Family Engagement Specialist

Job Details
Job Location:    South Bend, IN
Education Level:    Bachelors Degree
Salary Range:    Undisclosed

Description

The Family Engagement Specialist will report to a Family Engagement Supervisor and provide the following service lines: Intensive Foster Care, Family Preservation, Supervised Visitation, Father Engagement, and Home Based Casework.  The Family Engagement Specialist will complete intakes, assessments and ongoing case management services to families referred to Iris Family Support Center by the Department of Child Services and Juvenile Probation.  The Family Engagement Specialist will work alongside the family to provide services that support family stabilization and child safety. Evidence-based practices will be utilized to provide trauma-informed office-based, community-based, and home-based services. Family Engagement Specialists maintain an ongoing caseload of active families. The Family Engagement Specialist may be required to testify in court regarding services provided. The Family Engagement Specialist will need to work individually and within a team to assist families in completing goals and maintain child safety at all times.

Essential Functions

• Maintain a caseload as referrals are available to meet productivity requirements.

• Successfully deliver services to referred families.

• Utilize customer service strategies to enhance client engagement and satisfaction.

• Conduct creative and persistent outreach to enroll clients into services (including, but not limited to, face-to-face visits, drop-bys, phone calls/texts, social media).

• Provide intake and assessment of all families on case load within required timelines, with a focus on understanding and addressing customer/client needs.

• Complete case notes in a detailed, yet succinct, finished format.

• Complete scheduled appointments within the parameters of the specific program involved.

• Establish an emotionally supportive, non-judgmental, trusting relationship with parent(s), using independent judgment and adjusting as needed.

• Utilize communication models to describe and address common breakdowns in customer/client interactions.

• Independently establish a case plan with goals, objectives and activities with each client, reviewing and rewriting, as well as setting new goals as circumstances change. This case plan will incorporate the needs identified by the referral source as well as the needs identified by the staff and the client. This case plan will guide services.

• Assist clients with achieving goals and objectives set forth in case plan within time frame established, incorporate customer/client feedback.

• Exercise discretion and judgment in identifying plans of action to achieve goals and objectives, including day-to-day direct contact with clients, government entities, other agencies, and courts.

• Advocate on behalf of the client and link the family to additional community resources and services.

• Learning and executing the following Evidence Based Practices- Family Centered Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, 24/7 Dads, Trust Based Relational Intervention, and Nurturing Parenting.

• Complete all required paperwork in various databases within established format and deadlines.

• Work within an environment of frequently changing priorities, deadlines and duties.

• Provide client transportation as necessary to complete goals of the program and client case plan.

• Assist with crisis assistance as needed, such as hands-on lice treatments.

• Teach and role model parenting techniques to the family using approved methods and materials.

• Teach home management, financial management, childcare, discipline, nutrition and personal skills as appropriate.

• Report any case that may involve "imminent harm" or "threatened harm" to a supervisor immediately.

• Attend 8 to 12 in-service training sessions per year and continuously develop skills in customer service and case management.

• Meet with supervisor for supervision as required by service standards, department requirements and "best practices" of supervision.

• Collaborate with supervisor and team members to implement customer service best practices.

• Attend court hearings, case conferences, team meetings, department meetings, and other meetings as required.

• Approximately 40% travel is expected for this position. Must be able to travel within all counties in the assigned Region. The assigned region (DCS Region 3) includes Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall, and St Joseph Counties

Scorecard

• Meeting all standards and outcomes outlined by the service contracts and agency expectations.

• Completing 23 hours of face-to-face services each week.

• Completing assessments, treatment plans, case notes and monthly reports within required timeframes.

• Submitting mileage and entering payroll on-time weekly.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties as assigned

Please note this job 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.
Qualifications

Qualifications (core competencies, Skills and Experience)

• Communication (Verbal/Written)

• Relationship/ Rapport Building

• Ethical Practice

• Ability to integrate customer service principles into case management practices.

• Trauma Informed Approach

• Critical Thinking Skills

• Resiliency

• Continuous Learning

• Personal Accountability

• Problem-solving

• Demonstrates maturity

• Must have reliable daily dependable transportation to use on the job and transport others. Operator of vehicle must have valid driver's license and proof of insurance.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, per agency requirements.

Physical Demands

• Climb and maneuver steps in narrow hallways and in small rooms

• Tolerate strong odors

• Lift and physically manipulate up to 60 pounds

• Read printed material in poorly lighted areas

• Operate video machine, telephone, and other common standard office equipment

• Discern and evaluate sounds, interactions, and movements in multiple situations in order to determine the potential for child abuse and neglect

• Use senses of sight, hearing, and smell to evaluate the safety of the environment for children

• Operate and transport others in a motor vehicle

• Ability to respond rapidly to rescue a child

• Communicate and teach parents and children of varying intellectual capabilities

• May be subjected to infectious diseases, substances, and contaminated articles physically out of the control of the children supervised

• Environment may require safety precautions

Travel

• Travel is expected for this position, including daily travel within the region assigned to complete client visits and occasional travel within the state for required trainings and meetings.

Expected Hours of Work

• Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available between the "core" work hours of 8am to 8pm Monday-Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays and must work 40 hours each week to maintain full-time status.

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Education or directly related field.

• One year of full-time experience in home management, home maintenance, and/or child-care.

• Experience working with families/parents/children in a human service organization a preference.

• Life or job experience caring for children.

EEO Statement

• Iris Family Support Center, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer

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