Youth Transition Specialist (200078

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant.

LSF is seeking a talented Youth Transition Specialist who wants to make an impact in the lives of others.

The candidate for the role must be a Certified Child Welfare Case Manager in the state of Florida!

Purpose and Impact:

This position will lead support activities for life, academic, vocational, and evidence-based skill building through the use of various curricula. Responsible for assisting youth in foster care and young adults who exit foster care at age 18 in making the transition to independent living and self-sufficient adults in Polk County. Youth Transition Specialists shall provide children and young adults with opportunities to participate in life skills activities in their foster families and community placements which are reasonable and appropriate for their respective ages and abilities.

and shall provide them with services to build the skills and increase their ability to live independently and be self-sufficient. Youth Transition Specialists assist with compliance issues related to audits and quality assurance and serves as the primary point of contact for all foster care youth ages 13-18 or 18-23, providing support, resources, and assistance for independent living (IL) activities.

The Youth Transition Specialist may also be assigned to dependency cases requiring traditional case management duties.

Essential Functions

• Maintain socially appropriate behavior of youth through sanctioned and designed de-escalation skills and disciplinary procedures.
• Serve as a positive role model to youth at all times through appearance, attitude, and behavior.
• Serve as support for implementing and facilitating remedial education, tutoring and GED prep.
• Serve as a mentor for skill building and employability development.
• Assist with coordination and transportation of youth to obtain documents necessary for employment.
• Logistically coordinate and schedule youth in the assigned judicial circuit for transportation to and from services.
• Transport youth to job sites for interviews, community service projects and/or any other requests as needed for youth well-being.
• Maintain sight and sound supervision of youth. Provide a safe and secure environment for all staff and youth.
• Implement the behavior management system and documentation as necessary.

Additional age-specific functions:

13-18 year old requirements:

• Comply with requirements of the CBC IL Standards for Traditional Services.
• Refer teens on their caseload that are eligible for IL services within 30 days of their 13th birthday or within 30 days of adjudication and placement in foster care for those teens ages 13 and older.
• Ensure completion of Life Skills Assessment within 30 days of adjudication. Life Skills Assessments are to be completed annually at 13, 15, and 17 years of age. Assessments shall be submitted to the lead agency IL Coordinator no later than 5 days after the completion of the assessment with the youth.
• Schedule and present at all IL staffings and ensure the youth and all other necessary parties are in attendance (i.e., Foster Parents, GAL). IL staffings are to be completed at the age of 17, then quarterly after age 17. Youth must be present at staffings or by phone if the youth is unable to attend for any reason. Staffing results are documented in a Transitional Plan that must be provided to the youth in a written format for approval and signature, attesting to concurrence with the summation of the officially recorded results.
• Provide and/or ensure the provision of age-appropriate life skills as identified in the Life Skills Plan, and ensure the Teen and Foster Parent/group care staff understand the requirement of the youth to attend life skills trainings.
• Ensure a copy of the child's Independent Living Assessment Skills Plan is provided to the youth and all out-of-home caregivers within 30 days of placement.
• Provide and/or arrange for transportation so that teens may attend activities and access necessary services. These activities and services may include life skills training, educational activities, vocational training, legal services, social, cultural, leisure, religious, and recreational activities.
• Ensure that children in foster care who have reached 13 years of age have an educational and career path included in their case plans based on the abilities and interests of each youth. The child, the foster parents, and a teacher or other school staff member shall be included to the fullest extent possible in developing the path. The path shall be reviewed at each judicial hearing as part of the case plan.
  
  An educational staffing with the youth and school representative needs to occur annually.
• Assist the child in choosing one of the following post-secondary goals: attend a 4-year college or university, a community college plus university, or a military academy; receive a 2-year post-secondary degree; choose a post-secondary career and attain a…