Lead Adoption Specialist

Job Summary

Under assigned supervisor, the Adoption Specialist Lead meets with families in their homes at various hours of the day including evenings, nights, and weekends, in potentially high-risk neighborhoods; focuses on the prevention of inappropriate out-of-home placement, strengthening and improving family functioning, and ensuring child safety.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Approves adoption home studies for matched and unmatched children in FSFN. Assists individuals and families in crisis in a way that promotes positive change, growth, development and safety for all families. Attends all recruitment and match events. Attends court hearings, prepares and files all court documents within required timeframes.

Completes and reviews subsidy files, adopt only home studies, OTI and ICPC adoption home studies. Conducts visits with children and prospective adoptive families that include the ongoing assessment of child safety, permanency and well-being. Continually assesses risk of abuse, neglect and threatened harm by gathering appropriate information.

Serves as a conduit of information between all parties to the case and identified stakeholders including medical, educational and mental health providers. Engages and assesses families from a strengths based perspective. Ensures children are registered on the adoption exchange within 10 days. Ensures that post placement is completed within one week of the child being placed in the identified prospective adoptive family’s home.

Facilitates placement and delivery services in collaboration with biological, foster and adoptive families. Knowledge of the Adoption Program Administrative Rule (Chapter 65C-16). Refers hard-to-place children to recruitment partners, if necessary. Attends and participates in weekly team meetings. Participates in match staffings and adoption review committee with the adoption team.

Performs adoption related responsibilities in accordance with state and federal laws, Department of Children and Families Administrative Codes and Operating Procedures, funding source policies, and internal policies on child abuse, abandonment and neglect within required time frames. Prepares and up keeps a spreadsheet of active adopt only families and a spreadsheet that includes all available children in the service office.

Staffs internal TPR cases with supervisors and case management at least once a month. Utilizes empowerment approaches to provide case plan development with children and families. Works closely with Supervisor to provide oversight of the unit. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in Social Work, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, Special Education, Education, Human Development, Child Development, Family Development, Marriage & Family Therapy, or Nursing from an accredited college or university. Experience Five or more years of progressive work experience related to child welfare; three years of child welfare adoptions; previous supervisory experience.

Certification State of Florida; Child Welfare Certification. Other Reliable transportation: valid driver’s license with OHU required levels of coverage for auto insurance. Knowledge of FSFN adoption procedures. Workable knowledge of community resources.

Required Skills

Ability to assess, interpret, and deliver care-related information concerning the life-span development of children and families. Excellent written and oral communication, with ability to document in a clear, concise manner. Highly organized, yet flexible and can handle multiple projects and/or priorities well with the ability to manage tight deadlines.

Intermediate data entry skills. Positive attitude concerning all aspects of working in a challenging environment (including significant patience and respect for children and families who can become quite angry and demanding), sensitivity to cultural needs, and ability to serve as a positive member of a working team. Resourcefulness in researching issues, analyzing information skillfully, solving problems, and developing solutions with minimal supervision in a timely manner.

Proficient computer skills in a Microsoft Windows environment and adaptive skills to expand software application skills as necessary. Ability to exercise discretion and ensure confidentiality. Physical Demands & Work Environment The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

The position requires visual and auditory acuity within professionally determined normal ranges, with correction if needed; and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a computer and office equipment, including, but not limited to, the telephone, computer, and copier. The employee is occasionally required to move items up to 50 pounds.

The employee works in varied residential environments based on assigned caseload and may encounter unpredictable clients. While performing the duties of this position, the employee travels by automobile and is exposed to changing weather conditions. The employee must be able to enter and exit a vehicle or a building without assistance.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may frequently drive an automobile, taking clients to appointments, in the local and regional area. Occasionally, travel is outside the local area and overnight. We Invest In You! Competitive pay and benefits, plus tuition reimbursement Generous vacation and PTO plans Health, dental, vision, 403b Retirement, flexible spending accounts, Agency paid life and LTD, supplemental life insurance Career ladders, professional development, and promotion opportunities Leadership opportunities on site-based Center Management Teams Relocation assistance is available A Different Kind Of Employer One Hope United is strong and ready to grow.

Are you ready to grow with us? 800 talented professionals strong, serving 10,000 children and families in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Florida Fiscally stable, $50 Million agency-- strong since 1895 Energetic leadership and a rich community of support One Hope United does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

One Hope United is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug Free Workplace. One Hope United participates in e Verify. In the spirit of caring for one another and our community, please note that upon accepting an offer of employment from One Hope United, you will be required to share proof of a Covid-19 vaccination. The requirement is subject to accommodation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

HB531 | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration #INDFL