Foster Care Case Worker

Overview

Foster Care Case Worker – Full Time, Salem, Salem, VA, US

Salary Range: $46,446.00 To $49,691.00 Annually

Summary:

This position is responsible for providing case management services to youth placed in foster care and treatment foster care and their certified provider families. The Case Worker Trainee is responsible for case coordination for youth on their caseload. The hours of this position vary according to the needs of the provider families and the youth placed in the provider home.

Must possess either (1) a master's degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, or a related field such as sociology, psychology, special education, or counseling, along with a student placement in casework services to children and families or one year of experience providing such services; (2) a bachelor's degree in social work or a related field, including sociology, psychology, special education, or counseling, and one year of experience providing casework services to children and families;

or (3) a bachelor s degree in any field and two years of experience providing casework services to children and families. The ideal candidate will demonstrate emotional maturity, sound professional judgment, initiative, and leadership skills, along with the ability to effectively address the social, psychological, and emotional needs of children and families. Candidates must possess strong knowledge of family systems, community resources, adolescent development, and mental health issues, as well as the ability to make independent decisions, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively within a team environment.

• Develops and monitors child-specific treatment plans for assigned cases; implements child-specific interventions to support the treatment goals and objectives identified in the treatment plan.
• Facilitates quarterly treatment team meetings for youth; ensures all members of the youth s treatment team are invited to participate, collects signatures of participants at team meeting and receive copies of the treatment plan review in a timely manner.
• In collaboration with DSS, coordinates and facilitates visitation for the youth with biological family, inclusive of siblings, to promote positive change and preserve family connections, heritage, culture, and religion.
• Provides case management services to youth and the resource family by coordinating services to minimize fragmentation of care, reduce barriers, and link youth with appropriate services to ensure comprehensive, continuous access to needed medical, social, educational, and other services appropriate to the needs of the youth.
• Monitors and assesses youth in placement to ensure their basic needs, developmental, psychosocial, emotional, nutritional, medical, educational and permanency needs are met.
• Attends and participates in all FPM/TDM meetings, FAPT, IEP meetings, VEMAT, BID, and court proceedings; represents HTFS in a professional manner
• Monitors youth in placement by facilitating face-to-face interviews with youth and provider family in the provider home and community in accordance with Hope Tree Level System, LCPA, CARF & DMAS standards; meets with the youth privately no less than once per month.
• Educates, counsels, and guides the youth, provider and biological family by developing a supportive relationship that promotes the Hope Tree Treatment Plan and the Foster Care Service Plan.
• Plans, prepares and implements independent living activities and interventions in alignment with Casey Life Skills Assessment.
• Plans, prepares and facilitates psycho educational groups for youth and approved provider families.
• Assists in identifying placement matches for youth and approved provider families; assists with obtaining all required placement paperwork, which includes clinical information and contractual documentation.
• Plans and prepares for appropriate transition of care/discharge planning with youth and youth s treatment team.
• Immediately apprises the appropriate Agency personnel (Supervisor and/or Program Director) of any potential emergency and completes SIR documentation in a timely manner; provides SIR documentation to legal guardian and additional team members as appropriate.
• Provides ongoing training, support, guidance, and assistance to approved provider families in areas such as parenting, attachment, child development, grief and loss, trauma, independent living, conflict resolution, problem solving, communication or any other area specific to a youth s assessed needs during home visits; documents training provided in case notes and narratives.
• Establishes and maintains therapeutic relationships with youth, approved provider and biological families; maintains professional boundaries.
• Conducts monitoring visits of approved provider homes when a youth is placed in a provider home and provides documentation to Foster Home Case Worker in a timely manner.…