Therapeutic Case Manager

The Therapeutic Case Manager provides a full range of case management services to youth in Therapeutic Foster Care and Regular Foster Care. Utilizing a trauma-informed approach, the Therapeutic Case Manager provides coordination of services and case management to all youth on their caseload referred to the program through the Division of Unaccompanied Children Operations or the Division of Children. The case manager meets weekly with youth on their caseload, facilitates groups as requested, and works with natural supports in the youth’s life such as family/relatives, Social Workers, and legal advocates to create a housing stabilization plan tailored to each youth’s individual needs.

For DUCO youth, the therapeutic case manager reviews intake and transition of youth and ensures that legal representation is accessed for each youth when appropriate. The Therapeutic Case Manager tracks intake and exit paperwork, coordinates case planning and transportation, provides or obtains translation services, and ensures youth meet all immigration related court appointments and requirements. The Therapeutic Case Manager (TCM) is responsive to the cultural needs of youth and serves as the liaison between the youth, the youth’s identified family and the country of origin. The TCM is responsible for maintaining, contacting, and furthering the youth’s potential reunification with family or supportive others, including those in the youth’s home country. The TCM provides direct service to the youth weekly to help determine appropriate placement for youth and documents each meeting. The TCM documents tracking and transition of needed services and ensures services are provided with the fewest possible barriers. When working with DCYF, the TCM works with their foster parents, birth parents, and identified supports to assist the youth toward permanency. The TCM coordinates all case and treatment planning among the team members and assists the Program Manager in placing DCYF youth in therapeutic foster homes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

1. Maintain children and youth caseloads for youth 0-18 years of age. A standard caseload consists of 8 to 12 clients.
2. Screen referrals for admission by reviewing records, contacting relevant individuals to obtain more information, and facilitating pre-placement interviews between referrals and foster parents.
3. Collaborate with the Mental Health Therapist (MHT) in the development of culturally and developmentally appropriate treatment plans and treatment outcome goals for each youth. With the MHT, monitor progress toward these goals monthly.
4. Assist foster parents in their role as primary life skills educators by providing information and resource materials related to life skills and independent living skills.
5. Collaborate and facilitate quarterly treatment service plans, goals, modalities, and individualized approaches for each youth on their caseload.
6. Ensure completion of timely assessments for DUCO and DCYF as contracted.
7. Contact and develop community resources to support youth's treatment plans, goals, and discharge planning
8. Establish aftercare treatment plans for all youth on caseload. Monitor and implement these aftercare plans.
9. Complete, in a timely manner, forms and reports mandated by Friends of Youth and funders, such as 30-day Assessment Transition Reports, Supervision and Behavioral Management plans, Initial and Quarterly Comprehensive Treatment Plans, Incident Reports, Discharge Transition Reports, etc.
10. Maintain case notes as required, including documentation of all medical, dental, and treatment sessions and updated in the UC Portal where applicable.
11. Ensure all files are organized and up-to-date weekly.
12. Assist in selecting, screening, licensing, and training prospective foster parents.
13. Be available to foster parents to work through therapeutic or case management emergencies.
14. Assist in and attend, when possible, foster parents' monthly support meetings and other activities that may be scheduled.
15. Disseminate and implement agency policies.
16. Support MHT treatment methods that incorporate agency goals, policies, and procedures.

Management Tasks

1. Maintain children and youth caseloads for youth 0-18 years of age. A standard caseload consists of 8 to 12 clients.
2. Screen referrals for admission by reviewing records, contacting relevant individuals to obtain more information, and facilitating pre-placement interviews between referrals and foster parents.
3. Collaborate with the Mental Health Therapist (MHT) in the development of culturally and developmentally appropriate treatment plans and treatment outcome goals for each youth. With the MHT, monitor progress toward these goals monthly
4. Assist foster parents in their role as primary life skills educators by providing information and resource materials related to life skills and independent living skills. Collaborate and facilitate quarterly treatment service plans, goals, modalities, and individualized approaches for each youth on their caseload.
5. Ensure completion of timely assessments for DUCO and DCYF as contracted.
6. Contact and develop community resources to support youth's treatment plans, goals, and discharge planning
7. Establish aftercare treatment plans for all youth on caseload. Monitor and implement these aftercare plans.
8. Complete, in a timely manner, forms and reports mandated by Friends of Youth and funders, such as 30-day Assessment Transition Reports, Supervision and Behavioral Management plans, Initial and Quarterly Comprehensive Treatment Plans, Incident Reports, Discharge Transition Reports, etc.
9. Maintain case notes as required, including documentation of all medical, dental, and treatment sessions and updated in the UC Portal where applicable.
10. Ensure all files are organized and up-to-date weekly.
11. Assist in selecting, screening, licensing, and training prospective foster parents.
12. Be available to foster parents to work through therapeutic or case management emergencies.
13. Assist in and attend, when possible, foster parents' monthly support meetings and other activities that may be scheduled.
14. Disseminate and implement agency policies.
15. Support MHT treatment methods that incorporate agency goals, policies, and procedures.

Personnel Tasks

1. Meet one hour per week for individual supervision with the Program Manager, Foster Care to discuss policy, review program operations and direction, initiate discussions on problem areas, and to report on the status of youth, families of origin and foster families. Number of hours of supervision will be increased to reflect complexities of case load.
2. Participate a minimum of one hour per week in group supervision with other foster care staff members.
3. Minimize program vacancies by timely placement of appropriately screened clients.
4. Provide information about the agency to individuals, groups, and organizations when requested.
5. Attend agency and professional group seminars and conferences to enhance professional knowledge and skills.
6. Familiarize themselves with requirements of funding and referring agencies. Contact significant individuals in these agencies to maintain a functional working relationship (for casework and funding purposes).
7. Assist in the rotation of the emergency crisis phone and respond as needed.
8. Follow all Washington Administrative Codes (WACs), DCYF policy and procedures, and Council on Accreditation (COA) guidelines.
9. Meet regularly with each employee to provide supervision and direction from program policy, contracts, COA, and licensing requirements.
10. Meet weekly with the Program Manager, Foster Care to elevate concerns, questions and progress towards youth goals.
11. Participate in agency meetings and events on a regular and special needs basis as requested.
12. Maintain supervision notes on employee supervision meetings.
13. Complete annual Employee Performance Evaluations with each employee on a timely basis.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

A. Education and Experience

1. Master’s Degree in social services or a closely related field, with one-year professional experience in mental health/social work field. preferred or a Bachelor’s Degree in social services or a closely related field with at least three years’ experience working with children or youth in the social services field.
2. Bilingual in Spanish and English

B. Additional Requirements

1. Must be 21 years of age or older.
2. Must satisfactorily pass criminal history check
3. Must satisfactorily pass tuberculosis (TB) test.
4. Complete a de-escalation and restraint training within the first 45 days of employment to be eligible to be involved in the restraint of a resident if necessary.
5. Must have reliable transportation and a valid Washington State driver's license (or be able to obtain one by date of employment).
6. Employees and volunteers who operate their own or Friends of Youth vehicles on Friends of Youth business, must have a safe driving record as defined by Friends of Youth.
7. Employees and volunteers who operate their own vehicle(s) on Friends of Youth business must carry auto liability insurance that complies with the requirements of Friends of Youth.
8. Must successfully complete the following health certification requirements within 30 days of employment: CPR, First Aid and Bloodborne Pathogens.
9. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required. There are no exemptions.

C. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Able to engage with diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner.
2. Demonstrate a commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by honoring and celebrating diverse characteristics and expressions of personal identity.
3. Strong commitment to Friends of Youth’s mission, vision, and values.
4. Knowledge of various mental health treatment modalities, de-escalation, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills a plus, and the ability to develop and monitor treatment plans.
5. Strong organizational ability.
6. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
7. Knowledge of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) for group care.
8. Working knowledge of the principles of trauma informed care, positive youth development, and harm reduction within culturally appropriate frameworks.
9. Knowledge of Council on Accreditation (COA) and licensing standards for Group Care facilities preferred.
10. Knowledge of Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) process preferred.
11. Able to adapt and respond to change effectively; proactively seek opportunities supportive of change.
12. Able to identify challenges and formulate and implement solutions, utilizing the expertise and input of others.
13. Ability to be flexible and responsive to the needs of youth in care and employees.
14. When on-call, must be able to respond in person, as needed, and address emergent and safety concerns within a reasonable amount of time 24 hours a day.
15. High integrity when dealing with restricted, and/or confidential information.
16. Ability to accurately maintain and produce files, records, logs, and reports.
17. Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients while building trust and respect.
18. Cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity and respect for everyone.
19. Ability to develop and maintain community resources.
20. Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends required.

We offer:

• Generous time off including 15 vacation days per year, paid sick leave, 11 paid holidays, 2 social justice leave days per year for full-time employees