Partner Agency Posting (Camelot-Alachua County): Family Care Counselor

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Position Title: Family Care Counselor

Location: Gainesville, Florida

Reports To: Family Care Supervisor

FLSA Status: Hourly, Non-Exempt

SUMMARY

The Family Care Counselor must successfully complete the Child Protection Professional training and examination, all field based requirements for certification, and achieve certification within 1 year of hire date or 1 year from completion of Pre-Service Exam.

During the time that the FCC is attending pre-service training and working to achieve certification as a Child Protection Professional, the FCC is expected to become proficient in identifying and assessing client and family needs of minors placed in care by DCF due to abuse or neglect by caretakers, with the ultimate goal of permanency. Under the supervision of the FCC Supervisor, the FCC evaluates, coordinates and ensures necessary services and/or treatment are provided; completes required assessments; assists individuals and families by using such activities as delineating alternatives, helping to articulate goals and providing needed information.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

  • Attend formal instruction (Phase I Child Protection Certification training program).
  • Upon successful completion of Phase I, enter Phase II which is a monitored field practice under close supervision and may include:
  • Conduct child safety assessments;
  • Assess client needs and developing service plans, DCF case plans;
  • Coordinate the delivery of services, plan referrals and linkages to clients and families;
  • Monitor service plan progress and evaluating reports from multiple service providers;
  • Develop and maintain case and program documentation according to contract and agency standards (assessments, treatment/service plans, progress notes, termination summaries, etc.);
  • Prepare case/status reports and making recommendations/testifying at court or before other prescribed bodies regarding reunification, TPR or other permanency plans; appearing in court when subpoenaed as a witness;
  • Conduct diligent searches as required by Dependency laws;
  • Coordinate services with other professionals and paraprofessionals;
  • Conduct community outreach, as needed;
  • Provide specialized services that may include detainment, interstate compact, post placement supervision, relative/non-relative caregiver home studies, court testimony, TPR, and JR staffings;
  • Provide support to children, caregivers and family members to assure stable placement and timely achievement of permanency;
  • Assist family/caregivers in accessing subsidy, medical coverage and other needed services for children;
  • Coordinate cases with supervisor, team members, providers, DCF and attorneys;
  • Facilitate placement and independent living;
  • Assist in removing and placing children;
  • Assist in the facilitation of mediation staffings for reunification, TPR and detainment;
  • Arrange or provide transportation of clients when needed;
  • Arrange for drug/alcohol screens, as necessary;
  • Provide on call support as required or scheduled;
  • Participate in the Quality Improvement process;
  • Appear in court when subpoenaed as a witness.

This list of responsibilities is not intended to be exhaustive. Camelot Community Care reserves the right to revise this position description as needed to comply with actual job requirements.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Successfully complete pre-service training and pass final examination.

Indicator: Documentation of successful completion.

Objective 2: Achieve Child Protection Professional Certification within one (1) year of hire date and or one year from test date, per contractual requirements. If employee is unable to become certified, this will lead to immediate termination from said position. Certification is mandatory.

Indicator: Documentation of certification

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in human services or a related field from an accredited college or university with two (2) years of related experience OR an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:  This position requires the following credentials.

  • Valid driver’s license in good standing.

 Language Skills:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret regulatory documents, contracts, policies and case records.  Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from management, staff, clients, and outside agencies.  Ability to effectively present information to children and families, management, employees, and outside agencies.

Reasoning Ability:  Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.  Ability to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.  Able to anticipate needs and/or problems based on current events and/or situations and to develop solutions.

Education and Training Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a human services field from an accredited university or college and one year related post bachelor degree experience or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in human services and two years post bachelor’s degree experience.
  • Must obtain Florida Child Welfare Certification within 12 months from date of successful completion of Pre-Service Post Test. Candidates must successfully complete the State Certified training and exam; a structured period of observation in and out of the office, including home and field visits. Candidate will be observed by Quality Assurance Specialist, Direct Supervisor and Lead Agency Job Coach during the certification process. Must also complete the prescribed re-certification requirements every two years as well as annual trainings mandated by the agency.
  • Complete a minimum of 40 hours of in-service training each full year of employment. The in-service training must include but not be limited to, indicators of child abuse, neglect and abandonment; substance abuse; community resources; independent living, and other related topics to child welfare.
  • Complete agency Relias/Corporate University web based courses business as part of agency orientation.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:   This position requires the following additional qualifications.

  • Willingness to carry out the mission of Providence Human Services of Florida, Inc. and its programs;
  • Ability to work as a team member and leader;
  • Possesses a conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change;
  • Ability to forge mutually respectful partnerships with the individuals served, other staff members, representatives of other agencies and organizations, and others with whom he or she comes into contact;
  • Possesses qualities which enable him or her to work well with others such as sensitivity, flexibility, emotional maturity, ability to work with frustration and conflict, a sense of humor, and the capacity to respect persons with differing lifestyles and philosophies;
  • Understanding of the role cultural identity plays in motivating human behavior;
  • Ability to work in a culturally competent manner with individuals from a variety of ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Professional appearance and behavior including, but not limited to, reporting to work at the scheduled time, working as scheduled, and seldom being absent from work.
  • Exercises effective problem solving techniques, tackles issues directly, and makes timely decisions based on factual information;
  • Ability to attend to details;
  • Organizational abilities, including ability to prioritize and meet deadlines;
  • Ability to research and analyze;
  • Written and oral communication skills;
  • Computer skills;
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality;
  • Positive attitude;
  • Ability to work flexible hours;
  • Self-starter with high energy and a positive attitude;
  • Adherence to all agency policies, including but not limited to those related to a drug/alcohol/smoke free workplace.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

  • Sit: Remain in the seated position
  • Talk: Express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word to impart oral information to clients or to the public and to covey detailed spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly
  • Hear: Perceive the nature of sounds by ear
  • Read: Requires clarity of vision at 20 inches or less

The employee is occasionally required to:

  • Stand: Remain on one’s feet in an upright position without moving about
  • Walk: Move about on foot
  • Handle: Seize, hold, grasp, turn or otherwise work with hand or hands. Fingers are involved only to the extent that they are an extension of the hand, such as to turn a switch or shift automobile gears.
  • Finger: Picking, pinching or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling
  • Feel: Perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture, by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips
  • Reach: Extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
  • Stoop: Bend body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles
  • Kneel: Bend legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees
  • Crouch: Bend body downward and forward by bending legs and spine
  • Crawl: Move about on hands and knees or hands and feet
  • Lift: Raise or lowering an object weighing up to 10 pounds from one level to another (includes upward pulling)
  • Carry: Transport an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms, or on the shoulder

WORK ENVIRONMENTThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Please email resume to Jessica.Morrison@pfsf.org

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