Family Services Specialist I/Ii (Hopewell)

Hiring Range: $39,807.51 to Commensurate with experience

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Additional Detail

Hopewell DSS is a progressive minded agency which encourages innovation and creativity toward achieving our mission of "People helping people triumph over poverty, abuse and neglect to shape strong futures for themselves, their families and communities." We pride ourselves on being a family friendly employer, offering flexible work schedules and encouraging staff to take time for their families and themselves. We are customer focused and are currently striving to become a trauma informed organization. We promote professional development and have a career ladder in place providing a more structured means for staff to advance themselves within the agency.

We are seeking a career minded individual who is interested in providing Adult Services/Adult Protective Services and/or Intake Services. In general, this position is responsible for conducting Adult Protective Services investigations, and maintaining and managing Adult Services and/or Adult Protective Services ongoing cases. Additionally, this position shares Service Intake responsibilities (involving Child Welfare, Adult/APS matters, and Emergency Needs Assistance) approximately 4-5 days per month; and shares afterhours on call duties approximately 1 week of every 3 to 4 months.

To effectively serve in this role, the candidate chosen for this position must in general have excellent communication skills; ability to collaborate and work with others; demonstrated commitment to customer services; excellent organizational skills and practices; and leadership qualities. In particular, the successful candidate should have good analytical skills, be resilient, have empathy, have the knack for asking probing and sometimes personal questions, and willing and able to follow instructions. Teamwork, communication and organizational skills are essential.

If this position sounds interesting and challenging, and you like the descriptions of our agency, we would welcome your application.

Family Services Specialist I represents the entry level employees working under close supervision while being trained in program areas such as, Adult/Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care/'Adoption, Child Care, and Employment Services. Employees perform routine- to journey-level casework activities and the casework usually is reviewed by the supervisor prior to implementing a case action.

Family Services Specialist II is the full performance level in the occupational group for Family Services. Employees are responsible for developing and implementing individualized service plans involving the application of casework methods in Employment Services and Child Care, and basic service level caseloads of Adult/Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adoptions.

Employees may provide services in all program areas or specialize in one or several program areas. Typically employees perform all tasks independently and only seek supervisory advice on unusual situations or when policies and procedures require supervisory review or involvement.

This position is responsible for developing and implementing individualized service plans involving the application of casework methods in a primary service level caseload of Adult Services and Adult Protective Services. This position interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility; monitors, coordinates and administers specific programs as assigned; coordinates and administers specific programs as assigned; coordinates services within specific area of responsibility; interviews and assesses customer needs and other relevant factors such as education/skill levels, abilities, interests, and support systems; informs clients of related service programs rules/regulations, and right to participate; presents cases to determine appropriate services and writes/implements services plans; provides case management services to monitor compliance; completes necessary federal, state, and local planning and reporting requirements; coordinates with other agencies and participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers; conducts overall monitoring of programs in specific area of responsibility; serves as resource to clients and the community in area of expertise; and provides after hours on call coverage and responds to emergencies in child/adult protective services and/or foster care.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services.

Some knowledge of: social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems.

Skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software.

Demonstrated ability to: communicate effectively both orally and in writing; interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed; develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client; make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations; respond to the client's emotions in order to accomplish services objectives; plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; establish and maintain effective relationships; and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience in Adult Services/Adult Protective Services and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Prefer prior work experience utilizing Peer Place.

Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are desirable.

Special Requirements

The investigation may include: fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, employment verification and references, verification of education (relevant to employment), credit checks (relevant to employment) and other checks requested by the hiring authority.

This position is covered under Code of Virginia §63.2-1601.1 or §63.2-1720 requiring the finalist candidate to submit to fingerprinting and provide personal descriptive information for a criminal history record check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange and a search of the Central Registry.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of the required checks and screenings.

Employee must be willing to work in the community emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.