CUA Outcomes Specialist

General Description:

The Concilio CUA3 Outcomes Specialist will be responsible for promoting and facilitating the safe and timely reunification of children/youth in out-of-home placements. Reporting to the Director of Case Management, this role involves prioritizing families with a reunification goal for children who have been in placement for 6 months or less. to facilitate safe case closure for in-home service cases. This position is an essential component of the CUA case management team and assists the team in achieving the objectives established in the family’s Single Case Plan, as further detailed below.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Promote and facilitate safe and timely reunification of children/youth in out-of-home placements.
• Prioritize work with families with a goal of Reunification where the child/youth has been in placement for 6 months or less.
• Conduct biweekly meetings with reunification resources
• Complete all needed referrals for services for reunification resources and monitor compliance.
• Complete walk-through assessments to assess the physical safety of the home of the reunification resource.
• Monitor compliance with court order and Single Case Plan (SCP) objectives and obtain documentation.
• Support the CUA Case Manager in preparation for Court.
• Supervise visits when necessary.
• Assisting the CUA CM to focus on permanency opportunities.
• Tracking and managing the movement of cases through the permanency process.
• Assisting the CUA CM in preparing the children, youth, and families for reunification or other permanency.
• Supporting the CUA CM in preparation for Court.
• Utilize the Strengthening Families framework in the performance of duties.
• Immediately report to the supervisor any concerns about the safety of children or youth in the household or placement facility.
• Complete all paperwork and other documentation timely and in accordance with the DHS CUA Practice Guidelines.
• Participate in Family Team Conferences when necessary.
• Attend Court Hearings as needed but never in lieu of the CUA CM.
• Document in the appropriate section of ECMS any activity they have performed within six business days.
• Prepare for and actively participate, as required, in all meetings and conferences.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other members of the CUA Support Team and DHS and Juvenile Probation staff as indicated. Communicate regularly and respond promptly to messages
• Actively participate in all required training including Foundations become certified as a Direct Service Worker and complete a minimum of 40 hours annually as specified.
• Prepare for and actively participate in regular supervisory meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the CUA Director or designee.

Required knowledge:

• Be familiar with and follow DHS CUA Practice Guidelines as well as any published changes and additions to the same.
• ·Maintain confidentiality and ensure HIPPA compliance. Ensure that information concerning families is not accessed or disclosed except in the performance of duties.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and bulletins issued by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Office of Children, Youth and Families. Abide by the Social Work Code of Ethics.
• Proficiency in English and Spanish preferred
• Familiarity with the dynamics of diverse populations in low-income areas
• Knowledge of community resources
• Knowledge of social services, child welfare and family systems services

Ability To:

• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to set priorities in critical situations
• Culturally sensitive to the needs and diversities of multi-cultural communities
• Practices good customer service skills in all working relationships
• Strong interpersonal skills, respectful and courteous nature
• Able to work independently, demonstrating good judgment and prioritizing
• Must be accurate and detail-oriented
• Maintain a high degree of discretion dealing with confidential information
• Strong organizational and time management skills

Experience

• 1 year experience working in child, youth and family service systems.

Education Requirement:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree in social work at an accredited college or university
• Candidates with a degree in an unrelated field require a minimum of three years of experience working in child, youth, and family serving systems.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. 

Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.  Must be mobile at times.  Must have valid driver’s license and insurance and able to travel and be flexible.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and humid conditions, high, precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions, the risk of electrical shock, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to occasionally loud.