Reunification Specialist

PURPOSE/FUNCTION OF THE PROGRAM: 

The Function of the Reunification and Therapeutic Family Time Program is to engage support and intervene with parents, whose children are placed in out-home care, by offering a variety of services designed to promote and effect successful reunification, strengthen parent child relations and attachments and reduce the risk for further abuse and neglect. 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Reunification Specialist will provide reunification services according to Connecticut’s Reunification Model and provide therapeutic family time in order to maintain family relationships.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Provides in home intensive treatment services to families including: crisis intervention, parent guidance, and education, brief psychotherapy (as needed), concrete services, advocacy and linkage to other services and supportive interventions individualized to meet the broad needs of children and adults to be served.
• Assumes responsibility for facilitating strength based, client focused treatment planning
• Works nontraditional flexible hours to meet families’ needs
• Provides services consistent with the designated service component (Therapeutic Family Time and Reunification Services) as outlined in DCF contract.
• Documents all services in adherence with state statures, regulatory, billing, COA standards and Boys & Girls Village Standards.
• Leads in development of crisis plan
• Respond to crisis situations involving the family either through phone calls or in person responses dependent on case circumstances, including rotation in the 24/ 7 on- call service.
• Participates all required trainings, network meetings, DCF reviews, etc
• Keeps program Coordinator apprised of any and all situations which involve the safety of any individuals in the program or community, to monitor the impact on the agency as well as its mission of care for children and families.
• Assess family functioning, risk factors, skills, parental capabilities, with respect to family reunification.
• Demonstrates understanding and adherence to the Visit Coaching Model.
• Identify family resources and informal/formal supports in the family and how they may be used in safety planning.
• Administer North Carolina Family Assessment Scale for General Services and Reunification (NCFAS-G+R) and Protective Factors Survey (PFS) as designed.
• Organize and facilitate Family Team Meetings.
• Provide case management/care coordination services to meet the family’s basic needs and link them to corresponding services/resources in the community. Collaborate with other service providers.
• Participates in Permanency Team Meetings with DCF.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Contact DCF Social Worker and/or Supervisor if issues arise that do not appear to be resolved and conduct a case conference as needed.
• Ensure family is linked to appropriate services in the community prior to termination of services.
• Collaborates with the family, the Department of Children & Families, area schools, mental health community agencies and juvenile justice system
• Completes monthly DCF data forms in compliance with state mandates.
• Responsible for coordination or provision of transportation of the children to and from therapeutic family time
• Performs additional duties as assigned to deliver seamless services through Boys & Girls Village.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS: 

• Bachelor’s level mental health professional with a course of study in Social Work or equivalent.
• Experience working with families and children with complex needs and various degrees of family functioning that may be characterized by an array of risk and safety factors.
• Experience working with child and family serving systems, such as but not limited to, child welfare, judicial, educational, behavioral health and other community-based agencies.
• Experience in providing direct services to diverse populations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bi-lingual (Spanish).
• Experience working in components of Reunification which include Reunification Services and Therapeutic Family Time.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• N/A

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be able to climb several flights of stairs
• Must be able to work with clients in a variety of settings

WORKING CONDITIONS AND ENVIRONMENT: (i.e., necessary travel, unusual work hours, unusual environmental conditions, etc.)

• Evenings may be required
• Must have a valid drivers license and be willing to drive to off –campus sites for home visits, collaborative meetings and transport clients.
• Ability to be flexible with work schedule