Conference Facilitator

Overview

1 week ago:
Be among the first 25 applicants. Salary range: $84,863.00 – $97,593.00. It is important that the selected candidate take and pass the next competitive exam for the Child and Family Specialist title to avoid being "bumped" out of the position when the eligible list for this title is established. Permanent Child and Family Specialists are encouraged to apply.

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well‑being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community‑based supports and foster care services and provides subsidized childcare vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement, and programs for youth in the community.

The Office of Family Team Conferencing’s primary function is the facilitation of a continuum of conferences and other related duties in support of Child Protection divisional best practices, including the processing of out‑of‑home foster care placements for children deemed unsafe or at risk to remain in their natural environment. CFS focuses on family support, well‑being, child safety, risk, and permanency. The facilitated Child Safety Conference ensures the most appropriate safety decisions and safety plans are developed to prevent removal when safe to do so and/or decide on the best suitable out‑of‑home placement that will keep the child safe from imminent danger and harm through the exploration of familial and fictive kin resources to help expedite and support placement and permanency.

• Attend and facilitate all Family Team Conferences (FTCs) scheduled, focusing on child safety, risk, well‑being, permanency, family support, and ensure that placement and discharge decisions reflect ACS children’s services commitments, values and principles.
• Address critical issues, concerns of the child and family, the provider agencies, divisional partners and Family Court during these conferences.
• Use the decision‑making process involving key stakeholders, children, families, service providers and community resources and make recommendations for referrals and resources when appropriate.
• Prepare and complete administrative functions, including timely documentation of conference data, action plans and all reports related to Family Team Conferencing.
• Complete expedited home‑study packages (5300 series) with kinship resources in the community (resource homes).
• Make DOAS requests for items to support child(ren) in kinship resources home.
• Request emergency funds/miscellaneous reimbursement payments for kin resources to care for child(ren) in their care.
• Interface with inter‑agency critical support resources (clinical consultation team, MCHU, investigative consultants, etc.) to identify critical issues, barriers and concerns specific to children’s safety.
• Provide case conferencing and consultation to re‑examine and ensure appropriateness of decision and service plan; consult with FCLS attorney for guidance on the legal posture of cases and relevant court orders when assessing familial readiness for change and caretaker’s protective capacity.
• Provide conferencing in the family’s natural community when appropriate, necessary, and safe.

A Masters Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.

• A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and at least one year of full‑time, satisfactory, post‑graduate experience that includes substantial experience in one or more of the following modalities of practice: facilitation of family team conferences or family group decision‑making meetings utilizing a conferencing model which emphasizes family engagement and consensus‑based decision‑making; clinical group work with children, youth, parents or individual families;
  
  or the conduct of professional training on topics related to child and family services.
• A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and at least three years of the experience required in “1” above. Up to two years…