Therapeutic Case Manager - FCS

The Therapeutic Case Manager (TCM) provides intensive case management services to youth placed in Friends of Youth’s BRS (Behavior Rehabilitation Services) foster homes, with a specialized focus on supporting neurodivergent youth and youth with complex behavioral health needs. The Therapeutic Case Manager is a critical member of a multidisciplinary team that includes foster parents, therapists, Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) caseworkers, and community-based providers.

This position requires demonstrated experience in trauma-informed care, familiarity with Dialectical Behavior Therapy principles, and strong cultural responsiveness.

Maintain a caseload of 6–8 youth with intensive therapeutic needs. Build collaborative treatment plans with youth, families, DCYF, therapists, and caregivers. Conduct weekly in-person visits and maintain regular contact (phone/text/email) with youth and foster parents. Provide DBT-informed coaching and psychoeducation to youth and foster parents, particularly around emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Facilitate Child, Family, Team meetings at least monthly. Develop, implement, and monitor individualized treatment and aftercare plans, incorporating neurodiversity-affirming practices.

Serve as the central care coordinator for each youth, ensuring wraparound service delivery. Partner with Licensed Mental Health professionals and behavior specialists to support behavioral stabilization and promote healing. Assist youth and caregivers in accessing services such as therapy, education supports, neuropsychological evaluations, and developmental services. Engage youth in goal setting and track progress with measurable outcomes.

Participate in the youth placement process by reviewing referral packets and collaborating to determine appropriate program placements. Collaborating with the Licensor to identify foster parent training needs such as neurodivergent-inclusive care strategies based on youth-specific care plans and observed trends. Support foster families by providing case consultation, crisis de-escalation planning, and emotional coaching. Participating in joint home visits, file reviews, and foster parent coaching as needed to support consistency in documentation and quality of care.

Elevating concerns or areas for development in foster homes to the Licensor and Compliance Coordinator to facilitate timely support and corrective action if needed. Attend and amplify youth voice school meetings and other community-based appointments.

Complete all documentation including assessments, progress notes, incident reports, and quarterly summaries in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Council of Accreditation (COA), and Department of Children, Youth and Family (DCYF) requirements. Maintain accurate and up-to-date client files. Ensure compliance with Friends of Youth policies and Behavioral Rehabilitation Services contract deliverables. Participate in on-call weekly rotation for crisis support and emergency placement response.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or a related field preferred - or equivalent lived, professional, and/or academic experience. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with at least 3 years of providing intensive case management and/or supporting system-impacted youth with high behavioral health needs is also strongly considered. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) training or certification highly preferred. Prior experience supporting neurodivergent youth and understanding of supporting youth with autism spectrum conditions, ADHD, sensory sensitivities, and/or executive functioning challenges.