at Catholic Community Services in Tucson, Arizona, United States

Job Description

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, Inc. (CCS) is thriving! For 90 years, CCS has focused its mission to strengthen families, support communities, provide compassionate services, and deliver excellence. Providing Help. Creating Hope. Serving All.

We credit our continued success to our valuable employees! If you want to make a difference, help people, and serve your community, we want YOU to join our team! For more information visit our website at: www.ccs-soaz.org.

OVERVIEW

The purpose of this service is to recruit, support, license and/or certify foster and adoptive families for children who are in foster care or placed for adoption. Additionally, Kinship families are served through home assessments, monthly support, and licensing through permanency.

The Foster Care Licensing Specialist provides support and monitoring of foster, kinship, and adoptive families. This position is responsible for services primarily in Pima and Pinal counties. The licensing specialist has a working knowledge of the child welfare system, Arizona regulations and policies related to foster licensing and adoption certification. The position may from time to time be stressful and require a high demand for performance. This position requires travel to the various counties described. May perform other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Conducts agency orientation in person or by phone with potential families for foster licensing or kinship placement; follows orientation with screening interview of interested applicants in person; provides general information and initial foster care application packet.
• Assesses the family and home environment for appropriate placement through the home assessment process. Complete the required assessment report to include recommendations.
• Ensures foster families complete the required training (Foster Parent College) for licensing, helps identify community resources that will meet the advanced training requirement.
• Remains in contact with families during the application and pre-service training process; provides support, assistance, and assures that prospective foster parents progress through each step towards licensing in a timely manner.
• Maintains communication with the family and professional partners to ensure completion of requirements and goals for licensing, certification or kinship support.
• Coordinates foster home placements and transitions between the DCS Case Manager and foster home and kinship placements.
• May participate in the On-Call rotation to include evenings and weekends
• Maintains case records in accordance with program requirements
• Provides periodic, on-call crisis support and services to foster, kinship and adoptive families
• Participates as a member of the DCS service team, which includes participation in ongoing case plan staffing's, Child and Family Teams and Team Decision Making
• Participates in group support services for foster parent retention and recruitment efforts by organizing and facilitating social events and activities; assists with facilitating parent support meetings and training
• Collects and submits data / reports and billing to meet agency and contract requirements
• May drive an agency or personal vehicle on company business

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Suitable work experience may be considered as transferable skills in order to meet minimum requirements of the position and will be considered by the Executive Director of Human Resources.

• Bachelor's level degree in a human service-related field and two (2) years of related work experience
• Proven skills utilizing Microsoft Office Suite and ability to ensure accurate and timely entry of data into various systems
• Excellent organizational skills
• Proven strong communication skills - oral and written are clear, concise, and in an organized fashion using appropriate style, grammar, and tone

REGULATORY

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Valid driver license, proof of insurance, and 39-month motor vehicle report
• Ability to obtain and maintain Arizona Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card and FBI National Criminal Records History Report (employer paid)
• Pass pre-employment and semi-annual drug screen (incudes marijuana, regardless of recreational use laws) (employer paid)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in cultural diversity
• Child welfare and/or behavioral health work experience
• Additional years of related experience with youth in a support or care setting, children with developmental, emotional and/or complex medical needs
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, verbal and written

The above statement reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered a detailed description of all work requirements that may be inherent in the job.

We are an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer for all individuals. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.