LOCATION:Brentwood , NY

REPORTS TO: Lead Caseworker

DEPARTMENT: Refugee Services Long Term Foster Care

SCHEDULE: Full Time / Onsite

$1500 Hiring Incentive

AGENCY BACKGROUND:

MercyFirst 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, MercyFirst serves more than 3,000 children, teenagers and families overcome enormous obstacles, re-imagine their futures, and develop their full potential.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Caseworkers provide coordinated services between our children and the individuals who are sponsoring them to stay in the U.S. Caseworkers screen sponsors for human trafficking concerns. We want our kids to be safe! Caseworkers maintain contact with the Office of Refugee and Resettlement on incident managements, children's status, family contact, etc. and prepare the documentation necessary for a safe discharge to the sponsor family. Prepare clear and accurate progress notes, need assessments, individual service plans and discharge documentation. For children and youth that arrive to our care without sponsors, the T-LTFC Case Manager focuses on exploring all other release and discharge options while continuing to communicate with families in country of origin in the event that a sponsor is identified. The T-LTFC Case Manager is a crucial part of every child’s treatment team as they play a key role in their safe release from care and positive outlook for their future

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field.
• 1 year of related experience working with children/youth and families
• Bilingual (Spanish) strongly preferred.
• Valid driver’s license strongly preferred.
• Must successfully complete all required training.
• Understanding and willingness to commit to the agency’s mission, core values, Sanctuary commitments and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct regular casework sessions with each client in accordance with Federal, State, and Local mandates.
• Maintain regular contact with birth parents, legal guardians, and/or resource persons in accordance with mandates.
• Document all contacts in appropriate computer systems within established timeframes.
• Prepare all required documentation on each case which could include progress notes, psychosocial reports, permanency hearing notes, FASPs, etc.
• Attend legal proceedings such as family court hearings.
• Actively participate in staff training and supervision meetings.
• Arrange, monitor, and document home visits, family/sibling visits.
• Respond to emergencies as needed and/or directed.
• Attend treatment team meetings with clinical and case manager supervisors, assigned clinician, program manager, etc.

BENEFITS/PERKS:

• Position may qualify for recruitment bonus
• A comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental and vision plans for you and your family (fulltime required)
• 403B retirement benefits
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off (vacation, personal, 12 paid holidays for fulltime, sick leave based on hours worked)
• Free employee assistance program through National EAP
• Insurance discounts for our staff and their families
• Training to support professional and personal development.
• Employee wellness program.
• Employee recognition activities

Salary Range:
$53, 000 – $56,000 per year

$1500 Hiring Incentive after 500 completed work hours

Mercy First is an inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer who welcomes prospective employees from diverse backgrounds for all levels at the agency. We strive for a workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve, and do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, age (18 and over), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, marital status, partnership status, care giver status, pregnancy, genetic information or predisposition or genetic characteristic, unemployment status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking, consumer credit history, or any other status protected by federal, state, and/or city law. This includes, but is not limited to, employment actions against and treatment of employees and applicants for employment.