Children and Family Services Specialist 1 (NY HELPS)

NYS Office of Children and Family Services; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The NYS Office of Children and Family Services seeks a Child and Family Services Specialist 1 to advance FFPSA-driven oversight and policy input across New York State’s child welfare system. The role emphasizes collaboration with local departments, voluntary agencies, and licensing oversight.

Ideal candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree with related experience in child welfare services and may leverage a Master’s degree for eligibility. Travel across the region/state is anticipated.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience providing services to children and their families in inspection, management, or administration of programs OR providing, supervising, monitoring, or administering social services.
• Master's or higher degree can substitute for one or two years of specialized experience; a Master's in social work can substitute for two years.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Local Departments of Social Services and Voluntary Agencies to improve outcomes for children and families using data-informed practices.
• Participate in program reviews and provide technical assistance to LDSS and VAs to support program improvement plans.
• Offer comments and recommendations on regulations across program areas under OCFS licensing and oversight.
• Participate in workgroups and committees as assigned and support development of family peer support initiatives.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree substitution

Job description

Duties Description

This Child and Family Services Specialist 1 position will be located within Child Welfare Community Services (CWCS) and will work specifically on the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which recommends that states engage those with lived experience in child welfare practices to assist with oversight and monitoring issues and provide perspectives for the development of policies and the regulatory framework of New York State’s child welfare system.

This Child and Family Services Specialist 1 position will be located within Child Welfare Community Services (CWCS) and will work specifically on the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which recommends that states engage those with lived experience in child welfare practices to assist with oversight and monitoring issues and provide perspectives for the development of policies and the regulatory framework of New York State’s child welfare system.

Duties Will Include

Working with Local Departments of Social Services and Voluntary Agencies using a data-informed approach to improve the outcomes of children and families, based on federal and state standards.

Participate in program reviews for local departments of social services and voluntary child-care agencies, such as Performance Quality Improvement (PQI) reviews, Federal Child and Family Services case reviews (CFSR/OSRI), and Voluntary Agency Reviews (VARs). Provide technical assistance to local departments of social services and voluntary agencies by using parent perspective to support the development of program improvement plans.

Provide technical assistance to LDSS, VAs, and other OCFS licensed programs. Provide comments and recommendations on regulations in all program areas in which the Regional Office has licensing and oversight responsibilities.

Participate in workgroups and committees as assigned.

Support the growth and sustainability of a family peer support program within LDSS and VAs.

Assist in the creation and implementation of systems that solicit feedback from families and those receiving services from OCFS.

Additional duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Transfer: One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in this title or in a title eligible for 70.1 transfer.

Open to the Public: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).* To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.

The qualifications for the full SG 18 level are: A bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience providing services to children and their families either in the inspection, management, or administration of: foster care programs; day care programs; adoption programs; domestic violence programs; youth detention facilities; or other providers of care, support, and assistance to children, assuring compliance for certification or licensing purposes; OR providing, supervising, monitoring, or administering services for children, adults, or their families, including but not limited to: providing social casework, case planning, case management, counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy on behalf of clients, or direct investigation of potential abuse and neglect in one or more of the following settings: human services; juvenile justice; criminal justice; local departments of social services; or local voluntary childcare service programs.

A master's or higher degree can substitute for one year of specialized experience; and a master's or higher degree in social work can substitute for two years of experience.

This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.

Additional Comments

• Personal lived/life experience accessing and using services within the child welfare system, either as a child or an adult.
• Ability to travel throughout the region/state, including some overnight travel out of the assigned region.
• It is preferred that candidates for employment meet the criteria to become a credentialed peer advocate.
• For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non- competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified

Candidates who took and passed the most recent holding of the Professional Careers Opportunities (PCO) Exam are encouraged to apply.

Background Investigation Requirements

• All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee’s employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information, and may be required to pay any necessary fees.
• All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.
• For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is an equal opportunity employer. OCFS does not discriminate based upon age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, military or veteran status, sex, disability (including pregnancy-related conditions), predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status or status as a victim of domestic violence, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice and recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We are committed to the diversity of our staff, and encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply. In furtherance of Executive Order 31 and OCFS’s mission to have a diverse workforce, all people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment of inclusion that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived expertise, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our staff. Applicants of all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to self-identify during the application process.