Kinship Navigator, Idaho Field Office

Casey Family Programs, an Equal Opportunity Employer, is the nation's largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families across America. Founded in 1966, Casey Family Programs works in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, two territories, and tribal nations to influence long-lasting improvements to the safety and success of children, families and the communities where they live.

Casey Family Programs values diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and respect for individuals in the workplace. We encourage candidates with diverse lived experience and perspectives to apply.

Child and Family Services (CFS) of Casey Family Programs provides direct services and tribal consultation in pursuit of Casey's mission to provide, improve, and - ultimately prevent the need for - foster care. CFS operates nine field offices in five states and an Indian Child and Family Well-being Program office that demonstrate direct service and ICW improvement models. We share our experiences and lessons learned with jurisdictions, tribes, providers, and communities in the spirit of mutual continuous learning.

Our work is community and family centered, relationship-based, participatory, and culturally responsive. We recognize the dignity and strength of every individual, family, community and culture.

Job Summary:

Utilizing a collaborative, innovative, evidence-informed, trauma and healing approach to practice, we engage families and community partners in the urgent, relentless pursuit of legal and relational permanency and well-being for all children and families so that no youth ages out of foster care and all young people experience belonging and connection to family, community, and culture. Our clinical case management and support activities primarily occur within homes and in the community, with virtual options available, as necessary.

The Kinship Navigator is primarily responsible for services to birth parents and kinship caregivers who are involved in, have been involved with, or are at risk of entering the child welfare system. They provide support in system navigation, accessing of community resources and advocacy for the achievement of youth and family safety, permanency and well-being. This position works in partnership with the social worker and multidisciplinary team to engage in system improvement efforts that enhance natural resources and community connections for youth and families.

The Kinship Navigator effectively teams with all other positions in the field office to ensure the best possible service delivery to youth and families and works as a valued team member with Casey staff, youth and families, and collaborators to help provide high quality direct service programs.

Essential Responsibilities:

* Provides individualized direct service to birth parents, kinship caregivers and their children through strategic assessments, advocacy and system navigation and the development of individualized community support plans that strengthen networks as appropriate. Coaches and provides one-on-one skill building with youth and caregivers, including birth parents, kin and resource families, to navigate systems that influence or govern their safety, permanency and well-being.

Conducts home and community- based visits with families. May provide supervision and/or transportation for scheduled sibling visits.

* Participates in multidisciplinary teams and supports/provides training and coaching on trauma- and healing-informed care, culturally responsive services and community and natural supports. In partnership with the social worker and multidisciplinary team, helps assess the day-to-day basic needs and strengths of families to inform action plan goals that are culturally responsive, trauma- and healing-informed and family friendly related to improved well-being, inclusive of safety and permanency.

Teams effectively with colleagues to assess relevant services, provide system navigation as well as advocacy for families to ensure quality services for youth and families and teams with the Family Developer to ensure the timely achievement of tasks related to the licensure of kin families. In partnership with the multidisciplinary team, coordinates with vendors the securing of and reimbursement for services and partners with direct service staff to coordinate youth and family logistics for various casework supports.

* Complies with all documentation requirements for internal and external audits of case records and documents work to inform best practice in expediting permanency in foster care. Manages compliance with standards and tracking of required documentation, engaging families, providers and other service team members as needed. Maintains up to date mailing list of Kinship families, family resources and trainings for caregivers and develops a periodic newsletter to share information with the community about available…