Lead Foster Home Support Specialist

Responsibilities and Duties: Working under the supervision of the Foster Home Support Specialist Supervisor, the Lead Foster Home Support Specialist is primarily responsible for supervising Foster Home Support Specialists who are responsible for ensuring MillarRich Children’s Services (MCS) Foster Parents complete the processes required to become approved by MillarRich and the Department of Children’s Services to be foster parents for children placed in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS). In addition, the Lead Foster Home Support Specialist may carry a minimized caseload which would include conducting training, interviews, home visits, and writing the home study to get MCS Foster Parents approved to provide foster care services for children in the custody of the Tennessee DCS. The Lead Foster Home Support Specialist is responsible for providing ongoing support to the MCS Foster Parents and ensuring home compliance is maintained for the homes on their caseload while overseeing the same for the Foster Home Support Specialists they supervise.

Specific duties include:

1. Performing all managerial related responsibilities of assigned team to include: 
2. Reviewing timesheets, reasons for overtime, and leave requests, providing feedback when needed, and approving accordingly;
3. Organizing and planning team meetings to review operational findings and assigning specific tasks;
4. Completing case file audits of direct employees work product to include feedback and training as needed on completeness and quality of work (e.g., home studies, addendums, assessments) in the MillarRich Children’s Services (MCS) online database;
5. Conducting training exercises to ensure consistency in performance of team members;
6. Administering performance related responsibilities (e.g., oral and written feedback as needed, annual performance evaluations, and performance agreements);
7. Identifying and problem-solving any work flow and communication issues that might arise from performance drift, changing expectations, shifts in job responsibilities;
8. Supporting team members by remaining on-call for any assistance needed;
9. Ensuring well trained MCS contractor candidates by overseeing the implementation of Knowledge Empowers You (KEY) courses and the review of homework and serving as instructor for selected units of trainings and programs;
10. Working with the Foster Home Support Specialist Supervisor to assign designated home study writers to candidates completing KEY;
11. Ensuring all required documents are entered appropriately into the MCS online database system;
12. Participating in ongoing development meetings for children’s services to ensure MillarRich is adapting as changes are made at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, needed policies and procedures are identified and best practices are implemented;
13. Coordinating and assigning annual reassessments of foster homes to ensure they stay in compliance;
14. Completing file audits of Foster Parent candidates’ submitted documents in the MCS online database system to ensure submission and accuracy and thoroughness of content in the completion of the documents;
15. Overseeing the implementation of KEY training assessments and the issuance of training certificates when the Foster Parent candidates have met the KEY training requirements;
16. Overseeing initial training tracking for MCS Foster Parents;
17. Assigning and monitoring for completion refresher training for MCS Foster Parents, including auditing and tracking Relias Training, Mock Fire Drill, The Mandt System, Medication Resources and Information (MRI) (previously Medication Administration), CPR and First Aid, when applicable for direct caseload and ensuring the same for subordinates;
18. Ensuring draft documents of the Minimum Contractual Outcomes (MCO) and Contract are reviewed with all MCS Foster Parent candidates to ensure they have a clear understanding of expectations and what it means to contract with MillarRich;
19. Conducting periodic and regular quality assurance home visits for those homes assigned to subordinates;
20. Writing home studies as outlined in DCS Policies and Procedures as needed for direct assignments and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
21. Facilitating the home study transfer process for Foster Parent applicants with active home studies, including but not limited to, training, documentation review, and submission to the Resource Home Eligibility Team (RHET);
22. Conducting Tennessee Family and Child Tracking System (TFACTS) inquiries on Foster Parent candidates who have attended the orientation session for direct caseload and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
23. Ensuring the entry of Foster Parent information into TFACTS including the uploading of the home study and requesting of DCS approval upon completion for direct caseload and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
24. Participating in Initiation of Services (IOS) meetings to help identify appropriate matches between children referred and families completing the process to become Foster Parents, creatively thinking outside the box to overcome barriers to services and help problem solve challenges;
25. Completing bi-monthly or quarterly home visits as outlined in the DCS Visitation Policy to monitor home compliance and provide support to Foster Parents and maintaining documentation of these visits in the DCS and MCS database systems for direct caseload and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
26. Overseeing the implementation of all record keeping processes for MCS Foster Parents to ensure that all required initial and ongoing documentation is adequately filed and available for review by any team member including:
27. Tracking and monitoring renewals of all home and vehicle insurance for MCS Foster Parents. Working to secure copies of compliant insurance declarations, if insurance documentation requires updating;
28. Tracking driver’s license renewals for MCS Foster Parents;
29. Tracking nursing license renewals for MCS Foster Parents;
30. Tracking vehicle registration renewals for MCS Foster Parents;
31. Acquiring and tracking the completion of Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation (ANE) and Attestation forms on an annual and bi-annual basis, respectively;
32. Ensuring that necessary departments are notified of new Foster Parents ready to enter into a contractual relationship to ensure that appropriate processes and trainings are completed;
33. Submitting addendums for demographic or structural changes (e.g., home address, number of persons living in home, etc.) occurring in assigned homes as needed and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
34. Completing assigned reassessments of foster homes to ensure they stay in compliance for direct case load and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
35. Teaching and tracking ongoing training courses to ensure MCS Foster Parents have the opportunity to obtain the required trainings;
36. Assisting Foster Parents with the development of professional self care plans and providing support to ensure they are being implemented for direct case loads and ensuring the same is completed by subordinates;
37. Providing Foster Parents support and linking to resources as needed when situations arise;
38. Developing and maintaining strong relationships with all relevant stakeholders (e.g., Prospective and Active Foster Parents, Family Service Workers (FSWs), State personnel, DCS Program Specialists, etc.) to promote effective communication, effective identification of solutions as problems arise, and high satisfaction;
39. Other duties may be assigned as circumstances warrant.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics:

1. Master’s degree from an accredited college in social work or related behavioral field is preferred. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in social work or related behavioral field is required.
2. One year of previous training experience is required.
3. One year of experience as Home Study Writer is required.
4. Previous supervisory experience preferred.
5. Knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word is required.
6. Ability to learn new computer programs and perform data entry assignments with precision and reliability. Attention to detail is mandatory with this position.
7. Excellent interpersonal/human relation skills.
8. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
9. Ability to maintain confidentiality.
10. Ability to work autonomously and work flexible hours, as situations require.
11. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize events within the office setting. Managing stressful situations utilizing excellent problem-solving techniques is required.  
12. Outgoing and positive disposition.