Kinship Navigator

A Kinship caregiver is someone who is raising a child related by birth, marriage, or adoption, or a symbolic non-relative who has formed a strong bond or connect with the child in their care. This position is responsible for the coordination and provision of services under the Kinship Navigator and Kinship Caregivers Support Program contract for Kittitas, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Columbia, Garfield, Walla Walla, Asotin counties.

Responsibilities: 

Manage and coordinate services for the Kinship Navigator Caregivers Support Program contract

• Provide outreach activities to inform the community of available kinship services.
• Provide information regarding Kinship services to schools, medical providers, senior and youth organizations, churches, social service agencies, and other institutions who may be serving this population.
• Lead kinship support groups and coffee chats
• Help with the development of the bi-monthly newsletter.
• Develop informational materials available to eligible families and community organizations.
• Coordination with Aging and Long Term Care (ALTC), and other community agencies providing services to kinship families.
• Participate in training with other Kinship Navigators through Catholic Charities.
• Participate in monthly technical assistance calls with other Kinship Navigators in WA State
• Participate in the Kinship Case Management Model under direct supervision with the Kinship Lead/Supervisor, SE WA ALTC and Home and Community Living Administration.

Maintain reporting requirements and submit required data to SE WA ALTC

• Maintenance of records, reports, and policies according to contract guidelines and the Kinship Case Management Guidelines.
• Input information into designated Kinship databases on children and families served.

Provide screening and eligibility for Kinship Caregiver Support Program families

• Provide income eligibilities and qualification to families eligible for KCSP.
• Authorize vouchers/purchase orders for qualified children/families.
• Coordinate with Catholic Charities business office on approved KCSP allocations to families and follow procedures to ensure direct assistance to families are processed according to the agency guidelines.

Provide information and referral to eligible Navigator Kinship families

• Assist kinship caregivers in understanding and navigating the system of services and how to access them.
• Appropriate services that will assist them in maintaining their caregiver role to prevent out-of-home placements
• Assist families with Minor Guardianship and other services that promote permanency for the children
• Enroll kinship families in the case management model and provide case management services to those families
• Assure that the kinship caregivers experiencing the most urgent/emergency needs are given the highest priority
• Have the ability to travel from Yakima to Tri-Cities offices to meet with clients as needed

Coordinate efforts with other service delivery agencies                                                                           

Perform other duties as assigned

Job Requirements:

The following requirements are those that are normally required for performance of this position.  Any disabled applicant or incumbent who does not meet one or more of the requirements, but who can perform the essential function of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) shall be deemed to meet those requirements.

Physical Requirements:

This position normally requires the physical demands of standing, walking, bending, lifting or performing other work requiring low physical exertion, as well as keyboard fingering, talking, hearing and adequate vision on a regular basis to perform the job requirements.  These physical demands are required up to 80% of the time.

Non-Physical Requirements:

Education

• High School Diploma or GED, required
• Bachelor's degree in social work, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, or a closely related field, preferred

Experience

• 2 years of professional experience in family services or a related human field, OR lived experience as an informal relative caregiver, preferred

Special Skills

• Able to work independently and as a member of a team
• Possesses good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to maintain a flexible schedule and travel when required to provide outreach to rural counties
• Knowledge of educational, medical, social service and other resources in Central Washington
• Ability to maintain detail in vouchering Kinship Caregiver Support Program (KCSP) expenses
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid Washington State Driver’s License and minimum required liability insurance for WA State
• Must be deemed insurable as determined by Catholic Charities’ liability insurance provider

Employment is conditional upon:

• Being cleared by criminal background check and fingerprinting when required

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm

Wage Range: $21 - $26 hourly, depending on education and experience

Benefits:

• 13 paid holidays, 12 days of vacation, 12 days of sick leave per year
• Health insurance including medical & prescription coverage, with optional dental and vision insurance plans. Majority of premiums paid by Catholic Charities
• Retirement 403(b) Plan: employee contributions commence upon employment; Catholic Charities contributes 2% of monthly income and matches up to 4% of employee contributions following 6 months of employment
• Basic Life Insurance paid 100% by Catholic Charities
• Flexible Spending Account eligibility following 6 months of employment
• Education Assistance Program reimbursing up to $5,250 per year for approved continuing education after 6 months of employment
• Additional voluntary insurances including supplemental life, accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), critical illness, long term disability, accident, and ID theft
• Employee Assistance Program includes 3 counseling sessions per year, legal consultations, financial coaching, and other wellbeing tools
• Annual longevity awards begin at 5 years of employment

It is the practice of Catholic Charities to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We gladly offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to support participation in the hiring process and employment.