Position Summary

As an Unaccompanied Children (UC) Transitional Foster Care (TFC) Licensing Specialist, this position is primarily responsible for assessing and licensing foster home applicants and maintaining those homes for the placement of foster children. Trains, prepares, and supports foster parents. Responsible for coordinating with foster care program staff during the placement of foster children referred to refugee and immigrant services TFC program.

This position is expected to function effectively with moderate supervision while following the guidelines given on procedures, along with agency, federal, and state regulatory requirements.  Must provide child-facing services on-site.

Wage: 39,100.00-$46,000.00 annually

Are you passionate about discovering new ways to help empower people and make a difference in their lives?

If you’ve got what it takes to support us in our mission to provide help and create hope through innovative, collaborative, and diverse programs within the community, then we’ve got the right opportunity for you.

About Catholic Charities West Michigan

Catholic Charities West Michigan (CCWM) is a community-based agency providing programs in Western Michigan and offering a variety of services in family preservation, behavioral health, child welfare, and community outreach.

• CCWM is committed to ensuring a diverse workforce and a work environment whereby all staff are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.
• CCWM encourages persons of diverse backgrounds and faiths to apply for employment.

Essentials Duties and Responsibilities

• Participates in recruitment and retention activities.
• Attends and coordinates foster parent events.
• Orients prospective foster families through individual and group processes.
• Trains Pressley Ridge and/or PRIDE and provides other training to foster parents.
• Licenses all TFC foster parents according to the Office of Refugee Reinstatement (ORR) and state requirements.
• Certifies and maintains foster homes in accordance with the policies and procedures.
• Maintains accurate and current information on foster children in care, while ensuring ORR and Catholic Charities West Michigan (CCWM's) internal documentation practices and reporting requirements are met.
• Attends, facilitates, and assists with providing on-going education and support services to foster parents.
• Assesses unlicensed relatives as needed.
• Participates in on-call placements, day-in, and emergency services.
• Attends supervision and staff meetings.
• Provides child-facing services on-site.
• Assists in transporting clients when needed.
• Drives for Agency business.
• Performs other special assignments at supervisor’s request.

Other Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work effectively on a multi-disciplinary treatment team.
• Ability to build rapport with clients to help them adjust to new life circumstances.
• Ability to provide excellent and compassionate customer service.
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgement, and a high level of confidentiality.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated clinical, therapeutic, and crisis intervention skills.
• Mature and stable judgment as well as sensitivity to various cultures and the unique history of refugees.
• Knowledge of the National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics and the NASW Standards for the practice of direct social work.
• Computer and typing skills sufficient to perform essential job functions.
• Ability to relate to diverse populations and cultures while communicating with clients and the public in a courteous and effective manner.
• This position requires reliable transportation.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and good driving record with zero work restrictions.
• Must have personal auto insurance as required by law with minimum bodily injury coverage limits of $250,000 per person/$500,000 per incident or $500,000 combined.
• Must be willing to work irregular hours including evenings, holidays, and weekends.
• This is an on-site role that requires regular, full-time attendance at the office; remote or hybrid work is not available, however, there may be times ad hoc or situational telework is needed.
• Successfully pass an annual TB test and document preference to receive or decline Hepatitis immunization.
• Must show documentation proof of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases transmitted by the respiratory route.
• Drives for agency business.
• Must submit to agency approved background checks.

Physical demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the staff member is regularly required to talk and/or hear.  The staff member is regularly required to sit, walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms.  The staff member is occasionally required to stand, climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The staff member on occasion may be asked to move or lift items up to 40 pounds in weight.

Work Environment:

This position is primarily office based, however, on occasion it may require travel to other agency as required by position responsibilities and/or agency management.  The position is on-site — must be willing to work entirely in person, however, there may be times that ad hoc or situational telework is needed. This position will be routinely exposed to typical office noise levels and/or exposure to various weather conditions.

The position on occasion may require travel to other agency offices and/or client homes as required by position responsibilities and/or agency management. This position will be routinely exposed to typical office noise levels and/or exposure to various weather conditions.

The qualifications listed above are guidelines for selection purposes; alternative qualifications may be substituted if sufficient to perform the duties of the job.

Recommended Employment Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelor's degree in social work or a related field in human services is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 1 year of prior employment experience in child and family services or counseling is preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish/English fluency highly is preferred.
• A minimum of 1 year of prior employment experience working with children and families from diverse cultures with sensitivity to cultural difference and norms strongly is preferred.

Professional Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• None Required.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Our Mission

Inspired by the Church's social teachings, Catholic Charities West Michigan fosters individuals and families to flourish by providing help and creating hope.

Our Vision

Catholic Charities West Michigan is called to create a just and compassionate community where all people can achieve their divine purpose.

Our Values

• Sanctity of All Life
• Compassion
• Integrity
• Respect
• Equity

CCWM is an equal opportunity employer, subject to all federal and state laws as applicable to a religious Agency.