Family Advocate

City of Rock Island; Bloomington (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Rock Island seeks a Family Advocate to provide advocacy, counseling, and case management for children and families referred by the Department of Children and Family Services or designated agencies. The role focuses on comprehensive intake, goal setting, and ongoing case development to empower families and connect them with essential services.

Responsibilities include maintaining caseloads, weekly or bi-weekly meetings for up to six months, documenting outcomes, and participating in

Qualifications

• Minimum BA/BSW with 3 years experience in social services or related field.
• Knowledge of community resources and counseling/social work practices with high-risk populations.
• Strong team building, problem solving, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and confidentiality in handling client information.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse families and communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive case management: intake, benefit assessment, goal setting, and long-term case development.
• Develop weekly case plans, monitor progress, and advocate for referrals.
• Maintain assigned caseload and meet clients weekly or bi-weekly for up to 6 months.
• Connect families with community resources and document outcomes of referrals.
• Input data into agency database and ensure all documents are complete and accurate.
• Prepare required documentation and reports in a timely manner.
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, supervision, and promote positive teamwork.
• Adhere to agency policies, procedures, and professional ethics.
• Possess a valid Class D Illinois driver’s license and valid transportation.

Skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Motivation

Independence

Confidentiality

Cultural sensitivity

Education

BA/BSW

Job description

The Family Advocate's job is to provide advocacy, counseling and case management services to children and families who have emotional or behavioral challenges referred by The Department of Children and Family Services or designated agencies. Promotion of quality services, family empowerment, and provision of support to family members are central features of this position.Provide comprehensive case management services to all clients including: intake assessment, benefit assessment, goal setting, long-term case development, weekly case plan development, progress monitoring, advocacy and referrals.

Maintain the assigned caseload of families.

Meet with clients weekly or bi-weekly for up to 6 months.

Connect families with needed and available community resources.

Follow-up with clients and agencies as appropriate to document use/success of referral.

Input accurate and complete data for all contacts with clients into agency database.

Ensure that all documents/reports submitted on behalf of a client are valid.

Provide all required documentation/reports in a timely manner, which may include client follow-up, outcome evaluation, client contact sheets, and evaluations.

Participate in regular staff meetings, staff training programs, supervisory sessions, and accept the responsibility for aiding the development of positive team relationships as requested.

Adhere to agency policy, procedures and the professional code of ethics.

Performs related duties as assigned.Minimum education requirement of BA/BSW and 3 years experience in social services or related field.

Knowledge of community resources and counseling/social work practices with high risk populations.

Strong team building, problem solving, organizational, and oral communication skills are necessary.

Demonstrated knowledge of multiple cultures and the cultural impact on the delivery of services.

Experience working with persons in crisis.

Good documentation skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, ability to establish rapport.

Ability to motivate others towards achieving goals.

Ability to work independently with strong sense of focus, task-oriented, nonjudgmental, open personal qualities, clear sense of boundaries.

A strong sense of and respect for confidentiality involving both clients and fellow employees.

Ability to work in a variety of settings with culturally-diverse families and communities with the ability to be culturally sensitive and appropriate.

Ability to legally operate a motor vehicle and provide own transportation.Possession of a valid Class D Illinois driver's license or an equivalent license from the employee's state of residence.

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 the job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to stand and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and smell.

The employee regularly lifts and/or moves up to 25 pounds and occasionally lifts and/or moves up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.