Practitioner

Full-time Practitioner responsible for providing guidance, extensive support and resources to families in the Keeping Families Together program. This role includes “hands on” intensive case management support and includes the provision of the following services: Conducting standard assessments, home visits, support throughout the housing process (including pre-application, housing search/navigation and ongoing tenancy support), linkage to community resources, facilitating provision of concrete services (such as administering KFT specific assistance to clients funding, providing transportation etc.) and serving as a liaison between the family and formal supports (e.g., DCP&P and other entities). The title KFT Practitioner may encompass various roles such as the housing case manager.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Engaging

• Initiates and maintains ongoing phone and in-person contact with family, CP&P, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
• Communicates in an open, honest, respectful and culturally sensitive manner.
• Consistently employs Motivational Interviewing techniques.
• Consistently uses a family-centered approach.
• Uses assertive (persistent) and creative outreach/engagement strategies to encourage families to participate in services.

Assessing

• Conducts the initial meeting with family in a private setting to build rapport and relationship, to encourage honest sharing and to learn about the family’s immediate needs.
• Uses a process to gather information.
• Completes required assessment tools.
• Synthesizes information and completes service plan.
• Continually assesses and updates the Service Plan at regular intervals.

Family Involved Teaming

• Facilitates critical thinking and discussion with the family, and their team, about family needs, how they define challenges and what success looks like.
• Collaborates with CP&P and community partners.
• Facilitates an established protocol for team meetings or attends team meetings to discuss progress, support services and changes in services intensity.

Tracking and Adjusting

Establishes and maintains regular communication with family members, informal supports, and service providers to assess if and how the practices, services, supports and plans are working and make changes if needed.

Advocating

• Advocates on behalf of parents/families as necessary.
• Supports the family in advocating for themselves.
• Promotes macro/system’s level advocacy.
• Educates and supports skills development with families.

Planning and Linking Services

• Assists the family in developing and executing a detailed service plan.
• Researches and connects families to community resources/supports most closely suited to the family’s needs.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in social work or other related area.
• Minimum of three years of work experience in mental health services.
• Experience working with diverse populations.
• Possession of a valid professional license and/or certification and a valid driver's license in good standing.
• Organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous projects and people simultaneously.
• Outstanding human relations skills with the ability to function in a team environment and be fair, respectful, considerate and inclusive.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Computer literate with proficiency and working knowledge of database and reporting tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.

Health benefits, on-site childcare, and 401K plan available. Salary for this position is $65,000 - $75,000; five years’ experience and references required.