Placement Specialist

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $60,889 - $70,022.

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 child care 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 mission of the Division of Youth and Family Justice (DYFJ) is to improve the lives of children and families involved in New York City’s juvenile justice system, while building stronger and safer communities and advancing public safety. DYFJ manages and funds services including detention and placement, intensive community-based alternatives for youth, and support services for families. We strive to implement evidence-based interventions that are responsive to the needs of individual youth and families.

Close to Home is a residential placement and aftercare program for New York City youth who are adjudicated delinquent by the NYC Family Court and ordered into placement. Youth reside in small, home-like residential facilities, operated by contracted providers, in or near the five boroughs where they are close to resources that can support their treatment and transition back into their communities. ACS contracts with community-based providers to operate 25 non-secure and 6 limited secure placement programs. In conjunction with the contracted providers, ACS provides intake, case management, conferencing, school support and monitoring services. In addition, DYFJ oversees a network of five contracted providers that operate a total of 7 non-secure detention facilities across New York City.

The Placement and Permanency Specialist (PPS) responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Effective case management for youth throughout the term of placement and therapeutic aftercare services to ensure quality case practice and adherence to release conditions.
• Coordinate the work with placement providers, youth and families or other resources to ensure youth physical, mental, and emotional needs are being met and ensure that consistent permanency and discharge planning is occurring.
• Assist in the formulation of a service plan for the youth by assessing the needs by obtaining personal social data, conferring with medical/psychiatric or other relevant professional consultants as required and submitting appropriate forms.
• Ensure that the placement provider coordinates with appropriate community-based aftercare services and that there is an appropriate educational transition plan for the youth upon release.
• Monitor the length of stay for each youth in placement and assisting with identifying and resolving barriers throughout placement and aftercare.
• Coordinate with ACS Family Court Legal Services (FCLS) to ensure Extension of Placement Petitions and any other legal documents are filed as necessary.
• Coordinate with placement providers to ensure documentation is adequate for any court petitions or hearings.
• Draft reports for court when necessary, regarding the youth history, assessment of underlying issues and any recommendations including an extension of placement.
• With the supervisors' approval, recommend or disapprove movement of youth between facilities and documenting decisions in Connections, Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS), and/or any other system of record.
• Coordinate with other divisions within ACS to track and record unusual incidents and follow up with the youth and the provider as necessary.
• In coordination with a supervisor, conduct case conferences to analyze each youth progress in residential placement as well as therapeutic aftercare services; meeting with the youth and the family once the youth is placed in aftercare services.
• Answer mail and telephone inquiries from providers, courts and other interested parties by referring to case records/files/procedures in order to advise parties of current status of each case.
• Coordinate assessment under close supervision with the aftercare provider regarding whether a youth aftercare service needs to be revoked, and the youth needs re-placement based on the youths' behavior in the community and cooperation with services.
• Coordinate with FCLS regarding any legal documents that may be necessary for a revocation hearing.
• Enter updates and retrieve case information in Connections, JJIS, Prevention Organizational Management Information System (PROMIS) and other electronic information storage systems.
• Complete administrative functions including timely documentation and data entry.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $60,889 - $70,022.

Section 424-A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-caring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

TO APPLY

Please go to www.cityjobs.nyc.gov or www.nyc.gov/ess for current NYC employees and search for Job ID# 649881.

No phone calls, faxes or personal inquiries permitted.

Note: Only candidates under consideration will be contacted