Therapeutic Foster Home Specialist

Full-Time

Essential Functions

-Provides for the safety, stability and well-being of children and families during the referral period. 

-Delivers culturally competent, strengths-based case management services to children and families consistent with the evidence-based practice models.

-Assesses the needs of children/youth with high acuity needs to ensure appropriate placement and support services. 

-Facilitates the placement of children into suitable foster homes, ensuring a match that considers the child's needs, cultural background, and the foster family's capabilities.

-Provides ongoing support and guidance to families, offering training and resources to promote a stable nurturing environment.  Provides 24/7 availability to respond to crisis and assist the home with appropriate actions.

-Participates in special events and training as requested by the supervisor or CPA Director.

-Develops, implements, and reviews monthly individualized care plans in collaboration with the child/youth, therapeutic foster families, case team and other professionals to promote child well-being.

-Monitors the safety and progress of children in foster care through required visits, assessments, and consultation with the case team and other service providers, including verifying compliance with DCF requirements and regulations, COA, and the National Family Focused Treatment Association.

-Maintains contact every working day with the home through phone calls for the first 6 weeks, as well as weekly in-person visits.

-Organizes a weekly meeting with the Case Team, CMP Clinical Team, Therapist, CPA Specialist, CPA Supervisor and/or Clinical Coordinator, Foster Parent and TFC Child.  After 6 weeks the meetings can move to bi-weekly if the team agrees.

-Manages case documentation, including detailed notes on assessments, plans, progress reports, and communications, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with legal and agency requirements. 

Education, Experience, and Licensure

-Requires a bachelor's degree in a human services field

-Requires at least two years of child welfare and/or family services experience

-Must possess a valid Driver's License, have in force automobile liability insurance coverage, and maintain a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) that meets the organization's insurability standard as defined by DCCCA policy. Availability of reliable transportation is required for this position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

-Regular and predictable on-site attendance.

-Proficiency with computers and Microsoft suite of products including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.

-Ability to efficiently operate other office equipment such as telephones, voicemail systems, copy and fax machines, and scanners.

-Adherence to DCCCA Values: 

  • We provide education and services based on research and a dedicated commitment to improving lives.
  • We value the people and communities we serve by respecting their experiences and treating them with dignity and respect.
  • We encourage leadership at all levels by challenging existing conditions and finding innovative ways to grow and learn.
  • We deliver high quality services every day, holding ourselves accountable for our outcomes.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of what must be met to satisfy the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to:

-Stand, walk, sit, climb, or balance

-Talk, hear, taste, or smell

-Reach with hands and arms

-Use hands to finger, handle, or feel

-Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

-Move lift or move up to 50 pounds occasionally

-Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Travel

-Certain positions will require travel which may include driving personal or company-owned vehicles.  Note: Even with a valid driver's license, certain motor vehicle infractions may render individual's ineligible to drive company-owned or personal vehicles for company business. Such infractions may also disqualify employees from continued employment with DCCCA, Inc.

Possible Opportunities for Promotion and/or Growth

-Child Placing Agency Supervisor

-Family Preservation Services Supervisor

Please note this description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Candidates must successfully complete pre-employment drug screening, background screening, a fingerprint-based records search as required by position or program, and reference checks. Continued employment is contingent upon annual background screening. 

DCCCA is a drug-free and smoke-free workplace.

DCCCA, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, gender, disability, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of DCCCA to comply with all federal, state, and local laws concerning the employment of women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans, and to act in accordance with regulations and guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in every location in which DCCCA has facilities. This policy applies to recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, training, and any other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.