Family Service Specialist
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Now offering a $3,000 Sign-On Bonus!
The Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families (DSCYF) is now offering incentives for new hires for Family Service Specialist, Youth Rehabilitation Counselors, or Youth Rehabilitation Treatment Specialists, in accordance with the DSCYF Recruitment and Referral Program.
The program provides recruitment incentives as follows:
•$3,000 signing bonus to Family Service Specialists, Youth Rehabilitation Counselors, or Youth Rehabilitation Treatment Specialists for Merit positions. This bonus will be paid in two installments: $1,500 upon completing all required training and conditions of hire; and $1,500 paid 18 months after the date of initial employment.
•$1,000 referral bonus to Merit DSCYF employees who refer applicants who become full time employees as Family Service Specialists, Youth Rehabilitation Counselors, or Youth Rehabilitation Treatment Specialists. The bonus will be paid in two installments: $500 upon applicant completing all conditions of hire and $500 paid 18 months after the new employee’s initial date of employment.
NOTE: This program is administered by The Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families. This program may be terminated by the State at any time. Casual-seasonal positions are not eligible for this program.
Summary Statement
Incumbents are responsible for assessing the risk of abuse and neglect in children’s’ homes. This assessment is done through interviews that take place in the child’s home with the family. Incumbents also interview others that are involved with the child (i.e., teachers, doctors) to make a safety determination. Writing and maintaining detailed documentation is a key element of this position. This position may require work that goes beyond the traditional 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. work day, as well as testimony at court hearings and collaboration with law enforcement.
Essential Functions
Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.
- Provides services to advocate for health, safety and welfare or rights of clients and their families and assists them in obtaining needed services.
- Interviews clients and family members and/or professionals to gather personal, social and background information; works closely with the client and family to formulate a clear description of the client and family’s problems; identify the key forces which maintain the problems; discover resources and strengths available to the client and family to resolve the problems; and identify the blocks, if any, that prevent the client and family from resolving the problems without the intervention of the State agency.
- Determines eligibility for various social service programs offered by the agency or available in the community.
- In collaboration with the client and family, and with consultation from a technical superior, develops and implements service/treatment plans, outlining the goals and objectives to be accomplished, methods and techniques to be used, and anticipated results; helps the client and family to obtain community, social and/or therapeutic services and resources needed to accomplish plans and objectives.
- Conducts individual and family counseling sessions with clients and members of the family to aid in achieving satisfactory social development and adjustment to specific problems and situations.
- Assesses progress toward goals and makes recommendations on plans such as reclassification, discharge, aftercare, emergency protective placement in emergency or crisis situations, guardianship, petitions or options counseling.
- Prepares social histories, client progress reports, evaluation and discharge summaries, court reports or petitions; prepares and maintains a variety of records and files pertaining to clients assigned to caseload.
- Enforces court orders and conditions of community supervision as required. Attends court hearings and other judicial proceedings to answer questions; makes recommendations and prepare progress reports regarding clients.
- May be called upon to intervene in crisis situations such as potential suicides, assault and battery against clients, and sexual abuse cases. May coordinate with law enforcement and other emergency staff if needed. May be required to isolate and/or physically restrain clients who are acting out.
- May be required to perform emergency duty which requires being on call for an assigned time period.
Job Requirements
JOB REQUIREMENTS for Family Service Specialist
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:
- Possession of a Bachelors degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or related field.
- Knowledge of health or human services work such as applying theories, principles, laws and practices of health or human services programs and services that assist with and improve life for individuals, families, or communities such as financial support, employment, unemployment, housing, health care, disease prevention, substance abuse, child protective services, physical/mental health treatment and prevention or rehabilitation.
- Knowledge of interviewing to obtain facts, explore issues and identify courses of action.
- Knowledge of case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs.
- Possession of a valid Driver's License (not suspended, revoked or cancelled, or disqualified from driving).