Independent Living Specialist

Independent Living Specialist Full-time (37.5 hour workweek) Charlottesville, VA

The IL Specialist practices responsible, professional community social work and provides case management services per established social work principles. This position supports and assists clients & families with personal, family, and social growth. It empowers the client/family to the highest level of self‑sufficiency. The IL Specialist provides comprehensive casework services to adolescents, including the IL Skill Builder. The position is assigned to an on‑call rotation.

The Independent Living Specialist will report directly to the Independent Living Supervisor.

This list is not an exhaustive & all‑inclusive list of job responsibilities. The distribution of time allotted for any function or duty is subject to change with or without notice. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign other responsibilities to this job or reassign them elsewhere at any time.

• Treatment Planning: Coordinate the development of each youth’s Comprehensive Treatment and Service Plan (CTSP) by using information gained from assessment, collaborating with supervisor, ensuring CTSP is appropriately implemented, and working as a team member with other IL staff in coordination of program & treatment(s)
• Transition: Manages all youth transition stages – assist youth in obtaining/compiling required documents to transition to adulthood, ensure basic resources are in place when transitioning occurs, and support youth by planning, providing continued need for placement and adjustment to new housing when transitioning to adulthood, including 30 days of Aftercare Services for exiting youth who accept services
• Relationships: Serves as positive model by developing professional collaborative relationships with all involved parties (e.g., youth, foster parents, families, co‑workers, supervisors, administrators, referral agencies, community liaisons/partners, customers, vendors, general public, etc.); works closely with the referral agency for coordination of services and guides youth in developing a positive social support with healthy caring individuals.
• Needs Assessment: Conduct initial and periodic assessments of the youth based on agency‑administered tools and formats, and continue ongoing skill development (e.g., daily living skills, social skills, communication skills, etc.) with youth using community and DePaul Resources as needed; also assess risk & protective factors for family’s strengths & needs.
• Compliance/Policies: Ensures compliance is sustained with
  1) all Minimum Standards, program and policies and procedures, and child abuse reporting requirements, and the Code of Virginia, and
  2) Agency program policies and procedures
• Support Services: Provide support services (as scheduled/on‑call) in areas such as attending court hearings, on‑call rotation, assist in completion of daily apartment, community, and school quality checks, supervise and coordinate family visits, and youth assistance (e.g., transportation, referring community resources, counseling and crisis intervention, establish needed health care and mental health services, self‑improvement skills, educational/apprenticeship/volunteer, employment program); on‑call support services also for foster families
• Training: Oversee and maintain training by attending regular staff meetings, trainings/case presentations, presenting case staffing and in‑service training as needed, and being trained in and understanding the relevant provisions related to the Indian Child Welfare Act
• Reporting: Inform supervisor of all significant developments on assigned caseload by participating in regularly scheduled supervision with supervisor, and engage in all necessary meetings (team meetings, treatment team meetings, Family Assessment Planning Team, Community Planning Management Team meetings, community meetings); must also meet all program reports and other document deadline requirements

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics or KSAOs are…