What are the responsibilities and job description for the Independent Living Specialist position at EMBERHOPE CONNECTIONS, LLC?
EmberHope, a leading, faith-based provider of child welfare services, is committed to helping you succeed as an employee as you work to make a difference in the life of a child either directly or by offering administrative support. The Company strives for a positive work environment that encourages effective teamwork, trauma-informed practices, and opportunities to utilize leadership skills. Team members from all departments will focus on executing the EmberHope mission, vision, and values!
To be a successful Independent Living Specialist you must be able to do the following always:
- Ensure a trauma informed focus on creating a safe and supportive environment for staff and those served through knowledge, sensitivity, respect, and a focus on resilience and recovery.
- Work as part of a team to access resources, plan, and advocate to improve the quality of people’s lives.
- Teach skills such as emotion regulation, having healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and healthy communication within families.
- Teach relevant life skills and demonstrate the ability to transform daily living activities into learning opportunities to assist youth in the development of independent living skills.
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Provide services to improve youth proficiencies in independent living skills by:
- Providing direct consultation, direct service, and referrals for all youth.
- Developing an individualized transition plan in consultation with youth reflecting their needs. Facilitate transition plan meetings separate from regular case plan meetings.
- Visiting with youth face-to-face in their home or community as identified in the learning plan and case plan.
- Helping youth access local resources in their community to progress in academics and/or the workforce.
- Direct service to youth, including Learning Plan development and completion of the Casey Life Skills Assessment.
- Support Department of Children and Families (DCF) efforts to implement SOUL [Support, Opportunity, Unity, and Legal Relationships) permanency option.
- Engage the Youth in a meaningful relationship and utilize assessment and case planning to guide services. Help the youth navigate the child welfare system, while ensuring safety needs are assessed and addressed.
- Visit with the youth one-on-one at least monthly to support progress toward IL goal. Identify and remove barriers to achieving permanency for the youth.
- Utilize assessments to make appropriate placements for the youth.
- Attend court hearings and submit timely court reports.
- Achieve timely permanency preferably through either adoption, guardianship, or SOUL.
- Document all work and submit 100% of documentation per company policy.
- Work collaboratively with IL Coordinators and other case management team members, stakeholders, and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) IL Liaisons.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory board requirements including maintenance of required CEUS and maintaining your license in good standing.
- Follow Company Policy and Procedure and operate according to the Company’s Program Practice Guidelines.
- Back up on-call to the on-call department as needed.
How you will spend your time in this job:
- 40% Case Management
- 20% Collaboration & Meetings
- 20% Assessments & Reports
- 20% Timely Documentation
To qualify for this job, you need to have:
- Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field.
- Work Experience - One (1) to three (3) years of child welfare experience.
- Licensure with BSRB preferred.
- Demonstrate excellent customer service skills, the ability to work on several tasks concurrently, attention to detail and deadlines are essential to this position.
- This position also requires a valid driver's license and proof of current vehicle insurance and the ability to travel, driving company or personal vehicle including at night.
- Must be at least 21 years of age. Must pass a background check, fingerprinting, and physical and drug screening.
- Maintain company-required training.
- Physical working requirements - Ability to travel, driving a company or personal vehicle, including at night. Ability to do occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. Able to walk stairs. Ability to work flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends. Employees are subject to outside environmental conditions occasionally, inside conditions frequently, with protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature change.
