Position: MO Response Team Specialist
Department: MO Foster Care West
Salary: 42,000 - 47,000 (annually)
Essential Responsibilities::
- Follows legal custodian procedures as outlined in manuals/contracts for missing and runaway clients.
- Utilizes all appropriate means to locate missing clients.
- Coordinates with local, state, and federal agencies to organize search efforts.
- Engages electronic systems, paper charts and team members to review and become familiar with the client's case and history in order to develop client specific search strategies.
- Searches for clients at various locations (knocking on doors, drive through areas last seen, contacting communities of friends, relatives, prior placements, school personnel, etc.).
- Searches for clients using social media and other appropriate technologies.
- Utilizes media outlets, when necessary, and with needed approvals.
- Develops community networks throughout the state of MO to assist in locating clients missing from care.
- Acts as liaison between the agency, legal custodian, law enforcement and community partners.
- Completes all required documentation including, but not limited to: FACES, missing youth checklist, return youth checklist and daily/weekly update.
- Maintains thorough documentation of all communication and search efforts on daily basis.
- Communicates as required, with all parties associated with the missing client regarding the status of the situation.
- Contributes to monthly reports summarizing progress and status.
- Completes assessments on clients returning from missing status.
- Participates in individual staffing associated with clients that are being served and/or have potential of being served by this position.
- Works in partnership with the client's case team to determine which services are needed for the child and family, including but not limited to mental health, drug and alcohol services, safety planning, respite care and supervised or unsupervised visitations/interactions.
- Troubleshoots chronic instances of clients missing from placement and makes recommendations for necessary organizational and MACF consortium in program and/or site changes.
- Tracks and analyzes data to identify trends associated with missing clients.
- Reports all possible critical incidents and unusual incidents to manager, leadership, and/or legal entities as required by policy and law.
- Identifies new tools that may help in finding missing clients.
- Represents the agency and MACF consortium in various professional and/or community groups regarding runaway youth, human trafficking, etc.
- Understands contract requirements and works to improve contract specific outcomes.
- Travel as needed to pick up missing youth who are recovered from runs out of state.
- Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.
Qualifications:
- Understands the importance of relative connection and can appropriately advocate for children and families.
- Has an understanding of trauma-informed practice.
- Has an understanding of Positive Youth Development
- Effective verbal and written communication skills
- Possesses advanced knowledge of safety and permanency planning, client engagement and client focused case planning to perform advanced levels case support for clients that are or have been missing from care.
- Experience and ability to use computers for data entry, communication and report writing.
- Jurisdictional differences when working across city, county, and state lines.
- Specific areas of training for missing persons that may include, but aren't limited to:
- Parent/family abductions
- Runaway juveniles
- Stranger abductions
- Commercially Sexually Exploited Child population
- Identifying specific search methods based on the special needs of the victim.
- Utilizing resources (canine, air, volunteers, etc.)
- Urban and Rural searches
- High level of verbal/writing skills.
- Ability to make critical decisions, based on integration of information from multiple sources that may be discrepant, in high stress situations.
- Ability to analyze complex situations and work in a team environment to implement strategic solutions.
- Ability to network and build relationships.
- Ability to engage clients and families under difficult circumstances, to gather information to make accurate and precise decisions.
- Ability to remain calm when being confronted and to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others.
- Ability to engage resistant clients, using a variety of methods.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a high functioning team.
- Ability to transport children in accordance with regulations.
- Is open and respectful of cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of clients and is willing and competent to work with a diverse client population.
- Must be at least 21 years of age and pass background check, physical and drug screening. This position also requires a valid driver's license and proof of current vehicle insurance.
CORNERSTONES OF CARE'S ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENTS:
- Nonviolence - helping to build safety skills and a commitment to a higher purpose.
- Emotional Intelligence - helping to teach emotional management skills.
- Social Learning - helping to build cognitive skills.
- Open Communication - helping to overcome barriers to healthy communication, learn conflict management.
- Democracy - helping to create civic skills of self-control, self-discipline, and administration of healthy authority.
- Social Responsibility - helping to rebuild social connection skills, establish healthy attachment relationships.
- Growth and Change - helping to work through loss and prepare for the future
Questions?
Please contact: Cornerstones of Care, Human Resources Department
8150 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO 64114
Phone: (816) 508-3500 Fax: (816) 508-1757
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Cornerstones of Care is an
Equal Opportunity Employer