Child Welfare Case Manager

Company: Lutheran Services Florida
Location: Bradenton
Posted on: September 5, 2021

Job Description:

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong and communities are vibrant. Since 1982, Lutheran Services Florida has been providing and sharing solutions to protect Florida’s most vulnerable. Today, we are one of the largest nonprofits in Florida touching 1 in 50 Floridians with a wide range of services, including:

• early childhood education
• refugee and immigration
• mental health and substance abuse
• juvenile justice
• child welfare

LSF is looking for a talented Child Welfare Case Manager who wants to make an impact in the lives of children and families.

The pay for this position is $17.31-$18.27 per hour.

Purpose & Impact

The purpose of the Child Welfare Case Manager, in partnership with various individuals and groups within the child welfare system and community, is to ensure and promote the social, physical, psychological and emotional well-being and safety of the children and families they serve.

The Case Manager maintains case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child, including therapy, mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational support, permanency and safety.

The Case Manager manages cases toward goals recorded in case plans while adhering to Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, written policies and orders of the Dependency Court. The Case Manager reports to the Case Management Supervisor.

A Day in The Life of a Child Welfare Case Manager.

Essential Functions

• Meet with children and families in their primary residence within 2 working days of case assignment
• Complete family assessments within specified timeframe
• Conduct home visits with children according to the required frequency, but no less than every 25 days
• Prepare for, attend, and participate in all court activities as necessary.
  • Complete and submit court documentation within in required time frames
• Arrange for, attend, and participate in individual case staffings as necessary.
  • Complete all required staffing and application packets.
• Negotiate and develop a case plan in collaboration with the parents, Guardian Ad Litem, foster parents and other pertinent parties with the goal of reunification or other permanency for the child
• Accurately document all case activities in the Florida Safe Families Network database within 48 hours. Maintain the physical case file in chronological order, by subject, in accordance with the standardized case file format.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of community resources, program eligibility requirements, key contact persons, emergency procedures, and waiting lists of available resources. Maintain regular contact with service providers and document service progress in FSFN.
• Submit timely service requests to the lead agency Utilization Management Department
• Provide clients with timely referrals to services
• Conduct initial and/or ongoing child safety assessments as required. Prepare initial and on-going safety plans as necessary.
• Arrange for emergency placement, emergency medical treatment, and emergency services for children at risk.
• Conduct diligent searches for parents and family members when deemed necessary
  • thoroughly document that the effort has been made to find the parents and family members.
• Conduct home studies as required for prospective placements.
• Provide relevant medical, psychological, behavioral and educational background information about the child or children to prospective caregivers as needed.
• Plan and facilitate parental and sibling visits as needed and appropriate.
• Transport children as needed.
• Ensure that all Independent Living functions are completed as required
• Attend all appointments, staff meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary and as required by the supervisor.
• Function as agency on-call Case Manager as scheduled.
• Organize, prioritize and complete all work assignments by the established deadlines.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Qualifications

Competencies (Skills/Knowledge & Abilities)

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Technical proficiency (Including Microsoft Office and typing)
• Advanced self-management, planning and organization skills
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs

Required/Preferred Education and Experience

• Minimum of 1-year relevant experience
• Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field, degree in Social Work preferred.

Additional eligibility qualifications

• Valid state driver’s license and appropriate auto liability insurance required.
• Ability and flexibility to work extended hours, respond to emergencies during off hours, and frequent travel locally and through state as required
• Must obtain certification within 1 year

Why Work With LSF?

Ability to Make an Impact in Multiple Areas

LSF offers several programs, spanning across a wide range of populations in need. This gives our team members an opportunity to learn and potentially work in programs outside of their direct area. Either way, members of the LSF family will play a part in transforming the lives of those in need.

Community

A career at LSF means working and learning alongside talented professionals in a dynamic and inclusive environment. The values of our organization – OPEN-MINDED, COMPASSIONATE, GENEROUS, VISIONARY and HONESTY – drives each one of us.

People working at Lutheran Services Florida treat each other like family. Whether you work on the front lines or work in an office, you share a common bond that is felt throughout the organization.

Growth Opportunities

Because of the variety of programs we offer throughout Florida, team members have the option to explore areas of interest in other programs or grow within their existing program/department.

Amazing benefits package including:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Teledoc (24/7 access to doctors via phone and video)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Long-term disability
• Employer paid life insurance (1X salary), AD&D
• Health and dependent care FSA
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match
• Tuition reimbursement
• LifeMart employee discount program (savings on everything from computers to car rentals)
• Additional voluntary benefits:
  • Short-term disability
  • Group life insurance
  • Accident, critical illness/Cancer and hospital policy
  • Legal Shield coverage

Lutheran Services Florida embraces diversity, equity and inclusion in all business practices. LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Education

• Bachelors or better in Human Services or related field

Keywords: Lutheran Services Florida, Bradenton , Child Welfare Case Manager, Other , Bradenton, Florida