Case Manager

The Home Study & Post Release Case Manager provides culturally competent assessment and case management services serving recently immigrated unaccompanied children and the individuals sponsoring them here in the United States. This position entails conducting home studies of the potential sponsor (caregiver) homes to assess for safety and suitability for placement and providing post release services that promote the successful community integration of the youth and support family reunification efforts. PHFC works in collaboration with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide home study and post-release case management to UCs who are reunified with caregivers across the South and surrounding regions as well as other parts of the country.

Home Study Services

• Model and act in accordance with PHFC’s core values.
• Conduct the home study process through a combination of in-home visits and interviews, phone calls and other investigative activities with the goal of producing a comprehensive assessment of a potential sponsor’s ability to provide a safe living environment that meets the youth’s needs.
• Utilizes information gathered through investigative interviews with shelter staff, clients, and prospective sponsors, home visit observations and the review of informational documents, including background investigations for all adults living in the potential sponsor’s home for the purpose of making determinations and recommendations.
• Conduct a collaborative psycho-educational process with the youth and sponsor designed to identify areas where support, resources or information are needed to ensure successful reunification.
• Educate and prepare the prospective sponsor for reunification with the youth, assisting with accessing needed support and services.
• Produce a comprehensive written report containing the home study findings and recommendations within 10 days of case assignment.

Post Release Services

• Conduct home visits and phone contacts with the dual purpose of assessing safety and appropriateness of the youth’s placement with his/her sponsor and connecting the youth to services in the community to address risk factors.
• Perform ongoing case management with a focus on screening and making appropriate referrals to address the youth’s needs in the following domains: safety, placement stability, guardianship, education, health and medical, individual mental health and family stabilization, legal/immigration proceedings, substance abuse, gang prevention, independent living, juvenile/criminal justice, trafficking assistance (as applicable) and child enrichment activities.
• Facilitate the development of a youth and family care plan ensuring that the plan demonstrates youth and family voice and includes clear needs statements, strength-based strategies, and outcomes that are measurable and specific.
• Collaborate with youth and sponsor, as well as available informal supports, to develop a crisis and safety plan to ensure the safety of the youth, family, and community.
• Provide crisis intervention services directly, as needed, or connect family to services to ensure youths safety and well-being in a crisis situation.
• Facilitation of case management meetings for with youth and sponsor, as well as applicable informal supports and external providers, that continually reassess the needs of the youth and family and ensure that services in place are effective.
• Evaluate the youth and family’s progress towards goal achievement and keep applicable internal and external stakeholders informed with regards to progress toward achieving care plan goals.
• Motivate and support family involvement through identification and inclusion of informal supports.
• Evaluate the youth and family’s progress towards goal achievement and keep all parties informed with regards to progress toward achieving care plan goals.
• Ability to contact youth and sponsor within 48 hours of case assignment and facilitate an in-home visit with youth and sponsor within 14 days of case assignment.
• Adherence to PHFC established performance metrics related to best practice contact requirements for youth and family, including phone and in person face to face visitation requirements.
• Submit detailed and thorough documentation in compliance with PHFC and ORR requirements and reporting deadlines, including but not limited to case notes, federal and agency data collection, programmatic reporting, assessments, care plan documentation, transition/discharge planning and post-discharge follow-up.

Overall Responsibilities

• Acts as a primary point of contact and liaison for the youth, family, sponsors and external agencies.
• Responsible for driving to youth and sponsor homes within a 200-mile radius and traveling via airplane and rental car to homes beyond the 200-mile radius.
• Active participation in agency and community efforts to build culturally competent outreach, education, and interventions for the immigrant and refugee community.
• Complete required documentation and reports within the defined timelines including case notes, federal and agency data collection and applicable programmatic reporting. Documentation requirements are both rigorous and extensive.
• Coordinate with the PHFC staff members and community resources to address the youths service needs.
• Maintain effective working relationships with families, youth, colleagues, consultants and community agencies.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and familiarity with both PHFC and ORR Policy and Procedures relating to services for Unaccompanied Children. This includes knowledge of legal background and authority governing the practice as related to working with Unaccompanied Children.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and ability to identify community social service resources and the processes required to connect youth and families to available social service benefits and programs.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the value of cultural diversity, including the ability to develop systems and practices that are inclusive of diverse staff members and responsive to the cultural needs of the client population served.
• Identify supervision and/or professional training needs to supervisor as they arise.
• Assist with transportation needs of youth and family as needed.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in the behavioral sciences, human services, or social services fields.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (both oral and written).

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university and 1-year experience in providing direct services to children/youth and families.
• Active certification in SAFE Home Study (or similar method) certifications.
• Two years of experience providing direct services to foreign born, immigrant and/or refugee populations.
• Child welfare and/or ORR case management experience.
• Proficiency in languages other than English and Spanish.
• Excellent computers use knowledge with Microsoft Windows 10 and 365 Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Proven effective time management, planning, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to keep an electronic calendar (Outlook).
• Ability to pass TCI certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass CPR/First aid certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to demonstrate the possession of a valid driver’s license prior to employment and ability to maintain the license and operate a motor vehicle thereafter.
• Ability to pass CPS/UII background check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Tuberculosis Screening both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a work-readiness physical performed by a certified medical professional both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Federal and State Fingerprinting Background Check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a drug screen via urinalysis both prior to employment and randomly thereafter.

Due to federal requirements of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and Presbyterian Home for Children, and the nature of this position the Employee must be able to:

• Pass a criminal background check that includes history of conviction of child and sexual abuse.
• Pass Federal, state, and local background checks which include:
• FBI fingerprinting,
• Child Abuse & Neglect (CA/N) check,
• DHR background check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter,
• Driving Clearance both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Pass a drug screen via urinalysis both prior to employment and randomly thereafter.

Upon employment, the Employee is required to review and sign the following required PHFC policy agreements:

• PHFC Staff Code of Conduct
• Confidentiality Policy
• Zero Tolerance
• Social Media
• Grievances

Work Environment/ Remote Office Requirements:

Remote duties require the ability to procure fast, reliable internet service (15 Mbps minimum download speed required) at the remote office location. Remote workspace must allow for phone and video calls to be made without interruption, the confidentiality of protected health information to be maintained, and equipment stored securely when not in use. PHFC will provide a laptop and cell phone. Employee is responsible for all other remote office equipment and costs.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. The schedule requires flexibility based on the availability of youth and families served. This position regularly requires long hours and weekend work. Eligible for flex schedule.

Travel is required and will include local as well as out-of-area and overnight travel. Frequent local travel will be required.