Samaritas Southwest is growing and seeks a Licensing Specialist who will focus primarily on Intake/Placement, Family Finding and Support!  

Salary:   $43,000 annually
Location:   Kalamazoo, MI area
Work Environment:   Hybrid,  with mostly in office location required

This position will support youth in foster care by engaging their biological family and community members in a supportive network of connections. They will lead our foster care program in advocacy efforts for relative placements and/or relative engagement. This position discovers any lost family/kinship connections and engages them to form a lifelong network for the youth.  The goal is to preserve a child's cultural, ethnic, and familial connections to provide support within a kinship system.  The position will also oversee our Intake and Placement work where they will assist to identify and coordinate home placements for foster children within our foster parent community and/or within the youth’s relative network. 

Welcome to Samaritas Nation!

Samaritas is a Michigan-based human service organization that connects people with families and communities, empowers them to live their fullest life possible, and creates a ripple effect of transformation. The reference to the work of the Good Samaritan in our name is especially fitting as it is consistent with our mission, values and the services our faith-based company provides.  

APPLY TODAY!     #BeTheRock, creating ripples of positive transformation in the lives of those we are entrusted to serve! 

Coordinates and participates in the recruitment, training, licensing, and investigation activities of foster care homes for children and families in the community assigned, in accordance with all applicable contractual and regulatory requirements and accreditation standards.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Devise, implement and evaluate strategies and recruitment plan to assure adequate foster homes in accordance with program, organization and contractual requirements and standards.
2. Develop and maintain current contact file with recruitment sources, prospective foster home data files and mailing lists.
3. Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with religious/community groups and key individuals to increase their awareness of the need for foster parents, and organization services.
4. In coordination with communications and planning department, develop and circulate promotional materials. Make regular press releases to public media sources and presentations when requested to promote foster care awareness and recruitment under the direction of the director.
5. Plan and conduct regular orientation meetings and pre-service training with prospective foster parents.
6. Complete original home study for all new foster parent applicants.
7. Complete annual and renewal license assessments, and all licensing actions related to changes in foster home within prescribed timeframes.
8. Complete investigations of all complaints against foster families in a thorough and timely manner; provide written reports to appropriate parties and regulatory agencies.
9. Provide on-going training and consultation for foster parents.
10. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of recruitment strategies; maintain statistical data related to service delivery outcomes and measurements; provide reports and data as requested.

Job Qualifications

Education, Training, and Licensure/Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related field.
• State of Michigan Licensed Social Worker preferred.

Experience

• Experience in child welfare preferred.

Additional Work Requirements

• May be required to work extended and weekend hours.
• Unrestricted Michigan driver’s license with good driving record. Reliable personal transportation suitable for safely transporting persons served; proof of current automobile insurance.

#socialwork #childwelfare #socialservices #training #humanservices