Bilingual Case Manager (Hybrid) (Proficiency in Spanish and English Required)

Here at the Presbyterian Home for Children, we’re not just filling a position; we’re finding the next hero in our mission to provide healing and hope to at-risk children and families. If you’re ready to be a part of something bigger, read on to see if this is your next great opportunity!

The Presbyterian Home for Children, a ministry of the Presbyterian Churches of Alabama, cares for boys and girls of all ages and their female caregivers who find themselves homeless because of poverty, abuse, or abandonment. The Home is accredited by EAGLE, the world’s only faith-based accrediting body for ministry to children. In 2024, the Presbyterian Home partnered with Everstand to start the Caminos® program in the State of Alabama. This position plays a key role in this program.

What is Caminos Nacional?

Caminos Nacional is a federal grant managed by Everstand to provide residential services for children who enter the United States without a guardian. This population is commonly referred to as recently migrated youth. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Delivering this service helps Everstand fulfill its purpose to enrich communities, one family at a time.

How We Serve Recently Migrated Youth

Recently migrated youth are at significant risk of exploitation, including human trafficking. ORR partners with residential providers like Everstand to deliver best practice and trauma informed child welfare services. Some of these services include temporary shelter, education, medical and mental health care, and, most importantly, vetting of a suitable sponsor or foster care placement for the child.

Recently migrated youth who arrive in the United States are often referred for home study and post releases services. They are, in essence, the most vulnerable youth within an already vulnerable population. Many of these children experience multiple spheres of marginality, including vulnerability to trafficking, abuse, forced labor, and exploitation. Recently migrated youth are commonly susceptible to becoming or are already victims of trafficking, child abuse, neglect, and/or have a diagnosed disability.

These vulnerabilities, coupled with the challenging task of having to unify with family in a new country and new community, present the critical need for quality home study assessments followed by comprehensive post-release services provided by organizations with strong child welfare experience and knowledge of trauma-responsive practices.

What Does HS/PRS Do?

• The benefits of Post Release Services are substantial. Comprehensive PRS programming can create a pathway for youth to successfully integrate into a new community, school, and family setting. By offering Post Release Services, Everstand ensures that the foundational needs of youth and families are being met in a way that addresses the lingering effects of past traumatic experiences and promotes healing and recovery.
• Everstand programs strive to provide services in a manner that recognizes the cultural needs of all youth and families. Many services are provided in Spanish, and our programs offer all youth access to communicate in their native language via the use of interpretation services.
• Everstand employs a team-based, collaborative planning case management model to develop and implement individualized care plans for youth and families. The goals of Post Release Services include:
• A child-centered approach that strives to address the needs prioritized by the youth and family.
• The improvement of skills and confidence for youth and families to connect to local support networks and access culturally appropriate community services.
• Developing and strengthening natural support systems for youth and families.
• Providing holistic care that integrates the efforts of available services and programs into one streamlined approach.
• Post-Release Services involve connecting recently migrated youth clients to critical community resources and components such as:
• Placement Stability and Safety
• Immigration Proceedings
• Guardianship (if applicable)
• Legal Service Referrals
• School Enrollment
• Connection to Educational Support & Mentoring Programs
• Medical Services
• Individual Mental Health Services
• Family Stabilization and Family Counseling
• Substance Abuse Treatment Resources
• Gang Prevention
• Trafficking Victim Assistance Programs
• Safety Planning
• Transportation
• Other Identified Needs of Youth (e.g., connections to extracurricular activities, hobbies, faith communities, etc.)

The ideal candidate for our program is:

• A committed and dedicated person who is professional and passionate about helping vulnerable children and families.
• A personable, energetic, and empathetic leader who can work along with staff, children, families, and multiple projects in a prioritized manner to meet the highest quality standards.
• Must have experience in trauma informed care, child welfare practices, and managing cases.
• A good listener, carefully and empathize when necessary, ask the right questions to find out about clients' needs, build trust with people demonstrating culture competence.
• Able to assess needs and circumstances, communicate clearly, both orally and in writing (Spanish and English), can gather, analyze and understand information, can work through conflict sensitively and come up with effective solutions, work well under pressure, can make difficult decisions at times and maintain a positive attitude when you are faced with difficulties.
• Must live in Alabama and able to commute to Birmingham and other counties.

TITLE:

Case Manager – Caminos Home Study & Post Release Services (HS/PRS)

REPORTS TO:

Lead Case Manager

Exempt

POSITIONS SUPERVISED:

None

I. JOB SUMMARY

The Home Study & Post Release Case Manager provides culturally competent assessment and case management services serving recently immigrated unaccompanied children and the individuals sponsoring them here in the United States. This position entails conducting home studies of the potential sponsor (caregiver) homes to assess for safety and suitability for placement and providing post release services that promote the successful community integration of the youth and support family reunification efforts. The Case Manager supports the delivery of Everstand’s trauma responsive model by providing comprehensive services to both the referred youth and their caregivers, designed to increase effective communication, provide psychoeducation, and ensure youth and families are connected to a supportive network and formal and informal resources in their community. Everstand works in collaboration with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide home study and post release case management to UCs who are reunified with caregivers across the Mid-Atlantic and surrounding regions as well as other parts of the country.

II. DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Home Study Services

• Model and act in accordance with PHFC’s core values.
• Conduct the home study process through a combination of in-home visits and interviews, phone calls and other investigative activities with the goal of producing a comprehensive assessment of a potential sponsor’s ability to provide a safe living environment that meets the youth’s needs.
• Utilizes information gathered through investigative interviews with shelter staff, clients, and prospective sponsors, home visit observations and the review of informational documents, including background investigations for all adults living in the potential sponsor’s home for the purpose of making determinations and recommendations.
• Conduct a collaborative psycho-educational process with the youth and sponsor designed to identify areas where support, resources or information are needed to ensure successful reunification.
• Educate and prepare the prospective sponsor for reunification with the youth, assisting with accessing needed support and services.
• Produce a comprehensive written report containing the home study findings and recommendations within 10 days of case assignment.

Post Release Services

• Conduct home visits and phone contacts with the dual purpose of assessing safety and appropriateness of the youth’s placement with his/her sponsor and connecting the youth to services in the community to address risk factors.
• Perform ongoing case management with a focus on screening and making appropriate referrals to address the youth’s needs in the following domains: safety, placement stability, guardianship, education, health and medical, individual mental health and family stabilization, legal/immigration proceedings, substance abuse, gang prevention, independent living, juvenile/criminal justice, trafficking assistance (as applicable) and child enrichment activities.
• Facilitate the development of a youth and family care plan ensuring that the plan demonstrates youth and family voice and includes clear needs statements, strength-based strategies, and outcomes that are measurable and specific.
• Collaborate with youth and sponsor, as well as available informal supports, to develop a crisis and safety plan to ensure the safety of the youth, family, and community.
• Provide crisis intervention services directly, as needed, or connect family to services to ensure youths safety and well-being in a crisis situation.
• Facilitation of case management meetings for with youth and sponsor, as well as applicable informal supports and external providers, that continually reassess the needs of the youth and family and ensure that services in place are effective.
• Evaluate the youth and family’s progress towards goal achievement and keep applicable internal and external stakeholders informed with regards to progress toward achieving care plan goals.
• Motivate and support family involvement through identification and inclusion of informal supports.
• Evaluate the youth and family’s progress towards goal achievement and keep all parties informed with regards to progress toward achieving care plan goals.
• Ability to contact youth and sponsor within 48 hours of case assignment and facilitate an in-home visit with youth and sponsor within 14 days of case assignment.
• Adherence to Everstand established performance metrics related to best practice contact requirements for youth and family, including phone and in person face to face visitation requirements.
• Submit detailed and thorough documentation in compliance with Everstand and ORR requirements and reporting deadlines, including but not limited to case notes, federal and agency data collection, programmatic reporting, assessments, care plan documentation, transition/discharge planning and post-discharge follow-up.

Overall Responsibilities

• Acts as a primary point of contact and liaison for the youth, family, sponsors and external agencies.
• Responsible for driving to youth and sponsor homes within a 200-mile radius and traveling via airplane and rental car to homes beyond the 200-mile radius.
• Active participation in agency and community efforts to build culturally competent outreach, education, and interventions for the immigrant and refugee community.
• Complete required documentation and reports within the defined timelines including case notes, federal and agency data collection and applicable programmatic reporting. Documentation requirements are both rigorous and extensive.
• Coordinate with Everstand staff members and community resources to address the youths service needs.
• Maintain effective working relationships with families, youth, colleagues, consultants and community agencies.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and familiarity with both Everstand and Office of Refugee Resettlement Policy and Procedures relating to services for Unaccompanied Children. This includes knowledge of legal background and authority governing the practice as related to working with Unaccompanied Children.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and ability to identify community social service resources and the processes required to connect youth and families to available social service benefits and programs.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the value of cultural diversity, including the ability to develop systems and practices that are inclusive of diverse staff members and responsive to the cultural needs of the client population served.
• Identify supervision and/or professional training needs to supervisor as they arise.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively express ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
• Demonstrate the ability to engage youth and families in a positive therapeutic alliance.

NON- ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Assist with transportation needs of youth and family as needed.

III. BASIC COMPETENCIES

Education and Experience:

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in the behavioral sciences, human services, or social services fields.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (both oral and written).

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university and 1-year experience in providing direct services to children/youth and families.
• Active certification in SAFE Home Study (or similar method) certifications.
• Two years of experience providing direct services to foreign born, immigrant and/or refugee populations.
• Child welfare and/or ORR case management experience.
• Proficiency in languages other than English and Spanish.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

• Able to learn and effectively utilize different technology platforms.
• Excellent computers use knowledge with Microsoft Windows 10 and 365 Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Proven effective time management, planning, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to problem solve.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to keep an electronic calendar (Outlook).
• Ability to pass TCI certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass CPR/First aid certification both at employee orientation and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to demonstrate the possession of a valid driver’s license prior to employment and ability to maintain the license and operate a motor vehicle thereafter.
• Ability to pass CPS/UII background check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Tuberculosis Screening both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a work-readiness physical performed by a certified medical professional both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a Federal and State Fingerprinting Background Check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Ability to pass a drug screen via urinalysis both prior to employment and randomly thereafter.

ADDED PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

Due to federal requirements of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and Presbyterian Home for Children, and the nature of this position the Employee must be able to:

• Pass a criminal background check that includes history of conviction of child and sexual abuse.
• Pass Federal, state, and local background checks which include:
• FBI fingerprinting,
• Child Abuse & Neglect (CA/N) check,
• DHR background check both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter,
• Driving Clearance both prior to employment and per the schedule outlined by HR thereafter.
• Pass a drug screen via urinalysis both prior to employment and randomly thereafter.

Upon employment, the Employee is required to review and sign the following required PHFC policy agreements:

• PHFC Staff Code of Conduct
• Confidentiality Policy
• Zero Tolerance
• Social Media
• Grievances

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

IV. JOB SETTING
Work Environment/ Hybrid & Office Requirements:

This position requires the ability to operate both in a professional office environment as well as a remote work capacity. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Remote duties require the ability to procure fast, reliable internet service (15 Mbps minimum download speed required) at the remote office location. Remote workspace must allow for phone and video calls to be made without interruption, the confidentiality of protected health information to be maintained, and equipment stored securely when not in use. Everstand will provide a laptop and cell phone. Employee is responsible for all other remote office equipment and costs.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. The schedule requires flexibility based on the availability of youth and families served. This position regularly requires long hours and weekend work. Eligible for flex schedule. Non-essential for snow.

Travel:

Travel is required and will include local as well as out-of-area and overnight travel. Frequent local travel will be required to serve the home communities of youth and families served by the program.

Must be able and willing to travel to other cities by flying on commercial airlines, driving a rental car and/or using other transportation, and stay overnight in hotels.

V. OTHER INFORMATION
PHFC is an equal opportunity employer where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected characteristics as established by law. This policy extends to all policies and procedures related to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Furthermore, this description is a summary of the responsibilities, duties, skills, experience abilities, and qualifications associated with this position. It is not an exhaustive list and may be changed at any time at the discretion of the CEO. Employment is still considered at-will in which PHFC, or the employee may with or without notice, with or without reason terminate employment. PHFC reserves the right to modify job duties or job descriptions at any time.

Tipo de puesto: Tiempo completo

Idioma:

• Spanish (Obligatorio)

Lugar de trabajo: Híbrido en Birmingham, AL