JOB OPENINGS

Join ACT Child & Family Services and Make a Difference in the Lives of Families!

WHO WE ARE:

ACT CFS is a leading social service. We provide home visiting in Maricopa, Pinal and Mohave Counties. We are passionate about our work and committed to our mission. We believe that attracting and retaining talented staff who are committed to working collaboratively with each other and the families we serve is vital to sustaining ACT CFS’s mission. Our diverse workforce, drawn from numerous professional disciplines to work as a team to help parents better their skills to provide a healthy and safe environment for their child(ren) to flourish in development. ACT CFS services are delivered in families’ homes or in other community locations. ACT CFS administrative office is located in central Phoenix.

Family Connections Consultant

This position utilizes change-focused interventions to achieve the core outcomes of the Family Connections Model: social support, family functioning, family resources, child well-being, parenting attitudes and behaviors and managing parent stress. With guidance and direction, the Family Connections Consultant supports generally complex and high-risk families by providing various activities to assist in supporting and building resilience within the family unit through engagement in a continuum of family-centered services that are coordinated, community-based, accessible, culturally responsive, strength based, and trauma informed. The service is intended to strengthen family protective factors, to reduce risk of child abuse or neglect, and enhance caregiver protective capacities to ensure children are safe in their own homes.

Responsibilities include conducting needs assessments, developing and implementing a service plan with the family, providing family support and assistance, parenting training utilizing an evidence-based curriculum, and engaging families in community services by making effective referrals when needed. 

Essential Job Functions:

• Conduct a thorough client/family emergency and concrete needs assessment, utilizing the program specific protocol
• Collaborate with the client/family through face-to-face interactions to build trust, evaluate safety, encourage hope, and ensure ongoing engagement in services
• Support the development and implementation of an effective Family Connections’ service plan using a strength-based trauma informed approach
• Maintain objective, timely documentation reflective of the service provided and the client/family’s efforts toward defined goals
• Effectively use de-escalation techniques, respond to the needs of a client/family in a timely manner and provide follow-up care
• Provide effective client discharge planning, including helping the family plan and prepare for aftercare services
• Maintain accurate records in accordance with the timelines and program standards
• Maintain professional boundaries and ethics specific to the agency and particular professional certification
• Interact professionally,  clearly, and timely with internal and external customers and community professionals
• Represent ACT CFS as a trauma informed agency while staffing cases, participating in meetings, providing      consultation, and advocating on behalf of a client/family
• Participate in in-service training and educational opportunities outside the agency as required and as time and resources permit
• Attend and participate in all required meetings
• Maintain consistent attendance and punctuality to provide consistency in serving clients
• Safely and effectively monitor client activities
• Perform work and represent ACT  CFS in accordance with our mission, vision, values, and Foundations for      Success
• Perform responsibilities and provide effective client support with regular supervision and guidance/direction and refer clients to supervisor or more experienced staff as needed.

Minimum Education & Experience:

Bachelor's Degree and 2 years related experience in the child welfare, social work, psychology, counseling, human services, behavioral health, OR other related field. OR Master's degree with less than 2 years of related experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrate the knowledge and application of trauma informed care, human development, and family systems
• Ability to apply advanced  knowledge of cultural situations involved with the child and family
• Ability to apply knowledge of family therapy and child management techniques from a systems perspective
• Knowledge of community, social, educational, and recreational resources
• Ability to work in a diverse,  multi-cultural environment and be sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics
• Ability to participate as a  team member, utilize supervision and able to accept peer support in the treatment planning process
• Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills in the English language
• Might also require Spanish as program dictates
• Must be organized with the  ability to take direction, prioritize tasks, and to work independently with minimal direction
• Must have ability to maintain confidentiality and exhibit sound judgment while providing emotional support
• Ability to interact effectively and build strong working relationships with various levels of staff,  partners and with clients ACT CFS
• Must be able to recognize and communicate with supervisor to address self-care needs to effectively maintain all job duties
• Ability to work in a variety of  environments to include but not limited to indoors/outdoors with various      obstacles, stairs, and unknown conditions
• Must be able to physically  demonstrate competency in the following areas: operate transport vehicles      as needed (unless declared a non-driver)
• Able to operate common office      equipment and be proficient with electronic health records, calendaring,      word processing and other needed computer and electronic device skills,      with the ability to learn and to effectively utilize new technologies as      implemented by ACT CFS.

Minimum Qualification & Requirements:

• Must be 21 years of age (licensing requirement)
• Possess a valid Arizona driver’s license and be insurable under the agency’s automobile policy
• Must be able to provide own transportation to and from clients’ homes and necessary meetings.
• Must be able to provide Valid Arizona fingerprint clearance card OR must qualify for a valid Arizona Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card
• Professional experience working with children, adults, and families is preferred; along with knowledge of child welfare, child development, mental health disorders and impacts on parenting, parenting education, trauma-informed assessment and intervention, and community resources
• Must be able to meet training and agency compliance requirements for the position.
• The candidate must have good written/verbal communication skills, be computer literate, a strong team      member; and professionally driven.
• Bilingual English/Spanish  encouraged to apply.
• Ability to independent build schedule and effectively manage time

BENEFITS:

ACT CFS offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to; 

• Health and Dental Insurance, generous sick and vacation time, 10 paid Holidays, Mileage reimbursement.

NUTURING PARENTING PROGRAM POSITION DETAILS:

We are currently seeking individuals with a minimum of an Associate Degree in a Human Services related field or a minimum of 2 years related child welfare work experience. Through home visiting, this position will provide a curriculum-based parenting skills education and program to improve parenting in the areas of: Expectations of Children, Parental Empathy towards Children’s Needs, Non-violent Discipline, Parent-Child Family Roles and Children’s Power and Independence. The home visitor will conduct Comprehensive Family Assessments and develop Family Nurturing Plans that will be carried out through subsequent parenting sessions over the duration of the program. Training in all areas will be provided prior to start of service delivery.

This is a full time, 32-34 hour per week position that will report to the Nurturing Parenting Program Supervisor. 

POSITION EXPECTATIONS:

This position will attend required DCS trainings upon hire and annually that teach the Nurturing Parenting Program curriculum, will meet specific required timelines for outreach to families, will implement the curriculum with family members and will meet requirements of submitting timely documentation of all service provision and needs of family; will uphold ACT CFS, DCS, and Department of Economic Security (DES) values and mission.  Will engage in regular collaboration and communication with ACT CFS Supervisor, DCS State personnel, and all necessary regulatory agencies. Must be able to respond in a culturally responsive manner to complex/multi-stressed families.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Referrals: responds to all referrals in accordance with contractual requirements for timeliness, documentation, and communication.
• Provides support and case management functions to address needs and concerns as outlined in referral and service plan; incorporate family’s voice, preferences and needs
• Provides parent education activities using approved curriculum
• Completes training activities and guidance using agency DCS approved best practice modalities
• Works with Program Supervisor to ensure that families’ needs are addressed
• Carry caseload of approximately of 5-8 cases dependent on area of service.
• On-call responsibility to support families in the event of crisis.
• Performs record keeping functions in accordance with program policies.
• Maintains files using agency electronic health record
• Adheres to the policies, procedures and standards as prescribed by both ACT CFS and DCS.
• Maintains confidentiality
• Demonstrates proficiency with electronic health record as appropriate.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENT:

• Associate Degree Human Services related field or minimum of 2 years related child welfare work experience
• Must have reliable transportation, and driving record free from moving violations; Proof of insurance, license and registration required
• Must be able to pass random drug screens, annual background checks and obtain a fingerprint clearance card
• Can perform the duties of the job in a stressful environment.
• Must be able to demonstrate quality organization, written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient computer skills with MS Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Office 365 and Adobe
• Positive attitude, proactive mentality, responsive, and strong work ethic.

BENEFITS:

ACT CFS offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to;

• Health and Dental Insurance, generous sick and vacation time, 10 paid Holidays, Mileage reimbursement.

ACT CFS is an equal opportunity employer