Job Summary

The Family Specialist/Home Developer is responsible for providing ongoing monitoring, support, and case management services to foster/adopt families and clients. Individuals must reside in the Wichita Falls, TX area.  

Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

Foster/Adopt Family Development and Monitoring

• Provides assistance and support to foster families so that they remain in compliance with DFPS Minimum Standards and Pathways’ policies and procedures.
• Assists foster/adopt parents in documenting how they are working on Service Plan goals.
• Conducts and documents monthly and quarterly visits to all assigned foster/adopt homes.
• Provides training during quarterly visits to all assigned foster/adopt homes.
• Creates and ensures compliance with Action/Safety Plans.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within two business days.

Client Placement and Monitoring

• Responds to all internal referrals for placement.
• Identifies and prepares families and children for placement.
• Conducts placement and completes all required placement documentation/training when necessary.
• Conducts 7-Day Follow-Ups (post-placement) to ensure the child’s wellbeing and safety.
• Assesses and ensures the child’s wellbeing and safety on an ongoing basis.
• Schedules and facilitates service plan meetings, and the development and implementation of Service Plans.
• Monitors foster/adopt homes and services provided to children through monthly contacts (at minimum).
• Ensures that all educational services are provided to the child and links assessments and plans to meet the child's educational needs in the public school setting (including attending ARD meetings and requesting special services through the school to meet the child's educational needs).
• Ensures that all medical, dental, and other health related appointments are attended within required timeframe.
• Attends court hearings and permanency planning meetings and shares information with the child's legal representative(s) and treatment team.
• Completes monthly documentation on how the child is progressing on Service Plan goals.

• Plans, implements, and reviews behavioral interventions in conjunction with the CPMS, Program Director, and/or Treatment Director.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within two business days.

Training

• Facilitates initial orientation and ongoing training to prospective and licensed families/support providers and staff via in person, in home, online, and Audio/Visual applications.
• Provides recommendations as to the abilities, skill-level, and appropriateness of families that have completed applications, cleared background checks, and attended training.

Home Development

Recruitment

• Arranges and/or participates in various recruitment activities for foster-adopt-kinship parents/support providers on a monthly basis.
• Participates in joint recruitment area events and activities with other supporting agencies.
• Facilitates initial orientations and informational meetings as needed.

Inquiries/Applicants

• Responds to inquiries within 48 hours, maintain list, and discharge inquires after three months of no activity.
• Provides application materials and assistance to prospective foster parents (via phone, email, and Family Website, or in-person).
• Screens applications within two business days of receipt.
• Completes initial walkthrough of the home.
• Tracks onboarding progress to ensure efficiency, productivity, and compliance, to include due dates, training compliance, background checks, inspections, etc. prior to verification.
• Ensures that all initial background checks are processed within two business days of release receipt.
• Ensures all inquiry/applicant lists are maintained and accurate.
• Participates in staffing, court, and other meetings regarding onboarding homes.
• Uploads/completes all documentation within three business days of receipt.
• Conducts final walk-through of the home, and assesses readiness for home study process.
• Ensures all pre-verification documentation and requirements are upload/completed.
• Coordinates with Program Director/Coordinator to review home study for verification.

Home Study and Verification

• Coordinates initial home visits and home studies with contracted Home Study Writers.
• Ensures the Home Study process is conducted in a timely manner (within seven days).
• Ensures  all pre-verification documentation is completed and uploaded prior to verifying home.
• Attends staff meetings to provide updates on applicants/verifications.
• Recommends families for verification and documents this process through CLASS and in Extended Reach.
• Prompts applicants and licensed foster/adopt parents to attend/receive all required trainings.

Supervisor:                            Program Coordinator / Program Director.

Supervises:                           N/A.

Caseload:                               Estimated 30 clients/homes.

Work Environment:              Primarily community-based position with a portion of office-based activities.

Work Hours:                          Full-time, working a minimum of 40 hours per week. Work hours set by the Family Specialist (and approved by the Program Coordinator/Director) with allowances in scheduling to be available to meet with staff, children, and families during times and dates convenient for all parties involved (i.e. evenings and weekends).

Classification:                       Non-exempt.

Education & Experience

• Option 1 – A Master's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and one year of supervised child-placing experience; the degree must include the following:

• Minimum of 9 credit hours in graduate level courses that focus on family and individual function and interaction; or
• 350 hours of formal, supervised field placement or practicum with a social service or human services agency;

• Option 2 – A Master's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 3 – A Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 4 – A Bachelor's degree from an accredited  college or university and three years of supervised child-placing experience;
• Option 5 – A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and direct supervision from a person meeting one of the above qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Thorough working knowledge of needs of children placed in substitute care.
• Ability to support the agency's culture, growth, and success through communication, accountability, and positivity.
• Ability to be clear headed and decisive based on the scope of the position.
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively both individually and as part of a team.
• Ability to appropriately accept feedback through the supervision process thus displaying the willingness to learn, grow, and improve.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Skilled in approaching care/services from a strengths-based perspective.
• Competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Go To Meeting, the Internet, and other software applications.
• Effective organizational skills.

Additional Requirements

• Proof of valid Texas Driver's License (Type C) and at least three years of driving experience.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Proof of valid/current auto insurance.
• Cleared motor vehicle driving record.
• Three employment references and personal reference.
• Cleared criminal background check and signed statement regarding felony indictments/convictions.
• Cleared TB test results (current within 12 months prior to employment).
• Cleared pre-employment drug test.
• Working cellular telephone.  

Physical and Mental Demands

With or without reasonable accommodation, the physical and mental requirements of this job may include the following: frequent seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly. Occasional reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, frequent sitting, standing and walking may be required for long periods of time and may involve climbing stairs, walking up inclines and on uneven terrain. Additional physical requirements may include, frequent lifting and or moving up to 25 pounds. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.