Permanency Specialist

At Saint Francis Community Services, we are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Permanency Specialist to join our team. As a Permanency Specialist, you will play a critical role in coordinating and delivering appropriate services and level of care for youth.

• Completes initial and ongoing assessments by gathering information from children and their families, and collaterals.
• Responsible for initial contact of children within 4 hours of referral and subsequent placement.
• Researches and recommends possible relative placements, giving them priority, whenever viable.
• Facilitates and coordinates family meetings.
• Develops and implements case plans and permanency goals with children and families, ensuring that goals are reached within established time frames.
• Determines and recommends which services are needed for the child and family, including mental health, drug and alcohol services, respite care and supervised or unsupervised visitations/interactions.
• Assists families to establish a support network of family, kinship, and community.
• Preparing families and/or children for moves, reunification or other appropriate permanency goals.
• Provides intervention for children and families in crisis situations.
• Ability to work with the court system and follow court protocols including appropriate business attire.
• Assesses ongoing case plan goals and recommends reunification, termination of parental rights or other permanency options.
• Completes reports for court, participates in court proceedings, including testifying, and makes sure court orders are followed.
• Completes and maintains written documentation in child/family's case record accurately and within established time frames.
• Supports kinship and foster families to maintain placements and help children work toward permanency.
• If child's permanency goal becomes adoption, complete necessary documents to assist in the adoption process.
• Participates in supervisory and team meetings, sharing pertinent information about children/families' progress, critical trends, barriers and solutions to achieving outcomes; and relationships with other agencies/communities.
• Participates in monthly supervision.
• Works collaboratively and provides guidance to family support workers assigned.
• Supervises and transports children and families as needed.
• Reports critical incidents to DFPS verbally within 12 hours, written within 24 hours.
• Implements Saint Francis policies and follows directives as required. Follows and adheres to all pertinent Saint Francis Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), rules, personnel policies and procedures; related accreditation and licensure standards; and federal, state and local rules, statutes, regulations, and contractual terms.
• Is knowledgeable of and follows all safety procedures.
• Reports unusual incidents through appropriate Risk Management, clinical and safety channels.
• Ensures clients' rights are protected.

• Bachelor's degree in social work or a Human Service field from an accredited college or university.
• Prefer two years' experience working with children and families.
• Must be 21 years of age.
• Must pass a drug screen, MVR KBI, Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry Clearance check and an Adult Registry Check
• FBI fingerprint check
• Lifting Requirements of 50 lbs.
• Must have valid driver's license, acceptable driving record and reliable transportation