What are the responsibilities and job description for the Homefinding Case Planner position at Good Shepherd Services?
The Homefinding Case Planner performs a wide range of activities related to the maintenance of foster homes. The job’s objective is to open kinship homes, recertify, and/or update studies of foster homes in a timely manner, while implementing all OCFS, ACS, and agency mandates. The goal of the position is to ensure that GSS maintains a sufficient pool of safe and nurturing foster and adoptive homes to meet the needs of the children referred for both temporary and permanent placements.
Reports to: HOMEFINDING SUPERVISOR, FAMILY FOSTER CARE
Location: 7 West Burnside Avenue, 3 rd Floor, Bronx, New York 10453
Hours: 35 Hours/Week; Non-Exempt
Salary: 50-55k based on relevant post graduate experience
Major Duties
Reports to: HOMEFINDING SUPERVISOR, FAMILY FOSTER CARE
Location: 7 West Burnside Avenue, 3 rd Floor, Bronx, New York 10453
Hours: 35 Hours/Week; Non-Exempt
Salary: 50-55k based on relevant post graduate experience
Major Duties
- Conduct annual foster/ home visits/inspections prior to due dates.
- Communicate with appropriate FFC and TFFC staff regarding each home’s annual performance, adherence to training requirements, OSI’s or other incidents during the year, completion and review of medical forms and other foster home related issues as needed.
- Interview current foster parents and new kinship foster parents and collect documents required to certify/re-certify their homes in accordance with ACS and agency guidelines. This includes an in-depth personal history in addition to a genogram.
- Interview new home members, references and/or new backup people as needed
- Complete, document and follow up on foster home re-certification assessments and home study updates as assigned.
- Facilitate NTDC and TRIPP trainings and conduct re-certification training when necessary.
- Participate in foster home recruitment activities, department events and other meetings/projects as required.
- Work with HF Administrative Assistant and Reservist/Interns to ensure that recertification medicals and SCR clearances and fingerprint checks are completed on appropriate individuals as required
- Collect annual verification documents on all areas of health and safety.
- Assist the department in coverage of all telephone or written inquiries from potential applicants and ensure timely response
- Assist in maintaining demographic information on foster homes and applicants both internally and externally via Evolv and Connections computer systems.
- Other duties as assigned to meet the job objective
- Flexibility to change as OCFS/ACS/Agency documentation and practice models change and evolve over time
- Collaboration with case planning team on ensuring that the foster home is meeting the standards and complying with all policies and regulations as foster parents should.
- Effectively use and practice the Sanctuary Model tools: safety plans, community meetings, psycho-educational groups, team meetings, red flag reviews, treatment planning conferences (or similar) and self care in the department/program to create a non-violent and trauma sensitive culture.
- Promote and model the seven Sanctuary Model commitments to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture
- Integrate the Sanctuary Model SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment.
- Utilize Solution Based Casework in casework practice.
- Implement Solution Based Casework model of casework practice within the department/program.
- Implement and integrate the principles and procedures of Solution Based Casework: assessment, family and individual level outcomes, action plans and documentation and celebration.
- Actively participate in case consultation, continued SBC training and the SBC certification process.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Bilingual Spanish Required
- At least 2 years experience in foster care or other social services field required
- Excellent organizational and writing skills required
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required (especially Word, Excel and Outlook)
- Familiarity with State’s Connections computer system preferred