Case Manager

Reports to: Program Director

Department:

Administration Adoption Behavior Health HBDS IPS PEP

Face Forward Foster Care Residential TIPS CERC

Program:

Location:

100 West Coulter Street

Hours:

Days:

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Case Manager will assist at-risk youth in achieving socially and academically through intensive comprehensive programming; and prevent at-risk youths’ entry or re-entry into the Child Welfare system. The program will provide comprehensive, intensive early intervention services for youth exhibiting high or at-risk behaviors. The programming builds upon youths’ resiliency and sense of self-worth for positive outcomes and redirection. There are no traditional office hours. Case Managers will work primarily in the afternoon and evenings, specifically during the school year and at weekends to provide maximum involvement with the family and the identified clients. There may need to be a need to start early to help a participant get to school. The Case Manager will be placed on an on-call roster and will be responsible for providing emergency assistance to clients assigned in the program 24 hours a day while on duty.

EDUCATION/CREDENTIALS/ EXPERIENCE :

• A bachelor’s degree in human services, preferably social work (BSW) or counseling, plus two years’ experience in family-based social work.
• An annual physical form verifying that the employee is “free from contagion".
• Act 168, FBI, child abuse and PA criminal Clearances within one year of hire.
• A proven and demonstrated ability and experience in working with within a team-based setting and group settings.
• Understanding of educational, child welfare, and judicial systems and the knowledge, skills, and ability to navigate these systems successfully.

SKILLS :

• Ability to use a computer to send and receive written correspondence.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other professionals.
• Ability to lead and co-facilitate focus group sessions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT :

• The ability and willingness to adjust work hours in accord with client schedule.
• The use of currently inspected car, including the possession of current automobile insurance and driver's license.
• The ability and willingness to work with a wide range of ages, neighborhoods, cultural views, and parenting experiences.
• The ability to walk, drive, see, bend, stand, and verbally communicate.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES :

• IPS is a program designed to provide a safe and holistic environment for at-risk youth to develop themselves and their confidence, through an engaging, supportive and strength-based environment. IPS staff will develop programs and activities that include the 7 core concepts of resilience, which are the program’s core values.
• The major responsibility, therefore, is to resolve issues, ensure stability and to develop positive youth development and academic support.
• The IPS Case Manager is responsible for providing service linkages for all members of the family as appropriate.
• The IPS Case Manager will facilitate all academic progress in collaboration with the youth’s school.
• The Case Manager will collect all academic records to determine current academic status of youth and make personal contact with school counselor and teachers to gather all necessary educational information including attendance, behavior reports and Statewide testing reports.
• The Case Manager will develop an academic support action plan with the school counselor thorough n inter-agency meeting with the goal of improving and supporting the youth academic progress
• Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the academic support action plan.
• Engage care givers to take a more active role in the youth’s school settings by accompanying them to school meetings and attending school functions.
• Assist the parent/caregiver to advocate for their child’s educational needs and helping them navigate through the school support system and introducing them to the Educational Law Center and other educational advocacy groups and parent groups.
• Coordinate with school counselor to develop post-secondary plan for older youth.
• Ensure prior to and during the discharge planning the enrollment in after school or other remedial or enrichment activities as needed, especially beyond the youth’s involvement in the IPS program.
• The IPS Case Manager will co-facilitate the site based program in which each youth will participate three times a week.
• The main tenets of the role include identification of, and referral to, needed services, agency leadership in coordination, and active goal-directed support for the youth and family.
• The Case Manager will work collaboratively with the assigned counselor and develop activities and coordinate community service/engagement programs. At crisis times, there may be a need to “double team”.
• The maximum caseload is 17 clients. Case longevity is determined by court and or DHS personnel.
• The Case Manager’s role is to be able to report to the court that identified issues have been resolved through a collaborative effort with school personnel and community resources and through the site-based programming activities.
• Case Manager must meet with the supervisor weekly for supervision.
• Case Manager must meet with the family and see all children once each week, and must coordinate work with others involved with the family, possibly including parent aides. Minimum DHS contact stipulations must be adhered to.
• Case Manager will form an “after hours on call” roster, with alternating back up of the program director. In this way, families can access our staff round-the-clock.
• Case Manager will ensure that services and counseling are commensurate with identified issues, and may need to be increased beyond minimum standards.
• Following assessment of family’s identified needs, Case Manager will identify community resources, and work collaboratively with the Counselor to assist families with linking them to the appropriate community resources.
• Case Manager is responsible for ensuring that school age children receive the appropriate services that meet their educational needs.
• Case Manager will ensure that he/she keeps accurate documentation specifically all unsuccessful efforts to maintain the expected level of intensity and monitoring. All documentation and communication will be directed to the assigned DHS worker or court personnel via e-mail correspondence, telephone calls, and with hard copies to be kept in client’s file.
• Case Manager will facilitate the family’s transportation for appointments with other service providers by providing directions, tokens, as needed, and accompanying on public transportation or driving them to appointments and meetings in their own vehicles.
• Case Manager must attend monthly team sessions to determine and monitor service appropriateness for each youth and to inform the team of the client’s adherence to orders of the Court and to the program.
• Case Manager must attend all mandatory IPS trainings and activities hosted by the Department of Human Services or designee.
• A full case record is maintained in accord with performance standards, with monthly supervisor case review.

Contributing to the team

• Participates in meetings to ensure priorities are clear, coordination is good and communications are open.
• Cooperates and communicates as a multi-discipline staff team member through formal meetings, informal discussion and other participation as necessary.
• Models traits of a responsible team member, executing job responsibilities, open communication, good follow-through; supports team members to do the same.
• Responds promptly to the concerns and interests of the clients, parents, guardians and funding entities and other JJC staff.

Administrative activities

Ensures compliance with all JJC’s policies and procedures, including confidentiality and reporting suspected abuse in accordance with CPSL, 23 Pa.C.S. § § 6301—6385, and JJC policies and procedures