Runaway and Homeless Youth Caseworker

Job Description

Job Description

Salary : $45,000 / year

POSITION : RHY (Runaway and Homeless Youth) Worker

QUALIFICATIONS : Four year college degree (Bachelor's) in behavioral or social sciences. Demonstrated interest in and ability to understand the general problems and needs of youth (ages 11-17) and their families. Sensitivity and responsiveness to the cultural differences of individuals and families in groups outside ones own culture.

CLASSIFICATION : Exempt, Full-Time

REPORTS TO : Director of Outreach Services

Summary :

Carries a caseload of clients and provides direct service. Follows a service plan.

Direct Service Duties to Youth and Families

• Accepts clients from Director of Community Services and begins services within prescribed guidelines.
• Completes an assessment on clients assigned by the Director of Community Services.
• Develops a service plan outlining services with the client and family.
• Insures all necessary documentation is properly signed and in the client file.
• Maintains regular contact with youth and families to provide advocacy / counseling / shelter care services.
• Obtains proper releases and consents, and safeguards the confidentiality of all records.
• Participates in all inter-agency staffings of clients.
• Refers to other community resources and specialized services as appropriate.
• Coordinates cases with other community resources and specialized services.
• Participates in 24 hour emergency on-call rotation.
• Handles day time crisis cases which can not be handled by the crisis intervention worker.
• Provides support and assistance to foster parents when youth are placed in emergency shelter care.
• Meets or exceeds agency standards of consistent contact with youth and parent / family (2 or more contacts per month with youth; 2 or more contacts per month with parent / family), with each contact being a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Ensures 70% of clients met functioning goal, 90% of clients met permanency goal, and 90% of clients met safety goal.
• Provides 125 hours of direct service a month.
• Provides 25 hours of parent / family counseling a month.
• Support Services
• Develops a working knowledge of, and establishes and cultivates cooperative professional relationships with, community resources, allied agencies, and referral sources.
• Participates in all YSB staffings and team meetings.
• Maintains on-going case file for each youth which is up to date and documents all contacts.

III. Other Duties