Permanency Specialist-Seminole/Osceola Counties - Community Based Care of Brevard, Inc.

Salary: $53,000/yr

Position Summary:
The Permanency Specialist is responsible for providing comprehensive support and assistance to dependency case managers to help youth in care achieve timely, long-term permanency. The role schedules, facilitates, monitors, documents, and tracks Permanency Staffing. This includes coordinating and facilitating staffing’s that may result in competing opinions and recommendations from case participants. The individual in this role should utilize a trauma-sensitive, strength-based approach to engaging families and youth in moving the case toward permanency as outline in Florida Statute Chapter 39 and can hear all sides and mediate disagreements during these staffing’s to ensure effective communication between participating individuals. The permanency specialist has the responsibility of outlining and documenting clear permanency recommendations and plans for achieving permanency. The Permanency Specialist will serve as a key resource in ensuring all necessary actions and reviews are completed to facilitate positive permanency outcomes for children in the child welfare system.

Technical Functions include:

1. Coordination and Facilitation of Permanency Staffing’s in accordance with chapter 39 Fl. Statutes - Essential Function:identify barriers to achieve permanency, adhere to statutory guidelines and complete required documentation into FSFN. Monitors and ensures FSFN documentation is completed prior to the staffing to ensure permanency staffing can be conducted with the most accurate and up to date case information.
2. Provides consultation to dependency case managers - Essential Function:on permanency issuesto identify and assist with removing barriers to permanency, which could include assisting dependency case managers in exploring appropriate placement supports for children at risk of placement disruptions.
3. Provides linkage between case managers and community partners - Essential Function:foster cross communication between agencies that service the same clientele, to support services needed to meet permanency.
4. Facilitate community resources - Essential Function:expedites permanency and assists with removal of barriers or encourage families to meet conditions for return in a timely manner. Aids in securing resources, in a timely manner, to support determined permanency efforts.
5. Identifies process barriers within the system - Essential Function:that may cause delays in permanency. .
6. Programmatic Compliance - Essential Function:Ensures compliance with all regulatory, accreditation, and contractual requirements, adheres to all applicable regulatory, accreditation, and professional ethics standard.
7. Other Duties as Required-Job performance requires fulfilling other incidental or related duties as assigned, assisting, and training others, and performing duties of higher rated positions from time to time for developmental purposes.

Behavioral Competencies:

1. Organization: Able to manage a variety of tasks, meetings, reporting, and tracking and ability to multi-task
2. Interpersonal skills: Able to effectively build rapport and communicate with stakeholders within the system of care. Able to interact and maintain a high morale among employees
3. Responsiveness: Able to take action to meet the needs of others; respond to solve problems; minimize delays or problems with little or no supervision.
4. Trust and Respect: Able to demonstrate respect and treat others in an honest and straightforward manner; keep dealings with others confidential; keep word and follow through on commitments.
5. Customer Service: Able to anticipate and respond to customer's needs, concerns, or questions to meet or exceed their expectations; help evaluate needs and options; show care and concern to demonstrate customer importance and value.
6. Innovation: Able to generate new or different processes, or solutions; create unique solutions to problems, express fresh insights or innovations regularly; think outside of existing paradigms.
7. Sensitivity: Work effectively with and show sensitivity to cultural differences and various socio-economic backgrounds of others.
8. Ethics: Adhere to and model principles and values of Agency and System of Care by being strength-based, solution-focused, maintains the highest level of integrity and ethical standards and collaborates  with employees, partners, stakeholders, and clients in all interactions.

Business Experience:

1. Knowledge of Florida Statute Chapter 39/Administrative Code: This position must demonstrate competency and possess knowledge of Florida Statute Chapter 39 and the Florida Administrative Code and how this applies to operations.
2. Valid Driver’s License- Required to travel throughout the county and other locations for family and other meetings.
3. Strong Organizational, Oral and Written Communication Skills: This position requires strong organizational and time management skills as well as the ability to compose and present management reports in a succinct yet thorough, informative, and efficient manner. Strong oral and written communication skills are essential.

Educational and Experience Requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree in social work or another related human service field
2. 3 years of experience working with vulnerable children and families
3. Child Welfare Certification preferred
4. Valid driver’s license
5. Proficient in the use of a computer and applications such as Microsoft Outlook and Excel

Physical Requirements:
1.       Lifting 20 pounds
2.       Carrying 20 pounds
3.       Grasping
4.       Reaching
5.       Sitting
6.       Standing
7.       Stooping / Crouching
8.       Bending
9.       Near Acuity
10.     Reading
11.     Speaking
12.     Listening
13.     Typing
14.          Writing