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Virginia Department of Social Services

Human services for Virginians

Family Services Specialist 1

Case Management & AdvocacyPosted on Nov 10
Full-timeHarrisonburg, VA, USA$55k - $79.1kIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

  • A Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field, or a Bachelor's degree in any field plus at least two years of appropriate related experience in a Human Services area, is required.
  • Some knowledge of social work principles and practices, human behavior and motivational theory, and social, economic, and health problems is required.
  • Knowledge of laws, policies, and regulations relating to human services programs and legal procedures relevant to the program area is required.
  • The ability to operate a motor vehicle and a personal computer with associated software is required; Microsoft Office is preferred.
  • The ability to assess child safety, risk, and protective capacity and provide or coordinate intervention as needed is required.
  • Critical-thinking skills and the ability to apply critical thinking, knowledge, and research to scenarios in field and office settings are required.
  • The ability to meet deadlines and maintain case documentation is required.
  • The ability to work collaboratively with families to identify solutions to challenges involving parenting, behavior management, childcare, financial stability, housing, or mental health is required.
  • The ability to communicate effectively with clients, coworkers, community professionals, supervisors, the public, and other groups involved in departmental activities is required.
  • The ability to communicate orally and in writing, interview and assess needs, counsel clients, and refer them to resources is required.
  • The ability to develop and implement service plans, investigate high-risk cases, testify in court, and make sound judgments within applicable laws and policies is required.
  • The ability to respond to clients' emotions to accomplish service objectives is required.
  • The ability to plan and manage work activities, including service delivery, reports, correspondence, and recordkeeping, is required.
  • The ability to establish and maintain effective relationships and stay current with social work trends and developments is required.
  • A valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver's license with a driving record meeting agency standards is required.
  • A sealed copy of a college transcript must be provided before employment. Employment is contingent on satisfactory background and screening results.

Responsibilities

  • Receive initial referral information from child protective services workers when a decision is made to place a child in care.
  • Follow through on referrals to find appropriate placements, with flexibility to work after hours when needed for effective placement.
  • Assist foster care staff in identifying placements when a child's placement is disrupted.
  • Provide state-approved curriculum to resource parents and fictive kin applicants.
  • Assess applicants' understanding of training materials through a trauma-informed lens and assess their ability to participate in the resource parent program and provide a safe, nurturing home.
  • Prepare resource home and Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children assessments using information from training, interviews, and home visits; monitor homes after initial approval.
  • Manage resource homes, including entering contacts into the OASIS statewide system and adding families to the Resource Home database.
  • Present to community groups on the need for resource parents in Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County.
  • Assist in developing agency-approved resource home recruitment materials, including brochures, media campaigns, and events.
  • Hold regular in-person or virtual resource family information sessions and ongoing training.
  • Conduct reassessment visits with approved resource families and oversee completion of re-approval requirements within state-mandated timeframes.
  • Participate in Family Partnership Meetings, Treatment Team Meetings, and case consultations as requested to support resource families and agency placement decisions.

Desired Qualifications

  • A BSW or MSW degree and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia social worker license is preferred.
  • Previous experience applying social work principles and practices is preferred.
  • Experience with agency-associated software is preferred.
  • Experience in the assigned program area and completion of required training programs are preferred.
  • Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred.
  • Experience as a family services specialist with a local social services agency providing direct services to children and families is preferred.
  • Work experience or an internship in a human services field is preferred.

About the Company

Virginia Department of Social Services

Human services for Virginians

Virginia Department of Social Services is the state agency that designs and administers human-service programs for people and families across Virginia. Its responsibilities include food and energy assistance, foster care and adoption, child support, licensing, and abuse and neglect prevention. The department works with local social-services agencies and community partners to deliver benefits, protection, and family support. The agency spans benefits administration, protection, family services, regulation, and statewide oversight while providing policy, systems, funding, training, and operational support to Virginia’s locally administered social-services network.

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