Clinical Practice Coach (social Services Specialist Iii)

Job Announcement

This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.

The Division of Children, Youth & Families (CYF) of Department of Family Services (DFS) is seeking a Clinical Practice Coach. As an agency, DFS is committed to strengthening the well-being of its diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services. To learn more about DFS and its Mission, Vision, and Values, please click here.

As a member of the Family Engagement Program (FEP) and under general direction of the Child Welfare Practice Improvement Supervisor, the Clinical Practice Coach supports CYF strategic initiatives, including the integration of the Safe & Connected™ Model. This position is eligible to telework and must work flexible work hours when required. In addition, this position may be required to be part of an on-call rotation for child protective services (CPS) that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field.

Duties and responsibilities of the Clinical Practice Coach include:

• Promotes an ongoing learning environment, through providing professional development opportunities and coaching around the use of the Safe & Connected™ model and other child welfare practices, as identified by the department and/or division
• Integrates feedback to promote development of child welfare staff in developing capacity and competence in using the Safe & Connected™ model in everyday practice
• Assures timely and continuous delivery and quality of training to child welfare staff
• Provides day-to-day coaching of practitioners and supervisors in their work with families and with each other
• Collaborate with agencies, partners, outside vendors or consultants, and stakeholders outside of CYF
• Participates in workgroups and committees that improve best practices and service delivery to children and families in Fairfax County
• Prepares reports, data, and organizational documents
• Performs other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve outcomes in families

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to apply and model the practice of the Safe & Connected Model™
• Knowledge of Family Engagement theory and strength-based approach
• Ability to consider the work through an Equity Informed Lens
• Ability to apply critical thinking skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strong confidence level speaking to large or small groups is essential to the position
• Ability to exercise discretion and ensure confidentiality
• Knowledge of child protection laws, rules, and regulations
• Knowledge of foster care and adoption laws, rules, and regulations
• Ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, and refer clients to other resources as needed

Employment Standards

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

Contingent upon the area of assignment, some positions within this class may require specific certification(s) prior to employment and/or the ability to acquire necessary certification(s) within a specified time period following employment. The certifications are identified in the position description and employment advertisement .

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree
• Three or more years of professional-level social work experience, to include two or more years of experience in child welfare
• Prior experience in child welfare. Child welfare is the continuum of services designed to ensure that children are safe and that families have the necessary support to care for their children successfully

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to use automated technology. Sufficiently mobile to attend/participate in person and virtual home visits, courts and community-based meetings to include case consultations, RED teams, ongoing professional development opportunities in various locations, and ability to attend trainings and conferences locally, state-wide and nationally as needed. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.


Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.