Family Preservation Specialist

At Wellpoint Care Network, our mission is to facilitate equity, learning, healing, and wellness by restoring the connections that help children and families thrive.

Every person deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. It’s part of human nature, and the promise of our country, that everyone be given a fair chance to be and do their best. Yet, many in our community live with unresolved childhood and generational trauma.  

That’s where we come in. We believe we can create a world where children and families have a clearer path to their fullest potential. Wellpoint Care Network has championed the restoration of families for nearly 175 years.

Job Purpose:

Our next Family Preservation Specialist will work with families that have children placed in out of home care and families that have children in their home. They will collaborate case managers to ensure child safety and well-being, and deliver high-quality direct services including support, guidance, visit coaching, mentoring, and education offered to parents who are receiving supervised family interaction sessions, parenting skill building interventions, basic home management, and life skills services.

Duties:

• Delivers high-quality direct services including coaching, mentoring, and education to parents who are receiving supervised family interaction sessions, parenting skill building assistance, basic home management and life skills services.
• Establishes a relevant, strengths-oriented treatment goals that are in line with primary goals of child safety and improved family functioning, in collaboration with Family Preservation Supervisor.
• Advocates for the needs and interests of families who are receiving supervised and unsupervised family interaction sessions through the Family Services Department.
• Provides accurate and professional documentation of family interaction sessions and one on one Client meetings in progress notes, quarterly summaries, discharge summaries, and other paperwork.
• Performs transportation/driving services for client/children who are participating in family interaction sessions when needed and follows all laws, rules, and regulations while driving.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required
• Associates Degree or sixty (60) credits equivalent in Human Services/Social Work or related field preferred.
• Some experience working with children and families preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus, but not required.
• Knowledge of the concepts of child safety and parental protective capacities.
• Proficient in the usage of computer software; demonstrate an understanding of computer file systems and computer software packages, e.g., Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Teams, ADP, etc.
• Ability to take initiative and act quickly and independently when the situation demands it; sees a need and takes appropriate action without being prompted or reminded; demonstrates ability to effectively deal with crisis situations.
• Ability to exhibit professionalism while working effectively and harmoniously with staff, program participants, social service agencies, legal parties, and the public.
• Demonstrate an ability to effective understanding and practice of cultural humility and ability work and communicate respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to lift and carry young children and car seats.
• Ability to work a flexible Schedule based on the needs of the Clients in the program, including evenings and weekend hours as well as on-call responsibilities.
• Valid Wisconsin driver’s license required.
• Personal vehicle must be available for daily use and can accommodate at least two children in car seats.
• Physical exam, drug screen, motor vehicle report, and background checks are required for this position.

Position Details & Extras:

• Full time w/ benefits
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) may apply.
• Reimbursement for mileage.
• Bilingual stipends.
• Interaction with personnel, clients, family members, visitors, volunteers, interns, and vendors under all conditions and circumstances.
• Incumbents will occasionally need to be available for extra hours and/or provide flexibility to accommodate special events, peak demand, or staff shortages.

Organizational Information: 

At Wellpoint Care Network, we have seen exactly how trauma, poverty, systemic racism, social injustices, and other barriers create instability in all areas of life. The people in our care face education and health disparities, high unemployment rates and unaffordable housing. What’s worse, many have lost connections to resources, family, friends, and other support systems. We have seen the toll it has on a person’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being to try and successfully navigate complex systems that may have failed them in the past.

We believe there is a better way. So, we have anchored ourselves in our 170 years of caring for our neighbors through modernized human services.

Wellpoint Care Network provides a rich continuum of services, including:

•        Child Welfare and Foster Care 

•        Support for youth who have aged out of care

•        Care Coordination and Wraparound services 

•        Mental health therapy and supports such as our Clinic, Family Preservation, Caregiver Support, and Integrated Community Treatment

•        Professional education and clinical consultation (for organizations, schools, and individual/family) 

Wellpoint Care also works to promote a diverse and caregiving environment to ensure that those we serve, and employ are valued, accepted, respected, and treated equitably.

•        Equity means we work tirelessly toward fair and just treatment, systems, and policies. At Wellpoint Care Network, we believe that we are accountable – individually and collectively – when inequity or injustice replaces equity and inclusion. 

•        Inclusivity means that we consciously build groups that welcome and celebrate differences in age, race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, gender expression, education, socio-economic background, personal history, geographical location, marital status, parental status, and work experiences.   

Interested parties please apply online. We are committed to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion and strongly encourage minority candidates to apply. For more information, visit our website www.wellpointcare.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer