Foster Care & Adoption Case Manager

Defense Mechanics Inc; Denton (TX); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental and vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Generous Paid Time Off

Job summary

Defense Mechanics Inc. seeks a Foster Care and Adoption Case Manager to manage a caseload of foster children and foster homes, coordinating with agencies to provide comprehensive foster care services.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed care and advocacy to uphold youth rights and educational needs. You will facilitate service planning, coordinate school enrollments and testing, and participate in STAR Health coordination to ensure timely access to therapies and supports.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work and relevant licensure or eligibility.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or human services with required supervised experience as specified by DFPS standards.
• Experience in conducting assessments, service planning and case management is required per program standards.

Responsibilities

• Promote well-being of children in foster care and adoption programs.
• Manage caseload of foster children and foster homes across involved agencies.
• Coordinate with STAR Health, HHSC Behavioral Health Services and education systems.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Advocacy

Service planning

Case management

Education

MSW (Master of Social Work)

B.S./B.A. in Social Work or Human Services

Job description

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionDescription: The Foster Care and Adoption Case Manager promotes the well-being of children in our Child Placing Agency by managing a caseload of foster children and foster homes and coordinating with staff from other agencies involved in providing foster care services.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities

• Utilize, practice, and maintain evidence-informed TBRI that incorporates trauma-informed care specifically for children who have been victims of abuse and/or neglect
• Ensure that the child or youth receives regular individual and family therapy by completing referrals and monitoring services
• Facilitate service planning team meetings in accordance with Treatment Model and needs of child or youth
• Ensure the CANS 3.0 Assessment is informing service delivery through utilization and implementation of appropriate services based on strengths and needs
• Serve as the youth’s advocate to ensure youth rights are upheld and goals are met
• Coordinate and participate in school enrollment, including advocating for, and ensuring various educational testing and plans are completed, and accommodations and/or supports are in place to aid in the child’s educational success
• Coordinate care for the child or youth and participate in STAR Health Service Coordination
• Advocate for and provide coordination of services through STAR Health, HHSC Behavioral Health Services, Early Childhood Intervention, and the education and child welfare systems
• Outreach to, engage, and collaborate with the child or youth, their biological parents, other relatives (including all siblings), potential Kinship (including fictive) Caregivers, adoptive Caregivers, and supportive persons in care coordination and Service Planning throughout the duration of the child’s placement
• Respond to crisis that may arise during assigned on-call rotation

Aftercare Case Management duties:

• Create Aftercare Services plan to include contact information for Star Health Service Coordinator and Child Placing Agency’s Aftercare Services case manager, referrals for continued services, Education Portfolio, initial appointments set and dates set for twice a month follow-call for six months
• Maintain documentation of all contacts or attempted contacts during the Aftercare Service period

For foster care services, the Case Manager is responsible for:

• Decision making on admitting a child for placement, including completion of an admission assessment and any other evaluation of a child for placement
• Placing a child into a foster home or other substitute living arrangement
• Managing the case of a child including:
  • Developing and updating of service plans;
  • Maintaining direct contact with the child and the foster parents or other caregivers;
  • Performing any additional case management activities, including conducting and documenting supervisory visits for compliance with §749.2815 Child Placing Agency Minimum Standards
• Orientation, assessment and verification of foster parents
• Monitoring and providing support services to foster parents, including the initiation of development plans corrective actions and adverse actions
• Supporting Foster Family Home Caregivers in offering logistical support, transportation coordination, and documentation/record keeping of services in accordance with court orders and Service Plan
• Working with Foster Family Caregivers to support Normalcy activities to include, but not limited to, clothing, hygiene products, hair care, birthdays, holidays, graduations, and other Normalcy activities that are age appropriate and in accordance with the Service Plan

For adoption services, the Case Manager will be responsible for:

• Deciding whether to admit a child for placement
• Placing a child into an adoptive home
• Managing the case of a child including:
  • Developing and updating plans of service
  • Maintaining direct contact with the child and the adoptive parents or other care givers
  • Case management and service delivery to birth parents
  • Orientation, assessment and approval of adoptive parents

Requirements:

Qualifications: The following combination of education and experience is required under the Licensed Child Placing Agency Minimum Standards for Child Placement Staff §749.673:

Option 1:

A master's degree in social work from an accredited college or university andOne year of documented full-time work experience in a child placing agency, in a residential child-care operation, or as a conservatorship caseworker or foster adoptive home development worker for the department. The experience must include conducting assessments, service planning and case management duties. The experience may include a maximum of 350 hours of formal, supervised field placement or practicum in child placement activities.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work or other human services field andOne year of documented full-time work experience in a child placing agency, in a residential child-care operation, or as a conservatorship caseworker or foster adoptive home development worker for the department. The experience must include conducting assessments, service planning and case management duties. The experience may include a maximum of 350 hours of formal, supervised field placement or practicum in child placement activities. One year working under the direct supervision of child placement management staff. The direct supervision with the child placement management staff must consist of 10 documented, monthly, face-to-face, individual, case-related conferences over the year. The direct supervision must continue until the employees’ previous experience and directly supervised experience totals one year.

Option 2:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university andTwo years of documented full-time work experience a child placing agency, in a residential child-care operation, or as a conservatorship caseworker or foster adoptive home development worker for the department. The experience must include conducting assessments, service planning and case management duties. The experience may include a maximum of 350 hours of formal, supervised field placement or practicum in child placement activities.

Two years working under the direct supervision of child placement management staff. The direct supervision with the child placement management staff must consist of 10 documented, monthly, face-to-face, individual, case-related conferences over the year. The direct supervision must continue until the employees’ previous experience and directly supervised experience totals one year. Working knowledge of Minimum Standards for Child Placing Agency.

Must complete background checks required by Texas Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS) Central Registry, Texas Department of Public Safety, national fingerprint registry, and drug/alcohol testing. A valid Texas Driver’s License.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

This role is classified as a hybrid position and includes both remote work and in-person responsibilities as needed to support agency operations, training, meetings, and service delivery throughout Dallas, Collin, Hunt, Rockwall, and Kaufman counties. Candidates residing within the service area are preferred. May lift and carry up to 10 pounds frequently, up to 25 pounds occasionally, up to 40 pounds infrequently. Performs tasks that may involve standing or walking 25% of the day; sitting 75% of the day. The employee is regularly required to speak or hear, may bend, stoop, reach and grasp as necessary. Position includes exposure to parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible verbal or physical aggression.

Benefits:

• Medical
• Dental and vision insurance
• FSA401 (k) with employer match
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays