Prevention & Diversion Specialist - DJJ

Heartland for Children; Bartow (FL); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition assistance

Domestic partner coverage

Retirement plan

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Heartland for Children is seeking a prevention-focused professional to engage families early, assess needs, and connect them with community resources. The role partners with investigators, schools, healthcare providers, and social services to promote safety and stability for children at risk.

The position emphasizes voluntary services, culturally competent practices, and wraparound support. A bachelor’s degree is required, with master’s preferred, and experience in child welfare highly valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Services, Health Care, Business or related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Extensive experience in child welfare and/or child abuse prevention preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains positive working relationship with HFC customers.
• Conduct initial assessments of family strengths, needs, and risk factors when family cases are staffed.
• Engage families in voluntary services to address housing instability, substance use, domestic violence, or mental health challenges.
• Develop short-term family service plans focused on safety and prevention.
• Coordinate referrals to community resources, including parenting programs, financial assistance, counseling, and EBP.
• Work collaboratively with schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and social service agencies.
• Monitor family progress and provide ongoing support and advocacy.
• Maintain timely, accurate documentation in accordance with agency and regulatory standards.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and other staffings to review and plan services.
• Educate families about their rights, responsibilities, and available resources.
• Ensure services are culturally competent and trauma-informed.
• Exhibit out of the box ideas to safety keep children in their homes.
• Conduct field work to support investigative staff with family engagement and model best practices.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships with families through consistent, strengths-based, and culturally respectful communication.
• Facilitate family team meetings to promote active participation in service planning and decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with schools, healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and community-based organizations to create a wraparound support system for families.
• Serve as a liaison between families and service providers to ensure timely access to resources and to advocate for family needs.
• Attend internal and external meetings and workgroup meetings to share insights and coordinate cross-system efforts.
• Engage extended family, kin, and natural supports to enhance the family’s long-term safety network.
• Participate in community outreach and partnership-building activities to increase awareness of diversion and prevention programs.
• Provide training and consultation to community partners on diversion practices, trauma-informed care, and early intervention strategies.
• Use motivational interviewing and family engagement strategies to overcome resistance and promote meaningful participation.
• Foster collaborative relationships with child welfare investigative staff to identify appropriate cases for diversion and early resolution.
• Promote the utilization of in-home providers and services.
• Perform special projects as assigned.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Social Services, Health Care, Business or related field

Master’s degree

Job description

This is a position responsible for the prevention of unnecessary entry of children and families into the child welfare system by providing early intervention, working in collaboration with the investigation staff, connecting families to community-based services, and addressing safety and stability concerns.

Essential Functions:

Establishes and maintains positive working relationship with HFC customers

Conduct initial assessments of family strengths, needs, and risk factors when family cases are staffed

Engage families in voluntary services to address issues such as housing instability, substance use, domestic violence, or mental health challenges

Develop short-term family service plans focused on safety and prevention

Coordinate referrals to community resources, including parenting programs, financial assistance, counseling, and EBP

Work collaboratively with schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and social service agencies

Help to bridge the gap in communication with community partners, child welfare personnel, agonies, providers and families

Monitor family progress and provide ongoing support and advocacy

Maintain timely, accurate documentation in accordance with agency and regulatory standards

Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and other staffings to review and plan services

Educate families about their rights, responsibilities, and available resources

Ensure services are culturally competent and trauma-informed

Exhibit out of the box ideas to safety keep children in their homes

Conduct field work to support investigative staff with family engagement and model best practices

Build and maintain trusting relationships with families through consistent, strengths-based, and culturally respectful communication

Facilitate family team meetings to promote active participation in service planning and decision-making

Collaborate closely with schools, healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and community-based organizations to create a wraparound support system for families

Serve as a liaison between families and service providers to ensure timely access to resources and to advocate for family needs

Attend internal and external meetings and workgroup meetings to share insights and coordinate cross-system efforts

Engage extended family, kin, and natural supports to enhance the family’s long-term safety network

Participate in community outreach and partnership-building activities to increase awareness of diversion and prevention programs

Provide training and consultation to community partners on diversion practices, trauma-informed care, and early intervention strategies

Use motivational interviewing and family engagement strategies to overcome resistance and promote meaningful participation.

Foster collaborative relationships with child welfare investigative staff to identify appropriate cases for diversion and early resolution

Promote the utilization of in-home providers and services

Perform special projects as assigned

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Social Services, Health Care, Business or related field required.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree preferred. Extensive experience in child welfare and/or child abuse prevention preferred.

We offer excellent benefits package with tuition assistance, domestic partner coverage, retirement & generous paid time off.

Additional Information:

Drug free workplace. Drug testing required. EOE/M/F/D/V.