Kinship Navigator Caseworker IV (Home Again)

A Second Chance; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 51,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A Second Chance is seeking a Caseworker IV, Kinship Navigator (Home Again) for its Pittsburgh Corporate Office to help identify kinship placements and provide kinship navigation services. This role supports in-home stabilization and emergency kinship identification for placement options, working closely with DCYF and partner agencies.

The ideal candidate has a high school diploma with extensive child welfare experience; preferred bachelor’s or master’s degrees in social work.You will travel

Qualifications

• Must have strong organizational and interpersonal abilities.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities are required.
• Knowledge of foster care services and client/family needs is essential.
• Clinical skills are important for in-home and community work.
• Passion for kinship care and ability to collaborate with DCYF is required.

Responsibilities

• Increase kin placements for the unhoused and improve the stability of placements.
• Assist the family in identifying potential placements efficiently and advocate for family-led decisions.
• Deliver timely referral to placement within 5 to 14 days.
• Assist and provide emergency kinship navigation services during crisis situations.
• Contact identified kin via phone to complete screening and document findings for the Family Finding process.

Skills

Organizational & interpersonal skills

Leadership skills

Foster care knowledge

Clinical skills

Kinship care advocacy

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor's degree in Social Work

Master's degree in Social Work

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Pittsburgh Corporate Office - Pittsburgh, PA 15221
Position Type: Full Time
Salary Range: $24.80 Hourly
Kinship Navigator Caseworker IV (Home Again)

Position Title

Caseworker IV, Kinship Navigator (Home Again)

Department & Office

Department: Kinship Navigation
Office: Pittsburgh Corporate Office

Reports To

Supervisor, Kinship Navigation (Home Again)

FLSA Status

Exempt (Salary) Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Job Status

Full-Time Part-Time

Organizational Overview

ASCI is a mission-driven organization committed to advancing excellence in kinship care and strengthening outcomes for youth and families. Guided by a vision to be the nation's foremost thought leader on kinship care, ASCI works to ensure all youth have the opportunity to grow into responsible adults while helping to break cycles of abuse and addiction. The organization supports kinship caregivers, youth, and the broader child welfare triad through high-quality services, advocacy, education, and innovative programs. ASCI's culture emphasizes collaboration, integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement in pursuit of lasting, positive impact for children, families, and communities.

• To educate communities to prevent the cycle of child drug and alcohol abuse
• To provide children and families with a kinship alternative as a primary placement option
• To extend knowledge gained and expand organizational capacity with traditional and non-traditional constituents
• To enhance long-term financial security
• To maintain state-of-the-art facilities, technologies, and operations

Position Summary

The Caseworker IV, Kinship Navigator (Home Again) is responsible for assisting in identifying kinship family supports, education on the kinship process, provide emergency kinship identification for placement options for those unhoused, and facilitate kinship identification. The Kinship Navigator will assist in providing kinship navigation, family finding and concrete need support services. The Kinship Navigator will assist DCYF with in-home stabilization services and post-Home Again support.

Key Responsibilities

• Increase kin placements for the unhoused and improve the stability of placements
• Assist the family in identifying potential placements efficiently and advocate for family-led decisions
• Deliver timely referral to placement within 5 to 14 days
• Assist and provide emergency kinship navigation services during crisis situations
• Contact identified kin via phone to complete screening and document findings associated with the Family Finding process and provide the information to the identified DCYF staff
• Complete home visits of the identified kinship option(s) through an in person or virtual home visit to complete an assessment and notify DHS staff of the results and recommendations for a Care home
• Work with DCYF and within the Kinship Navigator department to secure all necessary resources for the unhoused and kin caregiver
• Works with homeless shelters and other systems geared to provide stability for the unhoused
• Assist with increasing referrals by monthly shelter visits to present the program to staff and the unhoused
• Assist to ensure the allocated stipend is processed accordingly once the unhoused is timely placed
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Education

Required: High School Diploma or equivalent with 10+ years of experience

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work or a related human services discipline with five (5) to ten (10) years of child welfare experience, or
• Master's degree in Social Work or a related human services discipline with two (2) years of child welfare experience

Experience

Required: Minimum of two (2) years of direct experience working with human services for adults, children, and families in either a job related or volunteer capacity

Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate leadership skills and qualities
• Knowledge of foster care services and client/family needs
• Possess excellent clinical skills
• Possess a passion for kinship care and ability to work collaboratively with DCYF

Certifications & Requirements

• Current Act 33, State Police, and FBI Clearances
• Current TB Test & Physical
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License
• Registered and insured vehicle
• Certificate of Insurance for vehicle
• Regular travel within the local city and county, with travel to surrounding counties as predicated by program and business needs
• Available to work flexible schedules, including on-call hours

Physical Demands

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Ability to perform computer-based work for extended periods in office, remote, and community-based settings
• Ability to move about office environments and community locations, including homes, schools, partner agencies, and other service sites
• Ability to regularly ambulate within the community, navigate stairs, and enter and exit residences and other facilities while providing services
• Ability to travel as needed to conduct visits, meetings, trainings, and other program-related activities
• Ability to lift, carry, and transport files, program materials, supplies, and small equipment up to 20 lbs. as needed
• Sufficient vision, hearing, and communication abilities to effectively engage with children, families, community partners, and coworkers in a variety of settings

This job description does not constitute an employment contract and may be revised to meet changing organizational needs.

A Second Chance is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious; national origin or ancestry; sex; gender identity or expression; sexual orientation disability; marital status; familial status; age (40 or over); or use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical disability of any individual or independent contractor or because of the disability of an individual with whom the person is known to have an association; or on any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.