Resource Parent Support Worker Supervisor

The Resource Parent Support Supervisor (RPSS) is a management position within the Foster Care Department who may be responsible for resource parent support, case management, and/or intake. These responsibilities are outlined in detail below. RPSS are also required to be on call for intake and serve as back-up on-call for staff that directly manage the after hours line for resource parents. As leaders within foster care, RPSS are expected to assume other departmental related duties as required. In general, all RPSS are expected to maintain a supportive work environment by mentoring and counseling staff, reviewing worker performances, providing timely feedback and initiating corrective action when necessary; to buy-in reform efforts and communicate them effectively to your teams; to recruit and retain program staff; engage in various tasks relating to the success of placements and safety of children; to communicate with internal and external partners (including CUAs); to audit files/monitor program compliance; to develop and submit accurate reports; to develop policies and program infrastructure; to identify and implement strategies to improve program performance; and to promptly communicate and respond to requests for information from internal and external partners.

Resource Parent Support Work Primary Responsibilities

As a RPSS, you may be responsible for overseeing Resource Parent Support Workers servicing Specialized Behavioral Health (SBH) or general level homes. Your team may also include a Certification Specialist, an administrative support staff member that assist the team in ensuring timely recertification of homes. In short, your responsibilities include: (1) provide supervision to Resource Parent Support Workers, Certification Specialist (if applicable), and Case Aide (if applicable; (2) ensure that staff are engaging and providing adequate support to resource parents; (3) monitor resource parents care of children; (3) oversee resource parents’ annual re-certification process; (4) oversee provision of support and crisis management to resource parents; (5) assist with planning training and follow up services to approved resource parents; (6) ensure that state and local laws and regulations as well as contractual requirements are being met; (Other duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Overseeing the activities of, and gives consultation and direction to, Resource Parent Support Workers (RPSW) engaged in performing a variety of supportive services to SBH and General level resource parents and the children in their care.
• Assigning cases, reviews case activities, and determining training and developmental needs of resource parents.
• Conducting home visits with staff as needed or individually to assess resource parent capacity
• Overseeing training development for resource parents
• Ensuring that home composition information and data sheets are current
• Ensuring that resource parents receive adequate support when children are placed in their homes
• Guiding RPSWs to coach resource parents on mentoring biological families and orienting themselves to reunification of children with their biological caregivers.
• Assisting RPSWs with planning and executing respite placements when needed.
• Ensuring RPSWs complete/gather all required documentation (visit notes, medication logs, medical and dental records, etc.). Checks documentation for both quality and compliance.
• Participating in teaming conferences, placement stability conferences, court hearings, and other meetings as requested and/or where in the best interest of the resource parent, child, or biological family.
• Ensuring COA’s are only issued for homes meeting the regulatory and program safe/quality requirements to service children

Case Management Primary Responsibilities

As an RPSS, you may be responsible for overseeing case management. This includes managing a Case Manager, case aide (if applicable), and cases referred to NET by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services or other child welfare agency that NET contracts for to provide case management. Other duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Ensuring case manager is meeting the state and local requirements for providing case management.
• Conducting file audits and developing performance improvement plans.
• Supporting case manager in full range of case management and outreach services and identifying and implementing permanency plans which include reunification, permanent legal custodianship, and adoption.
• Attending court hearings and service planning meetings, and conducting home visits, etc. as needed

Intake Primary Responsibilities

As an RPSS, you may be responsible for managing intake. This includes supervising an Intake Coordinator who is responsible for screening referrals, managing resource parent data, matching children to homes, responding to crisis, and ensuring staff and resource parents have adequate and the most current information on children being placed in their homes. Other duties include but are not limited to:

• Ensuring that children are appropriately placed in resource homes;
• Ensuring timely support and follow up with referring agencies;
• Maintaining data on resource homes and ensuring that children are placed in homes that meet the regulatory requirements and are best suited to meet the needs of children;
• Ensuring that Intake Coordinator has current information on resource home;
• Ensuring that 30-day and 90-day notices and respite requests are tracked and managed in a timely manner;
• Ensuring that resource parents receive adequate support when children are placed in their homes

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Master's degree in psychology or social work or human service field, plus (4) years of case management experience working with children or adults.

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Valid Driver’s license
• Ability ascend flights of stairs
• Ability to speak English clearly and hear voice of conversational tones.
• Crisis de-escalation with adult care givers, children, and youth including passive physical when required.
• Three years of social work supervising experience, preferably in behavioral health or child welfare.
• Three years of direct social work experience, one of which has been at the full performance level in behavioral health or child welfare.