Family Advocate Specialist

Introduction

When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than 1 million Marylanders each year. We do this by providing economic support, preventive services, and caring for children and adults. We aim to deliver services so that we more quickly meet the needs of the people we serve.

At DHS, we grapple with hard questions to find new ways to foster a culture of bold innovation. We do this to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind.

GRADE

18

LOCATION OF POSITION

Maryland Department of Human Services Social Services Administration 25 S. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201

Main Purpose of Job

The main purpose of this position and how it relates to the mission of the agency. Family Advocates in the Office of Family Advocacy advocates for the independence of vulnerable adults including caregivers and guardians, young people experiencing foster care, kinship caregivers, guardians, resource and adoptive parents. Family Advocates provide oversight of children's and adult services, investigating complaints from citizens, providers and families related to government services and children experiencing foster care and adult and elder abuse to address concerns, problems, areas of improvement in service delivery, or needs associated with their rights and responsibilities.

The Family Advocate shall be an intermediary for vulnerable adults, caregivers, guardians, children and youth experiencing DHS when they believe a neutral voice is needed to address differences between their experience and their relationship with local departments. The person in this position will support and assist the aforementioned parties in various ways.

POSITION DUTIES

Monitor, Investigate, and Advocate Resolution of Concerns:  Investigates complaints and concerns related to elder abuse, caregivers and guardians, foster youth, kinship caregivers, resource parents, or guardians regarding safety, permanency, and well-being, ensuring compliance with SSA policies, laws, and practice standards.  Resolves issues by coordinating with LDSS staff, documenting findings, and providing recommendations to address individual case. Monitor the implementation of relevant DHS and state agency policies and regulations as applicable to the legal rights of vulnerable adults, children, and families.

Stakeholder Engagement, Outreach and Empowerment on behalf of impacted communities:  Build and maintain relationships with both sister agencies, internal DHS units, and external stakeholders to ensure a positive working relationship on behalf of the Office of Family Advocacy. These include building relationships with key cultural and minority serving agencies/entities;
Indian Child Welfare Act and Immigration subject-matter experts to include the voices of underrepresented communities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must meet all minimum (and selective) qualifications to be considered, and to appear on the list of people eligible for hire. Please read all requirements before applying.

Education:

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience:

Six years of administrative staff or professional work.  Notes:  
1. Candidates may substitute 30 college credit hours from an accredited college or university for each year up to four years of the required experience.  
2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.  
3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university for the required experience.  
4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer involving staff work related to the administration of rules, regulations, policy, procedures and processes, or overseeing or coordinating unit operations or functioning as a staff assistant to a higher ranking commissioned officer on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following preferred qualification(s).Include clear and specific information on your application regarding your qualifications.  One year of professional experience in an advocacy, ombudsman, or intermediary rolespecifically focused on investigating and resolving constituent or client grievances within ahuman services, child welfare, or adult protective services setting.  One year of professional experience interpreting and applying state or federal statutes, court orders, or agency policies to ensure organizational compliance or to resolve legal and practice standard disputes.  

One year of professional experience conducting community outreach or educational presentations for diverse stakeholders specifically for…