Children and Family Services Specialist 1 (NY HELPS)

Duties Description

The position of Children and Family Service Specialist is essential to the Regional Office’s ability to guarantee the safety and well-being of children in foster care and adoption programs, who are in family homes or residential placement, children and families who are victims of domestic violence, runaway and homeless youth, and children and families who are receiving preventive services. The Regional Office is responsible for making sure that the local Department of Social Services and licensed foster care and adoption agencies in each county of their region is in compliance with NYS mandates governing child safety and working with urgency to improve permanency outcomes for children in foster care. Additionally, the Regional Office has the licensing and oversight responsibilities of domestic violence programs and runaway and homeless youth programs throughout the region. When assigned, regional office staff provide monitoring and technical assistance regarding compliance to state mandates.

• Working with Local Dept. of Social Services and Voluntary Agencies using a data informed approach to improve the outcomes of children and families, based on federal and state standards.
• Review and evaluate local district County Plans and/or Annual Plan Updates as assigned. Provide County Plan monitoring and technical assistance to Districts as necessary
• Participate in program reviews for local departments of social services and voluntary child-care agencies such as Oversight and Monitoring Assessments (OMA’s), Safety and Permanency Assessments (SPA’s), Federal Child and Family Services case reviews (CFSR/OSRI) and Voluntary Agency Reviews (VARs). Provide technical assistance and monitoring to local departments of social services and voluntary agencies on numerous issues including child welfare program, CONNECTIONS, complaints, regulatory clarification
• Provide technical assistance and monitoring to LDSS, VAs and other community agencies and organizations. Provide comment and recommendations on regulations and administrative letters in all program areas in which the Regional Office has licensing and oversight responsibilities. Provide technical assistance to LDSS, VAs and other community agencies/organizations in the provisions of preventive services to children and families in compliance with state regulatory standards.
• Provide licensing oversight to agencies and organizations. Prepare application packages for approval and certification of new programs. Provide technical assistance to voluntary agencies regarding program changes and rate setting impact
• Provide monitoring and technical assistance activities given to the Administration for Children’s Services and VAs related to investigations of fatalities and reports of abuse and neglect including of special populations such as Unaccompanied Children (UC).
• Write NYS fatality reports
• Participate in the management of activities related to the review of complaints involving foster boarding homes and congregate care, child protective services and IAB investigations as necessary
• Participate in Office of Children and Family Services’ workgroups and committees as assigned
• Facilitate the implementation of Office of Children and Family Services’ priorities, policies and procedures by local districts and agencies such as CONNECTIONS, CFSR/PIP, Title IV-E, Permanency Round Tables, DMR, FAR, Teaming and Court Improvement Projects.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Transfer: One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in this title or in a title eligible for 70.1 transfer.

Open to the Public: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.

The qualifications for the full SG 18 level are: Six years of experience providing services to children and their families either in the inspection, management, or administration of: foster care programs; day care programs; adoption programs; domestic violence programs; youth detention facilities; or other providers of care, support, and assistance to children, assuring compliance for certification or licensing purposes; or providing, supervising, monitoring, or administering services for children, adults, or their families, including but not limited to: providing social casework, case planning, case management, counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy on behalf of clients, or direct investigation of potential abuse and neglect in one or more of the following settings: human services; juvenile justice; criminal justice; local departments of social services; or local voluntary childcare service programs.

Substitutions

An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience; a bachelor’s degree may substitute for four years of experience; a master’s degree may substitute for five years of experience; and a doctorate may substitute for six years of experience.

This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.

Additional Comments

• For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non- competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
  
  

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified

Candidates who took and passed the most recent holding of the Professional Careers Opportunities (PCO) Exam are encouraged to apply.

Background Investigation Requirements

• All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee’s employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information, and may be required to pay any necessary fees.
• All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.
• For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.
  
  

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is an equal opportunity employer. OCFS does not discriminate based upon age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, military or veteran status, sex, disability (including pregnancy-related conditions), predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status or status as a victim of domestic violence, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice and recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We are committed to the diversity of our staff, and encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply. In furtherance of Executive Order 31 and OCFS’s mission to have a diverse workforce, all people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment of inclusion that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived expertise, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our staff. Applicants of all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to self-identify during the application process.