Lead Home Finder, Foster Care

St. Catherine’s Center for Children offers a wide array of services designed to meet the needs of vulnerable children, families and adults, including residential and foster care programs for children and youth, homeless and community-based services for adults and families, and a special education elementary school.

Our Mission:

St. Catherine's Center for Children provides a comprehensive range of human services designed to offer hope, foster growth, and improve the lives of the children, families, and adults we serve.

Function:

We are seeking a Lead Home Finder to provide support to the Assistant Director and Director of Foster Care in managing delivery of services to the families serviced by Therapeutic and Specialized Foster Family Programs. Along with the Assistant Director, the Lead Home Finder will collaboratively be responsible to attract, orient, and train families for care giving in therapeutic Family Programs. The Lead Home Finder will ensure the maintenance of minimum numbers of families to retain the integrity of the programs and to allow for expected turnover of professional foster parents.

Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Organization of Professional Foster Parent Recruitment Campaign:

• Coordinate all aspects of the recruitment for Specialized and Therapeutic Program of professional foster parents with the assistance of the Home Finder and Assistant Director.
• To write and submit to Director of Agency Advancement publicity for the programs; coordinate media announcements and informative literature
• As a part of community outreach, make presentations to promote the need for professional foster parents to community groups and organizations
• Ability to present Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Care Programs and to describe the job of professional foster parents for both programs to groups
• Ability to specifically reach out and recruit families as part of the Home Finding Recruitment and Retention plan.
• Be familiar with and understand regulations for OMH, DSS, and OCFS.
• Ensures all homes are in alignment with current and new OFCS administrative directives.

Screening of Prospective Professional Foster Care Parents:

• Assist with certification process of new foster/kinship family homes in the Specialized and Therapeutic Programs.
• Coordinate with Family Specialist’s in both programs to identify Kinship Relative/Non-Relative’s to increase number of homes.
• Attend recruitment events focused on the needs of LGBTQ population to increase number of foster homes able to meet the needs of children in our care who identify within this this population.
• Conducting initial face-to-face interview and orientation with parent applicants in both programs.
• Follow up contacts with parent applicants.
• Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of Foster Care, to approve homes and to appropriately investigate Professional Parents including home inspections and the completion of all application materials, including the writing of a home study.

Training of Professional Foster Care Parents:

• Assist in GPS/MAPP preparation and training for Professional Foster Parents.
• Implement preplacement training program for Professional Foster Parents
• Plan foster parent meetings and training, along with Home Finder.
• Track training hours of Therapeutic and Specialized foster homes to ensure training requirements are being met.
• Provide CPR training to current and new foster families.

Written Records:

• Initiate and complete re-authorization assessment and determination of all current Therapeutic Foster Parents, and, assist as needed with Specialized Foster Parents re-authorization.
• Will work closely with Family Specialist’s in both programs to ensure agencies mission is in alignment with the Family First Act and Kinship referral.
• Gather and organize pertinent data, documents, and information regarding the Professional Foster Parents for each program.
• This position will have full and complete access to client Protected Health Information (PHI) in order to carry out the duties and responsibilities for this position,
• Maintain and ensure accuracy of monthly roster and census.

Other Responsibilities:

• Share with the Assistant Director of Foster Care perceptions of the Professional Foster Parent applicant’s strengths and concerns.
• Work closely with the Assistant Director, Director, Family Specialists, and Social Workers.
• Assist in organization and implementation of semi-annual Professional Parents’ appreciation activities.
• Writing monthly newsletter & maintaining a mailing list for Professional Foster Parents.
• Additional position-related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Assistant Director/ Director.

Position Specifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in human services or related field, required;
• Must have the ability to communicate clearly and positively with individuals and groups;
• A background in public relations and human services is essential;

• A clean and valid NYS Driver’s License;

• Must have the ability to train potential care givers;
• Knowledge of child development;
• Understanding of Kinship family needs;

• Excellent organization, planning and time management skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to build strong working relationships with regulatory bodies;

• Proficiency in various computer applications such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel), Google Office, and the Internet;
• Ability to handle sensitive data with strict confidentiality;
• Self-motivated and engaged, with a strong attention to detail; Excellent writing aptitude;
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills; and exhibit empathy for those in need;
• Demonstrated placidity and patience; flexibility and adaptability.

What We Offer*:

• Competitive Salary and an excellent benefits package
• Health Insurance options, including vision and dental
• Generous Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Employee Referral Bonuses*
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pension Plan with Aggressive Agency contribution
• On-going Professional Development and Career Opportunities
• Paid Training & Tuition Reimbursement
• Fast-paced and business casual work environment

• some conditions may apply

EOE Statement:

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.