Family Services Counselor - North FL at Family Support Services

Description

Family Services Counselor

Join our team at FSS and enjoy comprehensive benefits including but not limited to:

• Tuition Reimbursement: Earn up to $5,250 per qualifying year to invest in your education.
• Health Insurance: Choose from four comprehensive Florida Blue health insurance plans to keep you and your family covered.
• Dental Plan: Enjoy an employer-paid dental plan for our valued employees.
• Life Insurance: Your peace of mind matters to us. We provide employer-paid life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): a free, confidential resource, available to assist employees and their families in dealing with life’s challenges, and the demands of work/life balance.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Relax and recharge with our generous PTO plan.
• Paid Holidays: Enjoy the 12 holidays (to include 1 floating holiday) and unwind with family and friends to celebrate and rejuvenate!
• Well-Being Program: Stay healthy and engaged with our highly interactive well-being program.  Employees can earn three additional days per plan year by simply participating.
• 401k Plan: Secure your financial future with our 401k plan with employer contribution of 3%.
• Additional Benefits: Explore our range of benefits, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Vision Plan, Short & Long-Term Disability coverage, Employee Discounts, and more.

The mission of Family Support Services is to be the leader in providing safety, stability, and quality of life for all children by working with the community to strengthen the family unit.

Job Summary

The Family Services Counselor (FSC) is a direct services position is responsible for providing case management services for children and families with a focus on Family Centered Practice. One of the primary goals of the FSC position is to support and engage families in order to achieve safe permanency outcomes for children. The FSC will build relationships with the family's team and coordinate efforts to drive case forward to ensure permanency is timely and cases are not stagnant. Another critical function of the FSC position is timely and accurate documentation of case related activities.A FSC must possess the appropriate training and certifications as required by Florida law. Due to the sensitive nature of their position, a FSC must maintain their professionalism and protect the confidentiality of their clients.

Essential Job Duties

• Supervises children in their current placement by meeting with foster parents, relatives, non-relatives, and birth parents.
• Maintains regular monthly contact with each child, parent and/or foster parent or custodian
  Facilitates family visits for children in out-of-home placement. Provides post-placement supervision after children return home
• Conducts child safety assessments to ensure appropriate child safety measures are being taken
• Places and replaces children in various foster care settings
• Completes pre-adoptive services, including training and family assessments
• Prepares and maintains updated, comprehensive case records on each child.
• Identifies problems and possible solutions within the family system.
• Understands and uses information from service providers such as psychosocial reports and psychosocial evaluations to ensure appropriate care for children.
• Works with birth parents to strengthen their ability to parent and help provide a nurturing environment for children when they return home.
• Participates in court proceedings, and prepares and submits required court documentation
• Prepares and submits to the Childrens Legal Services attorney for approval and filing with the court: incl. petitions, motions, court orders, Judicial Review Social Study reports and other required legal forms.
• Prepares and completes other court reports such as home studies with relatives. Consults with attorney representing parents to assure parental rights are protected.
• Consults with other involved professionals regarding their recommendations to the court.
  Explains information on court procedures, agency recommendations and possible results of court hearings to families.
• Accompanies Childrens Legal Services attorney to court hearings and presents evidence to support the agencys recommendations.
• May provide adoption and independent living services, in addition to carrying a case load and completing other duties as assigned.
• Schedules and tracks adoption MAPP applicants.
• Assures home studies are completed within 30 days of MAPP graduation
• Reviews and distributes completed home studies to all applicable parties
• Other Duties As Assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Human Services or related field of study required from an accredited college or university.
• One to two years experience with child welfare preferred.
• Child Protection Certification or attendance at the Child Protection Certification Training (8 weeks). Valid Drivers License. CPR Certification (can be obtained).

Schedule and Hours

• Flexible schedule between 8am-5pm to include occasional nights, and weekends.

Qualifications

FSS provides equal employment and advancement opportunity for all individuals without discrimination because of race, creed, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, disability, military status, marital status, or the other protected categories as defined by the EEOC and takes affirmative action in the implementation of this policy. If accommodation is needed in order to participate in the application process, please contact the Human Resources department at [email protected] for our Duval and Nassau counties.