Placement Specialist

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $62,868.00-$72,298.00. The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well‑being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community. The Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) provides a wide range of services and programs for youth at every stage of the juvenile justice process. Our goals are to (a) build stronger and safer communities and advance public safety by preventing juveniles from entering the New York City’s juvenile justice system, (b) provide therapeutic treatment and services to youth in our custodial care, and (c) help juveniles access the tools they need to leave the justice system for good. We strive to help families and young people by providing supportive services that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families. Close to Home is a residential placement and aftercare program for New York City youth who are adjudicated delinquent by the NYC Family Court and ordered into placement. In conjunction with the contracted providers, ACS provides intake, case management, conferencing, school support and monitoring services. Close to Home allows young people who are found to be responsible in Family Court for committing a delinquent act to receive placement services in a program (in/or) close to the communities where they live. Close to Home has two types of residential placements, Non‑Secure Placements (NSP) and Limited Secure Placements (LSP). Youths will be placed in NSP or LSP based on their court order. Some young people receive orders that are unspecified giving the Close to Home program the ability to place youth in either level of care based on various factors, including their behavior in detention. ACS contracts with community-based providers to operate 25 non‑secure and 6 limited secure placement programs. In addition, DYFJ oversees a network of five contracted providers that operate a total of 7 non‑secure detention facilities across New York City. Responsibilities Effective case management for youth throughout the term of placement and therapeutic aftercare services to ensure quality case practice and adherence to release conditions. Coordinate the work with placement providers, youth and families, or other resources to ensure youth physical, mental, and emotional needs are being met and ensure that consistent permanency and discharge planning is occurring. Assist in the formulation of a service plan for the youth by assessing their needs, obtaining personal social data, conferring with medical/psychiatric or other relevant professional consultants as required and submitting appropriate forms. Ensure that the placement provider coordinates with appropriate community‑based aftercare services and that there is an appropriate educational transition plan for the youth upon release. Monitor the length of stay for each youth in placement and assist with identifying and resolving barriers throughout placement and aftercare. Coordinate with ACS Family Court Legal Services (FCLS) to ensure Extensions of Placement Petitions and any other legal documents are filed as necessary. Coordinate with placement providers to ensure documentation is adequate for any court petitions or hearings. Draft reports for court, when necessary, regarding the youth history, assessment of underlying issues and any recommendations including an extension of placement. Upon approval, recommend or disapprove movement of youth between facilities and document decisions in Connections, Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS), and/or any other system of record. Coordinate with other divisions within ACS to track and record unusual incidents and follow up with the youth and the provider as necessary. In coordination with a supervisor, conduct case conferences to analyze each youth’s progress in residential placement as well as therapeutic aftercare services; meet with the youth and the family once the youth is placed in aftercare services. Answer mail/telephone inquiries from providers/courts/other interested parties, by referring to case records/files/procedures in order to advise/inform parties of current status of each case. Coordinate assessment, under close supervision with the aftercare provider regarding whether a youth aftercare service needs to be revoked and the youth needs re‑placement based on the youth behavior in the community and cooperation with services. Coordinate with FCLS regarding any legal documents that may be necessary for a revocation hearing. Enter updates and retrieve case information in Connections, JJIS, Prevention Organizational Management Information System (PROMIS), and other electronic information storage systems. Complete administrative functions, including timely documentation and data entry. Special Note Candidate must be willing to travel to contract agencies within the five boroughs and adjacent areas. Minimum Qualifications A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community‑centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community‑centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above. Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at Residency Requirement: New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview. The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy. #J-18808-Ljbffr