Specialist, Licensing/Community Outreach-CWS

Children’s Center of Wayne County (TCC) The Children’s Center, founded in 1929, provides evidence-based clinical therapy to children who deal with mental, behavioral, emotional, intellectual, and developmental health and educational challenges or may have experienced trauma.  

School Community-Based Partnerships: We partner with K-12 schools and community organizations that serve children to provide clinical therapy, counseling, psychological services, and psychiatric evaluations, treatment & interventions.  

Child Welfare: In addition to the clinical therapy programs offered, The Children’s Center places children in licensed foster homes, and supports them throughout their time in the child welfare system.   

Child Well-being Family Success: We operate an onsite family success center that promotes child-wellbeing and offers children and youth from all walks of life to access relevant mental health crisis prevention and child abuse and neglect prevention services.

Advocacy: We champion child and youth well-being for those experiencing poverty-related issues, those within the child welfare system, and those in need of evidence-based, clinical therapy. 

TCC’s mission is to help children and families shape their own futures.  If as many children as possible, and their families can easily access comprehensive, evidence-based, clinical therapy that is integrated into and supports their everyday lives then, children will experience an improved quality of life where they have a true sense of agency and empowerment in their lives. 

We embrace and demonstrate a set of Core Values as the foundation of our culture.  They define how we do what we do, and what we value in our work with each other and our community.  Daily demonstration of these values, in mindset and behavior, is required to be successful as a TCC team member.

• Dedicated-We are devoted, dedicated and always willing to pitch to accomplish our mission.   
• Passionate-We are passionate about what we do and helping the people we serve.   
• Accountable-We do what we say and accomplish all aspects of our responsibilities.   
• Can Do Attitude- We approach our responsibilities with a positive attitude.  
• Respectful- We always treat co-workers, donors, children and families with the utmost respect, courtesy, and patience. 

Job Summary

The Licensing Specialist serves as an advocate and liaison for the foster parent(s). A Licensing Specialist is responsible for maintaining a caseload of up to 30 foster homes. The Specialist will complete initial and annual reports for each assigned family. The Licensing Specialist also assist with retention and recruitment efforts of the agency with all current and potential foster homes.

Job Requirements

• Must possess a degree in the following areas: Behavioral Science, Community Services, Counseling (Psychology), Criminal Justice (Administration), Early Childhood Studies, Family Ecology, Family Life Education, Family Studies, Family and/or Child Development, Guidance/School Counseling, Human Development and Family Studies, Human Services, Psychology, Social Work or Sociology. -Bachelor’s Degree (4 years) in one of the following fields required: Behavioral Science, Community Services, Counseling (Psychology), Criminal Justice (Administration), Early Childhood Studies, Family Ecology, Family Life Education, Family Studies, Family and/or Child Development, Guidance/School Counseling, Human Development and Family Studies, Human Services, Psychology, Social Work or Sociology.
• Preferred previous experience in Child Welfare. 
• Preferred to be DCWL (Department of Child Welfare Licensing) trained. If not DCWL trained, immediate enrollment in training is required.

Essential Functions

• Expected to complete all written annual assessments in time per DCWL due date. 
• Expected to process all interested applicants in a timely manner. 
• Complete Special Evaluations on the family if/when needed. 
• Responsible for the oversight of all assigned homes and applications to ensure DCWL rule compliance. 
• Must be an active participant in recruitment and retention efforts for foster homes and new applicants. 
• Must be efficient in meeting deadlines and can work independently. 
• Must be highly organized and able to properly manage time. 
• Must be comfortable going into homes for assessment and providing corrective feedback if needed. 
• Must have strong communication skills. 
• Must have strong assessment and writing skills for clients. 
• Must be comfortable navigating various databases and data entry as required. 
• Must have strong engagement skills for working with clients. 
• Position will require you to drive to and from various community sites including client homes and other locations. You must have a valid driver’s license, current auto insurance and reliable transportation

Additional Functions

• Contribute to a positive workplace culture that demonstrates evidence of high accountability, inclusivity, and collaboration. 
• Attending court hearings, Family Team Meetings, case conferences with stakeholders and clients as needed. 
• Specialists may need to contribute to securing or maintaining placement. 
• Develop performance goals and expectations with direct Supervisor annually.
• Ensure all contact deadlines are met with all families per DCWL and MDHHS. 
• Maintain both hard file and electronic file compliance. 
• Demonstrate a commitment to anti-racist practices, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Actively support and encourage creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive administrative and service delivery environment.
• May be required to assist with on-call after hour situations as needed. 
• May be required to assist with weekend recruitment or retention activities. 
• Adhere to best practices, ethical standards, and compliance with relevant laws and regulations. 
• May be required at times to assist in on-call/after-hours crisis support. 
• Maintain a customer satisfaction rate of at least 90% and have fewer than 4 documented complaints from any source in a 12-month period.
• Required annually to meet required 32 training hours.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse stairs and other uneven terrain to gain access to and to maneuver throughout offsite locations including residential homes, office buildings and special event locations. 
• Must be comfortable entering in clients home in the community. 
• Ability to prepare and inspect documents in hard copy or electronic format. Ability to tolerate exposure to computer screens and operate computer/keyboard and other office equipment on a frequent and/or continuous basis.
• Ability to receive and exchange information and accurately and effectively communicate and converse with others.
• Ability to lift up to 10 Lbs.

Other

• Maintain a flexible schedule to appropriately deliver services to meet client needs in the home, school, community or agency and by working evening and weekends.
• Must have flexible adaptability to department circumstances and needs.
• Always Maintain agency Core Values.
• All other duties as assigned.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.