to develop and implement family-specific psychosocial case plans integrating multiple social work theories and intervention approaches that increase child safety, reduce the risk of abuse/neglect and foster care, and build on the family’s strengths to address needs to preserve the family.

• Supports families in accessing resources and services that can reduce risk and build protective capacity through providing services and conducting assessments from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally humble, and family-centered perspective that considers cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and their families.

• Offers clinical case management to children and families that applies family-systems treatment models in such a way as to strengthen families and prevent foster care through ongoing assessment, planning, intervention, collaboration, and evaluation. 

• Utilizes best practices in family engagement and family finding to identify and connect children and families with their natural supports to increase child safety, well-being, and permanency. Actively engages the natural support network and community partners in ongoing case planning to meet family goals. 

• Participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers; collaborates with community partners such as schools, the Court Services Unit, Region Ten, and local therapeutic providers and coordinates services with these partners through home visits, school visits, and team meetings.

• Exercises critical thinking in casework decision-making and applying laws, policies, and regulations; plans, oversees, and participates directly in court interventions to protect children and achieve goals of safety, permanency, and well-being for children.

• Interprets and adheres to necessary federal, state, and local laws, policies, regulations, planning, and reporting requirements, including maintaining a thorough case record with all necessary documentation, informing clients of their rights and responsibilities related to In-Home Services, and demonstrating fiscal stewardship while following the requirements for funding authorization and payments for services for children and their families.

• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services. 

• Performs other duties as required.

  KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Working knowledge of: 

• Social work principles and practices. 
• Current social, economic, and health problems. 
• Social institutions and community resources. 
• The methods of the helping process. 
• Individual and group behavior;
• Child and adolescent growth and development, family structure and dynamics, the impact of physical and mental conditions on families;
• Crisis intervention;
• The impact of trauma, systemic discrimination, and the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage on children and families as well as effective intervention strategies to promote healing and change. 

Skills in: 

• Critical thinking.
• Crisis intervention and de-escalation.
• Decision-making and independent judgment.
• Using personal computer with associated software. 

Ability to:

• Identify social problems and client strengths and needs and assess the ability of individuals and families to utilize services in problem-solving.
• Develop rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds;
• Recognize and accept the rights, responsibilities, and differences of others; 
• Work effectively with individuals and families in helping them attain success. 
• Plan and organize work. 
• Understand and interpret laws, policies, and regulations. 
• Communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies, and the general public.
• Operate a motor vehicle;
• Prepare reports and maintain records. 

 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

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 (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia). Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is preferred. Possession of a BSW degree, MSW or related master’s degree and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license are preferred.        

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Workers in this position are required to drive and they must meet the eligibility requirements of the County’s safe driver policy. Workers must be willing to travel occasionally overnight and may be required to assist in managing emergency shelters for the public. Must be willing to work beyond regular working hours and be on call. The candidate may be subject to criminal history and central registry background checks.

  PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND NATURE OF WORK CONTACTS

• Administers work to the public, frequently in home settings, including remote rural areas. Involves office- based work for purposes of documentation and data entry.
• Frequent contacts with clients and their families; coordination with professionals and representatives of other public and private agencies (i.e. school, courts, clinics, etc.) are required.
• Involves frequent driving, walking, standing. 
• Involves some telework for participating in virtual meetings and much of the office-based administrative work can be completed virtually. 
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.  

EVALUATION

  Performance will be evaluated on the ability and effectiveness in carrying out the above responsibilities.

Albemarle County Core Values:

Albemarle County holds its employees to the highest standards in fulfilling the County’s Vision and Mission. We believe in excellence in public service through

Community:  We expect diversity, equity and inclusion to be integrated into how we live our mission.

Integrity: We value our customers and co-workers by always providing honest and fair treatment.

Innovation: We embrace creativity and positive change.

Stewardship: We honor our role as stewards of the public trust by managing our natural, human, and financial resources respectfully and responsibly.

Learning: We encourage and support lifelong learning and personal and professional growth.

  **PLEASE INCLUDE COVER LETTER, RESUME AND THREE REFERENCES 

Contact Information:

For questions related to this posting, please contact: Kiersten Trader 

[email protected]

Minimum Salary: $74,258

Maximum Salary: $82,075