Permanency Specialist (QRTP Aftercare & Residential)

• 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.
• Our Vision: Our willingness to embrace change and develop new services is, and will remain, our guiding philosophy as we support the human service needs of our community.

• Caseload Management: Carry a active caseload of up to 15 youth (ages 5–13), balancing children in residential placement with SCCC and those post-discharge in the community.
• Intake & Onboarding: Attend child entrance meetings; establish clear roles with the youth, discharge resource, and key stakeholders. Connect with identified discharge resources within 24 hours of placement.
• Regular Family Contact: Establish bi-weekly face-to-face contact with youth and monthly contact with the permanency resource (in-person locally; phone/video if out of state).
• Wraparound Family Support: Assist permanency resources with identified needs, including housing support, treatment referrals, parenting skill-building, public benefits application, and transportation barrier reduction. Prepare resources in education, medical, and behavioral health needs prior to youth's return.
• Post-Discharge Aftercare: Conduct bi-weekly home visits for 6 months post-discharge to provide hands-on assistance linking families to medical (PCP, dental), behavioral health (therapy, medication management), educational, and community supports.

• County & Agency Liaison: Maintain regular communication with DCYF Case Managers to align on permanency milestones outside the residential setting.
• Permanency Meetings: Schedule and lead Permanency Meetings every 6 weeks for youth in care (involving youth age 10+, permanency resource, DCYF, and collaterals).
• Family Finding & Step-Down Placement: For youth unable to return home or freed for adoption, collaborate with DCYF and SCCC home-finding units to engage in Family Finding and identify potential foster home placements. Coordinate "meet and greets" and transition steps.
• Visitation & Supervision: Develop and execute visitation plans according to DCYF guidelines and "Quality Family Time" standards for contact with permanency resources, siblings, and family members.
• Multidisciplinary Teamwork: Participate actively in treatment team meetings; collaborate across departments (residential case management, nursing/medical, mental health, and schools) to contribute to the Family Assessment and Service Plan (FASP).

• EHR Management: Complete Aftercare Plans in AWARDS in partnership with the family and upload to NYS CONNECTIONS monthly.
• Case Logging: Enter comprehensive case notes in both AWARDS and NYS CONNECTIONS within 7 days of all case-related contacts.
• Transportation: Safely transport youth to and from case-related appointments, visits, and home transitions, maintaining a therapeutic environment.

• Required: Associate’s degree in Human Services (or related field) with at least 2 years of relevant professional experience.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) or related human services field.
• System Knowledge: Prior experience working in a human services agency; experience with AWARDS and NYS OCFS CONNECTIONS preferred.

• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet).
• Clinical Modalities: Familiarity with or ability to apply Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), Quality Family Time, Family Finding, and Motivational Interviewing techniques.
• Communication & Writing: Strong attention to detail with excellent written aptitude, organizational skills, and time management.
• Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work collaboratively in a shared decision-making team, manage emotional reactivity under pressure, and establish appropriate professional boundaries with diverse clients.

• Driver’s License & Vehicle: Must possess a clean, valid New York State Driver’s License (held for at least 1 year), meet agency insurance requirements (minimum age 21 at time of hire), and have a reliable personal vehicle for client transportation when agency vehicles are unavailable.
• Work Schedule: Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings, to accommodate family schedules.

What We Offer You**

At St. Catherine’s Center for Children, we believe in taking care of the people who take care of our community. We offer competitive compensation alongside a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wealth, and professional growth:

Financial Security & Future Planning

Health & Well-being

Professional Growth & Culture

**Please note: To qualify for specific benefits, certain terms and conditions may apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) Statement

St. Catherine’s Center for Children is deeply committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, reproductive health, pregnancy, family history, genetics, disability, age, military status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

If you would like to learn more about our agency or one of our many programs, please visit our website at: www.st-cath.org