Family Services Specialist II; Foster Care​/Adoption Albemarle

Essential Functions

• Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility.
• Assesses cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and their families, and develops and implements sophisticated psychosocial case plans which integrate psychodynamic, systemic, medical, and social-ecological intervention approaches.
• Provides direct counseling, applying family-systems treatment models to complex family situations, in such a way as to strengthen families and prevent family dissolution.
• Plans, oversees and participates directly in court intervention to protect children and to achieve goals of safety, permanency and well-being of children.
• Informs clients of specific and related service programs, rules/regulations, and right to participate.
• Presents cases in supervisory, team and other settings to determine appropriate services and writes/implements service plans.
• Provides case management services and monitors outcomes of services.
• Assesses, secures, and monitors financial resources for which the child is eligible (e.g. social security, child support, etc.).
• Follows the requirements for funding authorization and service payments for services for children and their families.
• Completes necessary federal, state and local planning and reporting requirements, including documentation entered into OASIS.
• Coordinates with other agencies and participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers.
• Serves as resource to clients and the community in area of expertise.
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving abuse or neglect of children and adolescents, and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.
• Participates in staffing of emergency shelters as required.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

• Working knowledge of social work principles and practices;
• Knowledge of social, economic and health problems; institutions and the methods of the helping process; individual and group behavior.
• Knowledge of child and adolescent growth and development, family structure and dynamics, the impact of handicapping physical and mental conditions on families, and crisis intervention.
• Skill in using personal computer with associated software;
• Ability to identify social problems and needs and to assess the ability to individual and families to utilize services in problem solving;
• Ability to accept the rights, responsibilities and differences of others;
• Ability to work effectively through counseling and other methods with individuals and families in helping them solve their problems;
• Ability to plan and organize work;
• Ability to understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations;
• Ability to communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, coworkers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies and the general public;
• Ability to plan and organize work;
• Ability to prepare reports and maintain records.

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in any field and minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area.
• Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

• Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license are desirable. Masters preferred.

• Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Workers in this position are required to drive and they must meet eligibility requirements of the County’s safe driver policy.
• Administers work to the public, frequently in home settings, including remote rural areas.
• Involves office-based work for purposes of documentation and data entry.
  • Frequent contacts with clients and their families; coordination with professionals and…