Permanency Social Worker

Status: Full Time (40 hours), Salaried, Exempt

Reports to: Youth Services Program Manager

Key Relationships: Permanency and Pregnancy Services Programs Director, Youth Services Program Manager, Adoption and Pregnancy Team, Process Coordinators

Salary: $43,000-$47,000.00

WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO

EVOLVE Family Services is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit whose core vision is a world where everyone has nurturing, permanent, and supportive familial relationships. We accomplish this by providing a full breadth of inclusive ethical programing in adoption, foster care, pregnancy support, youth services, therapeutic support and education. Our programs are supported through individual and corporate gifts, grants, earned revenue, contracted services, and special events. With 30 highly dedicated, experienced staff, EVOLVE serves all of Minnesota and western Wisconsin through a child-focused lens. In many of our programs, EVOLVE works within and alongside the child welfare system. Our agency recognizes the disparities caused by structural oppression and systemic inequities and works to address and combat these.

EVOLVE expects each individual employed at EVOLVE to be actively engaged in antiracist, anti-oppressive practices. We practice intercultural communication while holding each individual accountable to continued growth, knowing that these skill developments exist on a continuum and is without end. Please see our EVOLVE’s standards of antiracism and anti-oppression here.

At EVOLVE, we believe in the power of family and work to strengthen connections and relationships in all of the child-focused services we provide. EVOLVE works to support and preserve families using a culturally responsive, collaborative and transparent approach. We understand that each situation is unique, personal, and significant, and we treat it as such. We welcome and are committed to serving all individuals and families, regardless of race, religion, age, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or marital status. Our staff is dedicated to helping families throughout their process, supporting them in their transitions, and giving them tools to thrive as a family.

Read more about the services we offer, our team and clients at www.evolveservices.org.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES EXPECTATIONS

The Permanency Social Worker position is designed to provide education, guidance, support, advocacy, coordination and service to youth and families, specifically as it relates to permanency and adoption. This position may work both directly with youth under state guardianship to identify permanency resources, as well as to assess and support adoptive families.

Position responsibilities include:

Work with Adoptive Parents

Pre-Adoptive Counseling

• Conduct client interviews which focus on information gathering, assessment, education, support, and counseling.
• Gather information from family and other sources in all areas outlined in state mandated home study templates.
• Assess the areas in which more training/education is necessary prior to completion of the home study and direct the family to available resources.
• Provide adoption training/education as dictated by all agency and state mandates.
• Provide supportive counseling to all clients.
• Facilitate agency specific education sessions.

Adoption Home Study and Written Reports

· Write home studies and updates using the determined home study processes in accordance with program requirements.

· Complete post placement/post adoption reports, evaluations for court reports and case records.

· Comply with agency case note standards for documentation.

· Complete foster care licensing and ensure ongoing license compliance as relevant.

· Assess family’s ability, understanding and capacity as it relates to adopting a child/children under state guardianship.

Ongoing Support and Counseling to Families

• Provide information and support for families during the adoption process.
• Review child social and medical information with families to determine appropriateness of match.
• Participate and support families in a series of match meetings, to determine their fit for a particular child/youth, under state guardianship
• Assist families in transition planning, crisis management, resource development and support
• Provide post placement/post adoption visits and support as required by agency standards and each program.
• Provide consultation, counseling, assessment and referral for families and children throughout the family’s lifespan.

Work with Youth

Child-Specific Recruitment

· Develop positive, affirming, supportive and trusting relationships with youth

· Review case file and other relevant information regarding the youth

· Engage in a variety of child-specific recruitment tasks and activities

· Review families home study assessments and assess fit based on the youth’s needs

· Collaborate with the youth’s team, including the County Caseworker, Guardian ad Litem, etc.

· Facilitate a series of match meetings to further assess a family’s fit based on the youth’s needs

· Facilitate and coordinate transition planning

· Provide ongoing support and advocacy to youth

Social Medical Histories: Completed Social Medical Histories, as assigned.

Agency Expectations:

· Participate in staff meetings, sessions related to agency’s commitment to anti-racist work and workplace culture, training, consultation meetings, and workshops.

· Complete work in a timely manner.

· Communicate effectively around individualized needs.

· Utilize supervision for case updates, case consultation, challenges, needed support, and accountability around agency expectations.

· Maintain continuing education requirements, as well as ethical and professional standards as required by agency and any applicable licensing board.

· Contribute to the agency’s overall well-being and effectiveness by fully communicating needs, ideas, and concerns directly to manager.

· Engage as a fully participating team member in day-to-day tasks, special projects and other duties as assigned.

· Complete and engage in individualized developmental plan for ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion growth.

· Participate in committee work either in individual programs or larger agency committees.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor or Master’s Degree in Social Work and Social Work Licensure required (LSW, LGSW, LISW). Experience with adoption, foster care, youth work, the child welfare system and/or other relevant experience desired.

This job is for you if you are (a)…

• Committed to Social Justice
• Committed to practicing with an anti-racism and anti-oppressive lens
• Child-Centered
• Collaborative
• Trauma-informed
• Organized
• Detail-Oriented
• Team-player
• Proactive
• Confident
• Empathetic

As well as…

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong assessment skills
• Strong customer service
• Experienced in adoption and pregnancy services work or child welfare related work
• Ability to assist in managing crisis
• Ability to multi-task and manage time wisely
• Ability to use technology
• Ability to work with peers and clients cross-culturally.
• Ability to meet established deadlines
• Public speaking/Facilitation of agency education

LOGISTICS

We have two office locations; a large office suite in West St. Paul located off of Robert St. and Thompson Ave. and a building in Oak Park Heights off of highway 36 just outside of Stillwater. This position may choose to office out of either location and will spend some time in each. This hybrid position requires you to be in office 2-3 days/week and allows you to work from home 1-2 days/week. All staff are provided with a laptop and have access to the server remotely. If working from home, you will need access to high-speed internet and cell phone service. Your home workspace must be conducive to perform the specific work you will be doing. Typical business hours for this position are Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00, with some evenings or weekends as required for meeting with youth, special events and grant deliverables. Our agency allows some flexibility around adjusting work schedules for individualized needs, outside of required staff meetings. Your direct supervisor will communicate details of logistics and expectations specific to your position. A valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and access to reliable transportation are required. The agency provides mileage reimbursement and rental car with fuel reimbursement for longer trips for work related travel.

This position requires local travel within Minnesota as part of teaming cases and holding a small caseload of youth in our STAY Program. Our STAY services areas include SA1: Kanabec, Chisago, Isanti, and Pine Counties; SA2: Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Pipestone, Rock, Nobles, Murray, Cottonwood, and Jackson Counties. Travel time to these areas is dependent on youth and staff needs and may look different week to week. Current anticipated travel to these areas is twice per month.

RACIAL IDENTITY OUR WORKPLACE

For full transparency of racial identities within our workplace at EVOLVE, racial identities within our workplace are listed below. Our current EVOLVE team is comprised of 21 team members.

Black

3

Latinx

3

AAPI

1

Multiracial

2

White

12

TO APPLY

Fill out our application.In addition to our application, please also submit a cover letter that includes a social justice statement within and resume. The position will remain open until filled.

Compensation and Benefits

$43,000-47,000 annually, full-time (40 hours), salaried, exempt, paid biweekly.

Benefits include health care (family coverage available), dental vision coverage, 20 days of PTO in first year, increasing annually up to 240 hours after 10 years of service, 13 paid holidays, 16 hours paid community engagement time for volunteering, service, activism, etc., $300 continuing education reimbursement, flexible work schedule, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options, $50,000 Life insurance benefit, Short term and long-term disability insurance, $1,500 adoption benefit, Parental, Jury, Voting, Military, and Bereavement Leave, and Investment options.

EVOLVE Family Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

It is the policy of the agency, in recognition of the essential rights of all children and individuals, to provide agency services and employ staff without regard to race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, union or political affiliation, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, or reliance on public assistance except where a bonafide qualification exists. People of color and individuals of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $43,000.00 - $47,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Stillwater, MN 55082: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• Social work: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $43,000 - $47,000