Home Study Caseworker

Home Study Caseworker

PROGRAM: Post Release Services - REPORTS TO: PRS Clinical Supervisor - SALARY: $34.30

LOCATION: North Carolina - JOB TYPE: Full-Time Exempt - WORK SCHEDULE: Five Days per week, 40 hours per week, 12 months per Year

General Description

About You: The ideal candidate for our program is a self-motivated and dedicated person who is excited and passionate about helping infants, toddlers, and families grow in development and in education. You are also personable, energetic, and empathetic leader who can manage multiple projects in a prioritized manner to meet our internal Urban Strategies goals of all current Refugio Performance Standards.

Minimum Qualifications: A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or an equivalent degree in education, psychology, sociology, or other behavioral science or social service field. Must have at least 1 year experience developing home studies. Must be skilled in writing professional, thorough assessment reports and experience working with immigrant populations and has provided trauma informed clinical interventions for youth. Knowledge of family preservation, kinship care, trauma informed practices, child welfare policies and procedures, and relevant state and federal laws and regulations. Experience in conducting Home Studies, providing Post Release Services, and working with immigrant populations. Effective communication and interpersonal skills to successfully interact with families, caseworkers, and other stakeholders. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion. Fluent in English and Spanish (verbal/written). Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data entry systems. A valid driver's license, available to travel to conduct in person visits and to different areas or regions nationally.

What You'll Be Doing

• Manages an assigned caseload (fluctuates) of home studies and post release services (Level II) only.
• Complies with US and ORR policies, procedures, and mandated timeframes.
• Collaborates with care providers in verifying and assessing whether additional information may be necessary to determine successful sponsorship.
• Evaluates the prospective sponsor's ability to provide appropriate care and a safe living environment for the child.
• Schedules and conducts interviews with care provider staff, children, and sponsors.
• Assesses, identifies, verifies, and makes recommendations in areas where additional support, resources, or information may be needed to meet a child's needs and provisions of a safe environment.
• Maintains telephone contact and conducts virtual and in-person home visits with children and sponsors.
• Writes detailed and comprehensive home studies to assess risk, safety, and appropriate placement of children to their prospective sponsor.
• Completes Home Study reports and makes recommendations within the required timeframe.
• Utilizes trauma focused approaches and brief therapeutic techniques to work with children and their sponsor.
• Continues on-going case management services through assessments, planning, evaluating, facilitating, and providing psychoeducation to children and their sponsor.
• Maintains appropriate documentation, safeguards confidential records, and protects personally identifiable information according to program regulations.
• Identifies and reports concerns related to children and sponsors, life changing events and significant incidences to the program and ORR. Acts as a mandated reporter and reports abuse/neglect to child protective services.
• Participates in training, meetings, and maintains quality improvement initiatives as recommended.
• This role requires travel to conduct in person home study or post release service visits in surrounding locations in the United States. May include working evenings and weekends to meet required timeframes.
• Related duties as assigned and may be revised as needed to meet program needs.

About Urban Strategies

Urban Strategies exists to equip, resource and connect faith- and community-based organizations so that all children and families can reach their full potential. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., our team serves in the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico, and Central America.

COMPANY CULTURE: Our work is driven by our three core values: Authentic Relationships are foundational to our work and move beyond a transactional nature to truly know people. They serve as opportunities for mutual development and growth and are based on the belief that all people have inherent dignity and worth. Servant Leadership is rooted in an other-centric mindset that informs the way one leads and builds up individuals, families, and communities. Intentional Compassion describes a deliberate commitment to understand, formulate strategic responses, and activate others to reach their full potential.

BENEFITS: Remote work for eligible positions. Medical and Dental is paid 95% by company and 5% by employee (individual or family). Vision is covered 100% (individual or family). 401K matched contributions up to 4%. Employee Assistance Program. Vacation time is generous but varies depending on program and position. 9 Sick Days and 11 Holidays. Every teammate gets long and short-term disability free. Positions that require laptops, the company provides one. Positions that require cellphone, company issues one.

PERKS: Meaningful employee engagement programs.

OTHER: Employment is conditional pending satisfactory results of all required tests and background checks.

Urban Strategies provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other legally protected classifications under applicable federal, state and local legal protections.