Family Team Conference (FTC) Facilitator

LOCATION:

Ozone Park, NY

Program Director of Family Support Services

Family Support

Full Time / Hybrid

Mercy First is a not-for-profit human and social service agency that has been serving children and families in need since we were founded by the Sisters of Mercy/Hermanas de las Misericordia in 1894. Today our agency continues to address the emotional and physical needs of children and families in Brooklyn, Queens and across Long Island through innovative treatments and life-changing interventions.

We provide community-based prevention and family foster care services, group homes in the community for struggling children and families within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and short-term residential services for unaccompanied migrant children. Each year, Mercy First helps more than 3,000 children, teenagers and families overcome enormous obstacles, re-imagine their futures, and develop their full potential.

Family Support Programs provide family focused assistance utilizing Solution Based Casework model which focuses on goals to stabilize and support families. Promoting skill acquisition and behavior change which aligns to the promotion of child well-being outcomes.

The FTC Facilitator is responsible for helping to identify issues that may threaten the safety of children at home, address the status of behaviors or conditions that present risk of abuse or maltreatment to the child, and to help family members create a plan that will address these risks while promoting the advancement of a permanency and/or stabilization plan for the child/family.

The FTC Facilitator will utilize a strength-based perspective in guiding a processes that is solution focused, and maintain a neutral and/or objective perspective while guiding the problem-solving solutions raised by staff, children, and/or family members.

Program Director

• Master's degree in Social Work, or Bachelor’s in social services (e.g., social work, psychology, sociology, etc.) with 2 years casework and 1-year group work experience and/or 1-year supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of child welfare and understanding of systemic approaches for engaging families in team conferences and regulatory procedures and practices for child welfare facilitation preferred.
• Effective negotiation skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with programs and clients.
• Flexibility, and good engagement and assessment skills, including strong oral, writing, and organizational skills.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders and develop collaborative relationships.
• Detail-oriented and able to keep accurate, well-organized records; able to work independently but know when to seek assistance.
• Travel may be required to facilitate conferences at Mercy First program sites for Foster Care, Residential, and Prenatal/Postpartum/Parenting (PPP) programs.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the ability to learn city state and federal data systems including NYS’ CONNECTIONS case management system, as well as Mercy First’s internal case management systems as necessary.

• Coordination of community-based, home-based, virtual FTC sessions with youth and families referred to SWF program in accordance with all applicable ACS, OCFS and Family Court standards, instructions and procedures Facilitate the active participation of family members at Family Team Conferences (FTC) to build consensus and make joint decisions around the development of Service Plans that address individual and family system needs and expectations to restore Safety, and promote Stability and Well-being outcomes
• Maintain fidelity to the FTC model. Establish an atmosphere conducive to facilitating an FTC that is strength-based, solution-focused, and engages all stakeholders in a participatory process to assist in reaching consensus.
• Raise objective questions to initiate “straight talk” among the stakeholders and guide the problem-solving process.
• Utilize critical thinking to develop plans that will work for the family and…