Description

Licensing 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 three 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 PTO 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 major function of this position includes the initial licensing, re-licensing and support of family foster homes. Responsible for assuring that the licensing of foster homes are in compliance with State standards and that we maintain and retain our foster homes. Serve as liaison to community Agencies involved in Foster Home Licensing.

Essential Job Duties

• Responsible for timely submission of re-licensing packets to DCF. 100% of all completed re-licensing packets will meet FSS and DCF timeframe standards.
• Complete quarterly visits with foster parents
• Contacting foster parents within a 48 hour time frame when new placements are made. Ensuring that any services they need are in place and then following up with Kids Central to let them know if anything is needed.
• Responsible for providing completed re-licensing packets to the Licensing Supervisor 50 days prior to license expiration for a comprehensive review prior to CPC/DCF submission.
• Contact PRIDE participants within one week of assignment to begin initial licensing home study and completion of packet.
• Notification to placement of client placement activities (runaways, hospitalizations, moves) ASAP to ensure proper payment to foster parents.
• Complete a minimum of two home visits to the foster home for information gathering and assessment of the home for initial licensing home study. Complete and submit initial licensing packet within 3 weeks of PRIDE graduation.
• Complete follow-up on deficient packets as directed, usually 24 hour to 5 day period.
• Responsible for in-home visit for re-licensing purposes.
• Reassures that records are maintained on all licensed homes and that all licensing information is correct. Responsible for insuring that all foster homes are in compliance with State standards.
• Provide documentation for evaluation / recommendation of foster home changes or closures.
• Attend Foster Home Association meetings on a scheduled rotation basis.
• Attend quarterly trainings and recruitment events
• Attend foster home risk committee meetings.
• Be available for foster parents if they have questions or concerns or need support. Part of the retention plan.
• To treat foster parents, the public and co-workers with courtesy, respect and dignity and present a positive public image.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Successful completion of training provided by DCF for Licensing and Family Service Counselors. Prior experience with at risk children preferred.
• Valid driver’s license. Current certification in First Aid and CPR is recommended. Child Protection Certification preferred .

Schedule & Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm (Hybrid schedule may begin upon completion of training and when deemed appropriate by the supervisor and director.)

Qualifications

Family Support Services team members follow 5 core values:

Partnership: At FSS, a belief that we are better together is core to who we are. Partnership is an essential component of a healthy system of care. Our team is committed to a respectful, open-minded, collaborative approach to co-creating solutions with the community. This extends to the children and families we serve as well.

Excellence:FSS challenges ourselves to always strive for better on behalf of those we serve. We foster innovative practices, encourage continuous quality improvement, and engage in strategic planning with our partners to achieve the highest possible outcomes for children, families, and the community.

Accountability: FSS recognizes our leadership role within the system of care and strives to be accountable to the community by being trustworthy partners. FSS is committed to ethical and transparent practices, and to operate with integrity as we pursue positive outcomes.

Compassion:We recognize that we often meet families at their most challenging moment and people are more than the sum of their circumstances. We provide trauma-sensitive care for the children and families in our system to reach their full potential. We embrace a service leadership approach and commit to finding the strengths in everyone we encounter while we foster resiliency.

Equity: Equity goes beyond the fair treatment of all people. For FSS, equity is the commitment to recognize the social justice issues intrinsic to our work with marginalized communities. We strive to amplify the voices of individuals and families impacted by poverty, racism, and discrimination in any form. We obligate ourselves to a belief that none of these factors should be a predictor of child welfare involvement or outcomes.

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 FSSHRDepartment@fssnf.org for our Duval and Nassau counties.