Case Manager/Navigator

EPIC – Every Person Influences Children

Case Manager/Navigator

Buffalo/Erie County

About EPIC

EPIC (www.epicforchildren.org) is a non-profit agency that provides parenting, youth services, family engagement and professional development to families, schools, health care providers and communities. EPIC’s vision is a world where every child has a strong start and a promising future. EPIC’s mission is to strengthen families and build community to raise children who make a positive impact in the world.

EPIC offers competitive wages and benefits, health insurance contribution, a hybrid work environment, 80 PTO hours and 64 PSL hours, and 11 paid holidays, in addition to a caring and family-like atmosphere. If you want to be a part of a hard-working team that values relationships and connectivity as well as make a positive impact on our community, EPIC might be a good fit for you.

About the available position:

EPIC - Every Person Influences Children is seeking a full-time (80 hours) Case Manager/Navigator for their Buffalo headquarters. This human services position is responsible for coordinating EPIC’s enrollment in FIT (Families in Transition), a parent training program funded by the Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) and serve as an Assessor and Navigator for the New York 1115 Medicaid Waiver connecting eligible participants to needed services, such as housing, nutrition, transportation, health care and parenting needs.

EPIC is looking for candidates who have:

• Ability to provide empathetic and culturally competent screening for social determinants of health to community members by telephone, virtually and/or in-person.
• A passion for working with families, competency working with diverse cultural and ethnic populations.
• Strong written and oral skills, comfortable speaking to groups
• Ability to work within a team structure as well as independently and contribute to a positive work culture
• Demonstrated capability to conduct oneself in a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with people and/or with difficult situations.
• Ability to maintain participant confidentiality at all times.
• Comfortable working with at risk participants, including those with mental health diagnosis.
• Flexibility to work a non-traditional work schedule that is accommodating to clients, and have reliable transportation

Candidates are required to have:

• Associate’s degree in a related field and a minimum of three (3) to five (5) years’ relevant experience or Bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of two (2) years’ relevant experience or Master’s Degree and one (1) year’s relevant experience in Human Services. Prior experience as a trainer or teacher is valuable.
• Case management and systems navigation experience.
• Experience connecting people in need to resources (food, shelter, transportation).
• Computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Database experience, Salesforce experience preferred (will train).

We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team. Being bilingual in a language that is spoken by the population served is a plus. Reliable transportation required.

Position Specifics:

• Job Type: Full-time, hourly, non-exempt
• Schedule: Mainly weekdays, including evenings
• Location: EPIC Headquarters, remote for outreach and online workshops
• Salary Range: $46,000-$50,000, paid hourly
• Benefits: Medical/Dental Insurance contribution
• Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Office closed between Christmas and New Year
• 403(b) retirement savings, (matching after 1 year)
• Paid life insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health savings account

Interested candidates can apply with your resume/cover letter to HR@epicforchildren.org. EPIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No phone calls please!

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Case Manager/Navigator

Staff Category: Full-Time

Department: EPC200 Programs

Reports to: Director of Parenting

Supervises: N/A

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

Effective Date: 1/15/25

Position Summary:

This human services position will coordinate EPIC’s enrollment in FIT (Families in Transition), a parent training program funded by the Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) and serve as an Assessor and Navigator for the New York 1115 Medicaid Waiver connecting eligible participants to needed services, such as housing, nutrition, transportation, health care and parenting needs.

Essential Functions:

Case Manager: Work directly with Erie County Department of Social Services to obtain referrals and promote parent training opportunities. Cultivate relationships with Child Protective Services (CPS) and Office of Child Services (OFCS) to increase referrals. Cultivate independent community outreach to source referrals.

• Provide empathetic and culturally competent screening for social determinants of health to community members by telephone, virtually and/or in-person.
• Assign participants to appropriate parenting education groups.
• Guide participants in EPIC programs which includes conducting initial conversation, communicating program content and dates, sending parenting materials to participants, reminders of workshop dates/times, attending workshops as observer and support for Facilitator.
• Monitor participants in EPIC programs.
• Ensure completion of required case paperwork.
• Enter case notes and record service-related tasks daily.
• Be prepared to facilitate related workshops on an as needed basis (training provided).
• Work with ECDSS Caseworker to maintain reporting requirements, data entry, evaluation forms, and other contract requirements.
• Review assessments and refer parents to appropriate EPIC programming and other resources as needed.
• Work with internal FIT Coordinator to organize materials/paperwork after parenting education groups are completed.
• Communicate with supervising director to maintain dignity and safety of participants, facilitators and staff.
• Provide weekly follow up and one on one support and parent coaching after each discussion group.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by management.

Navigator: Interface with WNYICC (Western New York Integrated Care Coordination) to obtain screened and eligible referrals for the 1115 Medicaid Waiver program.

• Work within the community to identify potential participants by submitting a referral through the WNYICC portal to assess needs and eligibility.
• Provide empathetic and culturally competent screening for social determinants of health to community members by telephone, virtually and/or in-person.
• Be knowledgeable of appropriate social care services to refer eligible participants that address the social factors impacting health, such as housing, employment, food and transportation.
• Grow a network of resources for participants by connecting with other community agencies.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by management.

Administrative Functions:

• Maintain reporting requirements, data entry, evaluation forms, and other contract requirements.
• Report participant attendance to inquiring sites ensuring a valid release of information form is on file.
• Prepare billing for finance as required.
• Complete quarterly stakeholder reporting.
• Work with Finance department on policies and procedures.
• Ensure accurate data collection and data entry of participant information.
• Completion of appropriate paperwork for tracking and recordkeeping.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong personal initiative to motivate participants.
• Strong communication skills to convey neutrality and supportiveness.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills to ensure participants’ attendance.
• Strong ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Confidence speaking during needs assessment consultations and in group settings.
• Effectively build and maintain external and internal relationships and provide a high level of service.
• Ability to work within a team structure as well as independently.
• Competency working with diverse cultural and ethnic populations.
• Ability to interact with participants using a strengths-based approach.
• Demonstrated capability to conduct oneself in a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with people and/or with difficult situations.
• Ability to maintain participant confidentiality at all times.
• Comfortable working with at risk participants, including those with mental health diagnosis.
• Actively contributes to a positive work culture.

Education and Experience:

• Associate’s degree in a related field and a minimum of three (3) to five (5) years’ relevant experience or Bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of two (2) years’ relevant experience or Master’s Degree and one (1) year’s relevant experience in Human Services. Prior experience as a trainer or teacher is valuable.
• Case management and systems navigation experience.
• Experience connecting people in need to resources (food, shelter, transportation).
• Computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Database experience, Salesforce experience preferred (will train).
• Experience working with ECDSS and Connections systems helpful (will train).
• Mandated Reporter Certification (EPIC will provide).

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

The physical demands described represent 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.

• Must have the flexibility to work a non-traditional work schedule that is accommodating to clients.
• Must have a suitable remote/work from home space to facilitate virtual workshop.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit for long periods of time.
• The employee is required to regularly reach with arms and hands; use hands to handle. Hands and fingers frequently perform repetitive motion including typing/keying.
• Occasionally the employee will lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• This job requires close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Employee is required to regularly talk and hear.
• Must have reliable transportation.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $22.11 - $24.04 per hour

Expected hours: 80 per week

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Evenings as needed
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• What interested you about the Case Manager/Navigator position with EPIC?
• What are your skills and experience that qualify you as a candidate?
• Basic computer skills are required as the position requires entering data for reporting and tracking. Are you comfortable using a computer, email, calendar, Word, and Excel for simple spreadsheets?

Education:

• Associate (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Buffalo, NY 14212 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Buffalo, NY 14212: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Buffalo, NY 14212

Salary : $22 - $24