Permanency Specialist
The Permanency Specialist provides culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and family-centered services and planning for youth who are referred for Wraparound through social services, probation, or post-adoption services. While working in collaboration with county and community partners, the Permanency Specialist partners with the youth and family’s team to collaborate on all stages of the Family Finding and permanency process in a way that is rooted in Seneca’s mission and values related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Permanency Specialist supports the goal of reunification of children with their parents or caregivers and works with the family to enhance connections with relatives and other natural supports. Family members are engaged to develop additional connections to support children in living with relatives and staying connected to their families. All services are provided almost exclusively in the community, including in families’ homes, foster homes, schools, and congregate care settings.
Seneca Family of Agencies is committed to providing traditionally marginalized communities a network of outstanding mental health, community based, and educational services. We are committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages people of color to apply. Our programs are deeply engaged in conversations and trainings on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in order to bring equity and justice to the youth and families we serve.
Responsibilities
- Participates and leads programmatic and clinical training related to discovery and engagement work of family finding with Monterey staff.
- Attends trainings related to Family Finding and apply findings from research on Family Finding best practices.
- Receives supervision and consultation from Family Finding experts and Wraparound program supervisor.
- Understands, applies and guides the principles and stages of Family Finding, from discovery to engagement to planning to implementation to evaluation of results.
- Maintains the primary relationship and collaboration with Child Welfare Workers and Probation Officers on Family Finding efforts with referred clients.
- Provide family finding consultation or coaching for other Salinas Programs as needed.
- Participate in Child and Family Team Meetings to discuss concurrent planning for youth and families.
- Participate as the lead or point of contact when engaging new natural supports and work collaboratively with the family’s assigned Wraparound team to involve these supports in the wraparound process.
- Meets with parents, extended family members, community members and facilitates team meetings on an ongoing basis to build rapport and engage them in planning for permanency for their children.
- Complete required documentation according to Monterey documentation standards and time-line.
Qualifications
- Bachelor degree required.
- Bilingual in Spanish/English a plus!
- Must show, through a combination of experience and demonstrated interest in helping parents reunify with their children or plan alternative permanency options.
- Must have demonstrated competence in the skill areas of positive client engagement and communication, especially with parents whose children have been removed due to abuse or neglect.
- Must have experience working directly with families and demonstrated understanding of the challenges they are experiencing as a result of recent Child Welfare system involvement.
- Must be willing and able to work flexible hours in the community.
- Own vehicle, valid Drivers License and insurability through Seneca's automobile policy
- TB test clearance, fingerprinting clearance, and any other State/Federal licensing or certification requirements.
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and booster required.
Schedule
- Full-time
Benefits
- Starting at $21.00 per hour, and additional compensation provided upon passing bilingual language proficiency exam.
- Mileage reimbursement.
- Annual performance evaluations provide the potential for a generous salary increase each year.
- Comprehensive employee benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and chiropractic coverage, as well as partially paid premiums for dependents.
- Employer-paid Employee Assistance Plan (EAP).
- 5 weeks of flexible paid time off and 11 paid holidays.
- We provide a 403b retirement plan.
- Scholarship opportunities, ongoing training, and professional development opportunities.
Key Words: nonprofit, non-profit, mental health, mental health agency, behavioral health, healthcare, counselor, youth advocate, family advocate, children advocate, youth counselor, adolescent, advocate. forster youth, foster care,
Please apply directly through our website by clicking here!