Case Manager - Foster Care - Bilingual Preferred

Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is seeking a Case Manager to monitor and protect children, provide case management for an assigned caseload, coordinate services for children and their families, and support foster homes.

The role requires collaboration with foster families, schools, health and community resources, and adherence to regulatory standards while delivering trauma-informed services to promote child well-being.

Qualifications

• Provide case management: familiarity with assessment, care planning, facilitation, coordination, and advocacy for support on behalf of individuals or families.
• Coordinate services: connect children, youth or families to resources via referral, application, or enrollment assistance.
• Deliver services within diverse cultural communities: work with children, youth and families from various ethnic/cultural backgrounds.
• Meet standards of practice: knowledge of social work practice, development, and child welfare regulations.
• Provide crisis intervention: experience with crisis management and mediation best practices.
• Communicate professionally: cooperate with colleagues and community partners.
• Document efforts: thorough and timely documentation of activities and services.

Responsibilities

• Manages all assigned cases and maintains contact with youth in placement per state regulations.
• Facilitates coordination and monitoring of therapeutic, health, educational, and cultural resources for youth and families.
• Generates case notes and maintains required documentation.
• Participates in court hearings, placement reviews, and school meetings.

Skills

Case management

Coordination of services

Cultural responsiveness

Crisis intervention

Professional communication

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in social or behavioral sciences

Job description

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Our Foster Care Programs include traditional and therapeutic foster care, Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) foster care, and Long-Term Foster Care for unaccompanied minors. With teams across the Front Range of Colorado, LFSRM foster care staff work diligently to support families throughout the challenges and joys of fostering and to provide trauma-informed interventions and services that help children flourish and grow.

JOB SUMMARY & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Case Manager is responsible for the monitoring and protection of children, to provide case management for an assigned caseload, coordinate services for children and their families, and provide monitoring and support to foster homes.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Occupational Competencies

• Provide case management: Familiarity with assessment, care planning, facilitation, coordination, and advocacy for support on behalf of and in collaboration with individuals or families.
• Coordinate services: Knowledge of currently available community resources, services, and supports, and ability to connect children, youth or families to appropriate resources to meet their needs through referral, application, or enrollment assistance.
• Deliver services within diverse cultural communities: Skills and sensitivity in working with children, youth and families from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
• Meet standards of practice: Familiarity with social work practice, human development, and the child welfare system, including applicable local, state and federal regulations and guidance.
• Provide crisis intervention: Experience with crisis management, problem solving, and mediation best practices.
• Communicate professionally: Ability to communicate professionally and cooperate with colleagues, other professionals, community partners, and other individuals involved in the care and coordination of services.
• Document efforts: Ability to maintains thorough and timely documentation of activities, services, and efforts.

Foundational Competencies

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES

• Manages all assigned cases and maintains face-to-face contact with the youth in placement per state regulations and monitors, maintains, and conducts ongoing assessment of the needs of the children and families on caseload.
• Facilitates coordination and monitoring of therapeutic, health, educational, cross-cultural and other pertinent resources for youth and families on caseload.
• Generates case notes, maintains all necessary documentation to meet timeliness and accuracy standards.
Provides on-call services for emergencies.
• Participates in court hearings, placement review meetings, administrative reviews, and school meetings.

TRANSPORTATION

Must maintain a valid driver's license and carry personal auto liability insurance at the level of $100,000/300,000/100,000.

• Frequent local regional travel. May be required to transport clients in personal vehicle.
• Local travel with company vehicle.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in social or behavioral sciences.
• If an individual has a Bachelor's degree in a non-related field, he/she shall have at least two (2) years' experience supervised by an individual with a Master of Social Work or other Master's degree in the social or behavioral sciences.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Arabic, Dari, French, or Spanish bilingual preferred.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.