Human Services Specialist II - Family Services Intake Specialist (Subsidy Intake Worker)
Job Description
Human Services Specialist II
Family Services Intake Specialist – Subsidy Intake Worker
(Part-Time, 20 Hours / Week)
The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Part Time Human Services Specialist II position.
An Overview
A Human Services Specialist II in the Child Care Subsidy Case Management Unit provides social work services to low-income families from diverse backgrounds who qualify for childcare assistance. A Human Services Specialist II engages in active case management with families toward reaching self-sufficiency goals; Offers supportive counseling and crisis support to families who experience difficulties; Provides parent education, information and support to facilitate the selection of appropriate child care placement and authorizes services accordingly; Analyzes and mediates child care concerns and issues; Provides information about early childhood education opportunities available in Virginia through the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Virginia Preschool initiatives.
What You Should Bring
The ideal candidate will have knowledge of the principles and practices of social work which includes knowledge of individual, family and group therapy techniques, as well as crisis intervention; some knowledge of community resources or the ability to readily acquire such knowledge; ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; ability to work collaboratively with others; ability to create service plans; ability to understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations.
The Opportunity
- Conducts program intake interviews, eligibility determination and needs assessments to identify family priorities, resources and goals;
- Develop individual service plans addressing issues such as employment, job skill readiness, housing, and family or individual dynamics which may impact economic and employment stability.
- Maintains appropriate documentation according to federal, state and departmental requirements;
- Authorizes services and maintains documentation in the current state case management system.
- Monitors client's progress toward self-sufficiency and work with clients to develop strategies to meet their goals;
- Provides resources for information and training on topics related to quality childcare and family self-sufficiency, school readiness, family engagement, child development, financial literacy, navigating services for children with special needs;
- Builds and maintain partnerships with childcare providers;
- Participates in complaint resolution process;
- Conducts site visits to programs to assess goodness of fit and makes appropriate recommendations for children and families who are experiencing difficulties within child care setting;
- Participates in multidisciplinary case consultation team meetings;
- Refers parent to developmental screening using the ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE (children birth – 5 years)
- Provides walk-in support for childcare and provider services.
- Provides crisis intervention and supportive counseling;
- Identifies and assesses service delivery gaps and recommends solutions;
- Performs other duties as assigned.
About the Department
The Center for Children and Families (CCF) provides programs and services for Behavioral Health, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, Child Welfare & Child Protective Services, Early Childhood and Youth Development. CCF provides compassionate, collaborative, and effective person and family-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety, recovery and resiliency for Alexandria children and all residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders.
Bachelor's Degree in psychology, social services, public health, guidance, or a related field; three years of experience in the provision of mental health and/or substance abuse treatment services, including some experience at the level of Caseworker; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the State of their residence.Experience in childcare subsidy services; Case management experience; Education, training or experience in early childhood development. Bilingual in English and a language significantly represented in the population served.
This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to: FBI/Federal Records Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; education/certifications; and driver’s license.
Schedule
10:00 a.m. – 5:00p.m. M-F Telework or compressed schedule possible upon completion of 6-month probationary period