Child Welfare Case Manager -TEMP (7600)

Company: Lutheran Services Florida
Location: Largo
Posted on: October 5, 2021

Job Description:

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong and communities are vibrant. Since 1982, Lutheran Services Florida has been providing and sharing solutions to protect Florida’s most vulnerable. Today, we are one of the largest nonprofits in Florida touching 1 in 50 Floridians with a wide range of services, including:

• early childhood education
• refugee and immigration
• mental health and substance abuse
• juvenile justice
• child welfare

LSF is looking for a talented Child Welfare Case Manager who wants to make an impact in the lives of children and families.

Purpose & Impact

The purpose of the Child Welfare Case Manager, in partnership with various individuals and groups within the child welfare system and community, is to ensure and promote the social, physical, psychological and emotional well-being and safety of the children and families they serve.

The Case Manager maintains case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child, including therapy, mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational support, permanency and safety.

The Case Manager manages cases toward goals recorded in case plans while adhering to Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, written policies and orders of the Dependency Court. The Case Manager reports to the Case Management Supervisor.

A Day in The Life of a Child Welfare Case Manager.

Essential Functions

• Accept all cases assigned by unit supervisor and meet with children in their primary residence within 2 working days of ITR staffing and with identified parents in sufficient time to complete a Family Assessment within 15 working days of ITR staffing.
• Negotiate and develop a case plan based on identified strengths and needs of the family, the circumstances bringing the family into care, recommendations provided by the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Assessment and other relevant data. This plan is to be created in collaboration with the parents, Guardian Ad Litem, foster parents and other pertinent parties with the goal of reunification or other permanency for the child.
• Visits the child in their primary residence according to required frequency, but no less than once every 25 days. At least one visit each quarter is to be unannounced.
• Accurately document all case activities in the Florida Safe Families Network database within 48 hours. Maintain the physical case file in chronological order, by subject, in accordance with the standardized case file format.
• Submit service requests to the lead agency Utilization Management Department, and provide clients with timely referrals to services. Develop and maintain knowledge of community resources, program eligibility requirements, key contact persons, emergency procedures, and waiting lists of available resources. Maintain regular contact with service providers and document service progress in FSFN.
• Complete and submit court documentation within in required time frames. Prepare for, attend, and participate in all court activities as necessary.
• Arrange for, attend, and participate in individual case staffings as necessary. Complete all required staffing and application packets.
• Conduct initial and/or ongoing child safety assessments as required. Prepare initial and on-going safety plans as necessary.
• Arrange for emergency placement, emergency medical treatment, and emergency services for children at risk.
• Conduct diligent searches for parents and family members when deemed necessary and thoroughly document that the effort has been made to find the parents and family members.
• Conduct home studies as required for prospective placements. Provide relevant medical, psychological, behavioral and educational background information about the child or children to prospective care-givers as needed. Plan and facilitate parental and sibling visits as needed and appropriate.
• Transport children as needed.
• Ensure that all Independent Living functions are completed as required
• Attend all appointments, staff meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary and as required by the supervisor.
• Function as agency on-call Case Manager as scheduled.
• Organize, prioritize and complete all work assignments by the established deadlines.

All duties are performed in accordance with the following standards:

• Courtesy: Treat clients, the public and staff with courtesy, respect and dignity and presents a positive public image.
• Communication Skills: Keep supervisor fully informed of activities, pertinent issues, upcoming events and potential problems. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in daily work.
• Team Work: Support the unit, department and/or organization and work with others in an effort to accomplish the goals of the unit, department and/or organization.
• Safety: Employee makes a reasonable effort to adhere to established safety procedures and practices in the work area.
• Training: Attend and successfully complete all mandated training courses such as the PDC Assessment and successfully passes the PDC examination, Pre-service Training. MAPP Training, In-service, etc., within the probationary period and as scheduled thereafter. The successful completion of the Field-Based Performance Assessment is an essential performance standard required for continued employment in the class of Case Manager.
• Confidentiality: Adhere to all confidentiality rules.
• On-Call: Perform on-call responsibilities as assigned. Carry an active cell-phone at all times during regularly scheduled work hours and during on call hours. Immediately respond to all calls.

 Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Must be adaptable to irregular hours, be flexible to rotate on-call as needed, be able to travel as needed.
• Valid driver’s license and appropriate auto liability insurance required.
• Requires extensive driving and unexpected travel.
• Requires extended hours, works nights and weekends.

Qualifications

Competencies (Skills/Knowledge & Abilities)

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with and ability to use Microsoft Office programs Word and Excel.
• Ability to type 45 words per minute.
• Ability to drive both locally and throughout the state in connection with the duties of this position.
• To fully understand case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child, including therapy, other mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational support, permanency and safety; as well as their responsibility to make trauma sensitive transitions when it is determined that a caretaker lacks the needed level of responsibility to care for their children.
• Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.
• Works cooperatively with Program Directors, with other Case Managers, with placement staff, with Protective Investigators, with Child Welfare Legal staff and with agency support staff.
• Effectively manages time to ensure that all home visits are completed as required, all documentation is entered into FSFN within 48 hours, court documentation is prepared according to specified time frames and court appearances are attended as necessary.
• Follows Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, written policies and orders of the Dependency Court in managing cases toward goals recorded in case plans.

Required/Preferred Education and Experience

• Must have a minimum of one year of relevant experience and certified or certain within one year.
• Must possess a Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field. Degree in Social Work preferred.

Additional eligibility qualifications

• Valid state driver’s license and appropriate auto liability insurance required.
• Ability and flexibility to work extended hours, respond to emergencies during off hours, and frequent travel locally and through state as required
• Must obtain certification within 1 year

Why Work With LSF?

Ability to Make an Impact in Multiple Areas

LSF offers several programs, spanning across a wide range of populations in need. This gives our team members an opportunity to learn and potentially work in programs outside of their direct area. Either way, members of the LSF family will play a part in transforming the lives of those in need.

Community

A career at LSF means working and learning alongside talented professionals in a dynamic and inclusive environment. The values of our organization – OPEN-MINDED, COMPASSIONATE, GENEROUS, VISIONARY and HONESTY – drives each one of us.

People working at Lutheran Services Florida treat each other like family. Whether you work on the front lines or work in an office, you share a common bond that is felt throughout the organization.

Growth Opportunities

Because of the variety of programs we offer throughout Florida, team members have the option to explore areas of interest in other programs or grow within their existing program/department.

Amazing benefits package including:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Teledoc (24/7 access to doctors via phone and video)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Long-term disability
• Employer paid life insurance (1X salary), AD&D
• Health and dependent care FSA
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match
• Tuition reimbursement
• LifeMart employee discount program (savings on everything from computers to car rentals)
• Additional voluntary benefits:
  • Short-term disability
  • Group life insurance
  • Accident, critical illness/Cancer and hospital policy
  • Legal Shield coverage

Lutheran Family Services embraces diversity, equity and inclusion in all business practices. LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Education

• Bachelors or better in Human Services or related field

Keywords: Lutheran Services Florida, Largo , Child Welfare Case Manager -TEMP (7600), Other , Largo, Florida