Family Services Specialist IV - In Home and Prevention

The City of Lynchburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Lynchburg’s Human Services Department is seeking a Family Services Specialist IV to work in the child welfare In-Home and Prevention Unit. The successful candidate will serve as the lead worker in specifically focusing case management for high and very high risk cases. The role involves identifying problems and referring families to outside services to address the needs and issues that are of risk to the safety of families and children in their own homes.

It also includes maintaining case records, preparing written reports of services, and testifying in court hearings when required. This program specifically works with families whose children are at risk of being placed in foster care.

The work involves facilitating services that address mental health, domestic violence, substance use disorders, and skill-based services for parents within their homes to prevent placement of children outside the home. The position is also responsible for engaging and supporting relatives’ caretakers, creating prevention strategies, developing prevention service plans, and accessing federal funding to keep families together. Collaboration with agencies such as the courts, schools, and other community partners is essential.

This individual will set the standard for quality and quantity of work performed by the unit, implement human resource practices in the supervision of staff as directed by supervisor, establish and maintain good working relationships with others; manage difficult or dangerous cases; interpret the program to other agencies and the public, and participates actively in numerous committees both within the agency and the community.

• As part of the Services Unit Leadership Team, the selected candidate will work closely with other supervisory staff ensuring seamless operations of the Services unit and problem solve unexpected situations
• Identifying problems and referring families to outside services to address the needs and issues that are of risk to the safety of families and children in their own homes
• Maintaining case records, preparing written reports of services, and testifying in court hearings when required
• Facilitating services that address mental health, substance abuse disorders, and skill-based services for parents within their homes to prevent placement of children outside the home
• Creating prevention strategies, developing prevention service plans, and accessing federal funding in order to keep families together
• Collaboration with agencies such as the courts, schools, and other community partners is essential
• Interviews clients to assess the nature and extent of needs
• Identifies problems, counsels with clients and confers with supervisor in preparing social histories in the formulation and delivery of service plans
• Maintains records through the course of client's service relationships with agency
• Identify families that will benefit from agency support in order to maintain children in their own homes or with relative/kin in their own communities
• Ensure staff are identifying safety and risk concerns and reducing the reoccurrence of child maltreatment
• Meet regularly with staff to review case progress and service implementation
• Close cases timely ensuring Family Service Specialists have followed all mandated and best practice guidance to ensure child safety
• As needed, perform casework functions for high profile cases or conflict of interest cases from other localities as requested by the agency director
• Review monthly and quarterly reports
• Review data and determine needs of the unit based on outcomes
• Monitor and evaluate progress completing monthly coaching notes and hands-on learning as needed
• Monitor staff training and recommend additional trainings based on individual development of the employee
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings as well as participate in, and act as supervisor, Family Partnership Meetings
• Provide training and education to community partners regarding child welfare services
• Apply appropriate human resource practices in the supervision of staff
• Establish and maintain working relationships with various community partners such as law enforcement, Court personnel, school staff, etc.
• Provide sound judgement to staff during high stress cases to ensure proper policy and procedures are followed according to agency and state policy
• Make referrals for service to agencies, such as clinics, employment services, vocational…