What are the responsibilities and job description for the Home Finding Specialist-Tri County position at The House of The Good Shepherd?
Function/Overall Responsibilities: Work within the Foster Care Department as a member of a team responsible for the placement of youth, recruitment, retention of foster parents, training of foster parents and staff and Certification/Approval of Kinship/Regular Foster homes.
Principal Assigned Responsibilities:
- Attend necessary Train-the-Trainer programs. workshops and in-service training and supervision required to perform the job.
- Provide pre-service and selected in-service training for foster parents in accordance with New York State Children and Family Services policy and HGS Policy and Procedure,
- Complete required documentation, paperwork and home visits related to foster parent Certification/Approval to include:
- Initial home study, documentation of home consultation meetings and other record keeping as needed.
- Set up foster home files containing all required and relevant materials.
- Oversee/complete recertification documentation of existing foster families.
- Work closely with the Kinship Specialists in opening Expedited and Regular Kinship Homes and Certifying Kinship Homes.
- Take part in recruitment and retention efforts in conjunction with Communications and Development Department and Watertown program.
- Receive client referrals via telephone, e-mail or mail to determine appropriateness for foster care and commence the matching process with Certified/Approved Foster Homes. This may include regular/Therapeutic, Kinship or Respite referrals.
- Preparing for and leading the programs weekly rounds meeting which includes, providing up-to-date referral and placement information and collecting up-to-date information from the rounds team. Information will be utilized to update respective documents and spreadsheets.
- Gather information and prepare documents and spreadsheets for iffier/intra departmental sharing. This would include for example, LDSS's, HGS Quality Improvement Department, Family Court and any other agency/department as determined by need or at the directions of the HGS Supervisor.
- Responsible for accurate and timely submission of activities in NYS Connections System and HGS Electronic Health Record.
- Perform other related duties as deemed appropriate by the Director /Assistant Director of Foster Care, other Foster Care supervisory staff.
Education and Experience Requirements:
l. Minimum Bachelor degree in human service or related field.
2. One-year relevant experience required. Prior training experience preferred.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The House of the Good Shepherd is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment where diversity is valued and recognized as a source of strength and enrichment. We seek to attract talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures.
