Case Planner - Jefferson County

Children's Home of Jefferson County; City of Watertown (NY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Children's Home of Jefferson County seeks a Foster Care Case Planner to coordinate services and case plans for children and families within the CHJC Foster Care Program. You will work with schools, courts, and community partners to promote safety, permanency, and well-being.

The role requires collaboration with birth families, foster families, service providers, and treatment teams to develop, monitor, and adjust plans, ensuring compliance with OCFS and agency standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related Human Service discipline required.
• Two years’ experience working with youth at risk and families.
• Experience in Child Welfare.
• Experience in Casework Services.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse families.
• Must maintain privacy of confidential information.
• Valid NYS driver’s license required.
• Routine pre-employment health requirements and background clearances as mandated.

Responsibilities

• Complete comprehensive assessments of children, parents, foster parents, and family systems to identify strengths, needs, risks, and service recommendations.
• Develop, implement, monitor, and update individualized service and permanency plans in collaboration with children, families, foster parents, service providers, and the treatment team.
• Maintain regular contact with children, birth families, foster families, and collateral contacts in accordance with policy and regulations.
• Attend Family Court proceedings; prepare reports, provide case updates, and testify when required.
• Lead permanency planning efforts for assigned children and families, including reunification, kinship placement, adoption, guardianship, and other permanency outcomes.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related Human Service discipline

Job description

Summary/Objective

The Foster Care Case Planner is responsible for coordinating services and case planning activities that support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families served through the CHJC Foster Care Program. Working collaboratively with children, families, foster parents, local departments of social services, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners, the Case Planner assesses needs, develops and monitors plans, facilitates permanency efforts, and advocates for the services and supports necessary to achieve positive outcomes. This position ensures compliance with agency policies, contractual requirements, and applicable regulations while promoting family engagement, child safety, and stability.

Description

The Foster Care Case Planner is responsible for coordinating services and case planning activities that support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families served through the CHJC Foster Care Program. Working collaboratively with children, families, foster parents, local departments of social services, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners, the Case Planner assesses needs, develops and monitors plans, facilitates permanency efforts, and advocates for the services and supports necessary to achieve positive outcomes. This position ensures compliance with agency policies, contractual requirements, and applicable regulations while promoting family engagement, child safety, and stability.

Essential Functions

• Complete comprehensive assessments of children, parents, foster parents, and family systems to identify strengths, needs, risks, and service recommendations.
• Develop, implement, monitor, and update individualized service and permanency plans in collaboration with children, families, foster parents, service providers, and the treatment team.
• Maintain regular contact with children, birth families, foster families, and collateral contacts in accordance with agency policy, local district contracts, and New York State regulations.
• Coordinate and monitor visitation between children and family members, including providing supervision when assigned and assessing progress toward permanency goals.
• Facilitate and participate in treatment team meetings, case conferences, family meetings, permanency planning reviews, and other required service planning activities.
• Provide supportive case management, guidance, and resource coordination to children, birth families, and foster families to support safety, stability, and permanency outcomes.
• Coordinate with schools, healthcare providers, care coordinators, behavioral health providers, and community-based services to ensure children and families receive necessary supports.
• Maintain ongoing communication with service providers to monitor participation, progress, and barriers related to treatment and service plan goals.
• Attend Family Court proceedings; prepare reports, provide case updates, and testify when required.
• Serve as a liaison between Children's Home of Jefferson County, local departments of social services, courts, schools, healthcare providers, foster parents, and other community partners.
• Conduct foster home visits and monitor foster home compliance with agency standards, OCFS regulations, and applicable safety requirements.
• Assess child and family safety on an ongoing basis and develop, implement, and revise safety plans as necessary.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely case documentation, including contacts, assessments, service plans, visitation reports, court documentation, incident reports, home visits, and other required records.
• Maintain case records in compliance with OCFS regulations, LDSS requirements, agency policy, and applicable accreditation standards.
• Complete all required reports, forms, and documentation within established timeframes.
• Assist in the facilitation of independent living and life skills activities for youth, as applicable.
• Lead permanency planning efforts for assigned children and families, including reunification, kinship placement, adoption, guardianship, and other permanency outcomes as appropriate.
• Participate in the agency on-call rotation and provide crisis response support as assigned.

Agency/Regulatory Compliance

• Maintains case records and prepares on-going reports on all children and families receiving services through the CHJC Foster Care Program
• Completes all required documentation
• Aid in the facilitation of Life Skills Instruction
• Participate in the Oncall rotation

Foster Parent Development

• Aid in facilitation of GPSII/MAPP and on-going training. Training expectations may include times outside of normal business hours
• Responsible for assuring that certification of Foster Parents and their homes are in compliance with OCFS Regulations, including but not limited to: Part 443 Certified and Approved Foster Family Boarding Homes-Agency Procedures for Certification; Approval and Supervision, Part 444-Requirements for Licensed Certified and Approved Foster Family Boarding Homes and Part 435-Respite Care and Services for Families and Foster Families.
• Handles other duties as assigned by the Coordinator/Manager

Requirements

Work Environment

Work is performed in office, home, school, court, and community settings and requires frequent interaction with children, families, foster parents, service providers, and community partners. The position may involve working with individuals experiencing emotional, behavioral, family, or crisis-related challenges and requires the ability to remain calm, professional, and responsive in stressful situations. Frequent local travel is required. The position also requires flexibility to accommodate meetings, visitation, court appearances, and other program needs that may occur outside of standard business hours. Remote work may be permitted in accordance with agency policy and operational needs.

Physical Demands

Standing, walking, memory, concentration, sitting for long periods of time, hearing, carrying, speaking, writing, bending, pulling, problem solving, lifting, reaching, kneeling, running, seeing, reading, climbing, pushing, and driving.

Position Type/Expected Hours Of Work

Full-Time. Essential position for an essential provider agency.

Travel

Frequent travel across tri-county region is required.

Required Education And Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related Human Service discipline required. Two years’ experience working with youth at risk and families. Experience in Child Welfare. Experience in Casework Services. Ability to work with culturally diverse families. Understanding of and

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

Must maintain privacy of confidential information. Successful completion of routine pre-employment requirements as mandated by the New York State Department of Health, Office of Mental Health and Office of Children and Family Services along with ongoing clearances and exclusion checks. These requirements are to include employment health requirements, reference checks, criminal background checks/fingerprinting, State Central Registry clearance and your eligibility to work in the United States. A valid NYS driver’s license required. Corporate Compliance, HIPAA Privacy Security, and Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Training and Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, First Aid and CPR will be required following date of hire.