Position Summary:

The Independent Living Specialist facilitates program referrals and supports the development of Life Skills training for youth in the Child Welfare Programs. They coordinate staffing meetings, prepare necessary documentation, and ensure timely submission for Court reviews and hearings. The specialist collaborates with Case Managers to prepare youth for adulthood, focusing on skills like self-esteem, employability, and financial management. They also lead life skills classes and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Essential Job Functions:

• Facilitate timely program referrals for all youth within The Village South's Child Welfare Programs.
• Assist with the timely completion and scoring of Pre-IL and/or Life Skills assessments for each youth on the caseload, in line with legal requirements.
• Oversee the completion of the Life Skills Annual Plan.
• Organize and, when needed, participate in all mandated staffing meetings for each assigned youth, as outlined by current law (ages 13 through 17 ¾).
• Ensure the completion of staffing meetings and reports for Court submission, providing copies to Case Managers, Supervisors, youth, and uploading to FSFN.
• Coordinate and ensure the submission of the 16 ½ year-old staffing and Youth Transitional Plan to the Case Manager for Court submission.
• Prepare documentation to demonstrate efforts made in providing appropriate Life Skills training to the agency and Court.
• Prepare all necessary reports for Judicial Reviews, Independent Living Hearings, or Status Reports for Court presentation.
• Collaborate closely with Case Managers and peer staff in preparing youth for adulthood and submitting required documentation per legal guidelines.
• Complete all tasks assigned by Case Managers, FCM staff, and administrators promptly.
• Deliver training to youth in areas including self-esteem, employability, personal development, and social skills.
• Offer support to youth in personal skills, including self-esteem, conflict resolution, anger management, teen dating violence, and other relevant topics.
• Assist youth in social skills development, covering personal appearance, health, educational planning, interpersonal communication, money management, safety, housing, housekeeping, community resources, transportation, job searching, and legal matters.
• Educate youth on personal financial management, including topics like credit building, car financing, interest rates, budgeting, insurance, consumer rights, fraud, opening a bank account, and obtaining consumer help.
• Support youth in developing employability skills such as earning money, navigating the first weeks of employment, job acquisition and retention, interview techniques, self-concept, and professional work habits.
• Arrange and lead Independent Living Life Skills classes for youth aged 15 to 18.
• Provide personalized skills instruction as needed.
• Document and verify the successful completion of Life Skills modules, sharing this documentation with Case Managers.
• Accompany youth on educational trips, vocational excursions, and conferences as necessary.
• Maintain and update the IL Tracker.
• Provide an approved curriculum, such as Philip Roy or Daniel Memorial, ensuring pre- and post-testing criteria are followed.
• Keep all necessary documentation and records for the youth’s case file organized and legible.
• Ensure compliance with all Pre-Independent Living (IL), Independent Living, and Life Skills regulations, as outlined by Florida statutes, DCF, Lead Agency policies, The Village South guidelines, and the Lead Agency contract.
• Comply with all applicable JCAHO standards and regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Qualifications:

Certifications/Licensures:

• Certification as a Independent Living Certification preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field, with at least three (3) years of experience in human services or child welfare programs.

Experience and Competencies:

• Three years of previously supervised work experience in child welfare related field.
• Bilingual is preferred.
• Physical required prior to hire; paid by agency
• Expertise with the Florida Child Welfare Practice Model and knowledgeable in Child Welfare electronic system of record (FSFN or CCWIS).
• Possess strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule as required by the department, including nights and weekends.
• Possess a current Background Clearance Screening Letter as required by DCF.
• Valid Florida driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain WestCare’s vehicle insurance is required;
• The ability to identify and evaluate an individual’s strengths, barriers, problems, and needs for the development of a Wellness and Recovery Plan
• The ability to write assessments, progress notes, discharge summaries, and other consumer related data
• Knowledge of the inter-relationship among substance use, mental health, and primary care disorders
• Knowledge and application of developmental theories
• The ability to evaluate the impact of substance use and mental health problems on the consumer’s functioning in major life area
• The ability to coordinate and integrate multiple services, as well as interface and communicate with internal and external providers
• The ability to provide information to individuals and families concerning alcohol or other drug abuse, mental health problems, and the available services and resources
• The ability to identify the needs of a consumer that cannot be met by the counselor or agency and to assist the consumer/family to utilize the support systems and community resources available
• The ability to identify crises when they surface; mitigate or resolve the immediate problem; and de-escalate the situation, including the ability to develop Safety Plans, as needed
• The ability to assess the individual’s growth and development relative to normative development for his/her chronological age, including physical, emotional, cognitive, educational, and social development
• Understanding of the relationship among mental health, substance use, physical health, and medication use on daily functioning
• Understanding and application of federal, state, local and agency confidentiality rules and professional standards of conduct
• Understanding of family dynamics, family roles, and family structure
• Understanding of professional ethics, consumer rights, and professional responsibilities
• Ability    to    communicate    appropriately    and    effectively    with    members    of    a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to organize, interpret, and communicate data in a comprehensive and effective manner
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and effectively prioritize
• Ability to network with internal and external departments and agencies.
• Understanding of issues related to prevention, intervention and treatment.
• Ability to use care principles including ensuring consumer safety, preventing/avoiding re-traumatization, maximizing trustworthiness, enhancing consumer choice, maximizing collaboration, and emphasizing empowerment
• Ability to identify and describe key signs, symptoms, impact and manifestations of trauma
• Understands the bidirectional relationships among substance use and mental disorders and trauma
• Understands the differences among various kinds of abuse and trauma.
• Knowledge of WestCare Mission, goals and values
• Knowledge of Incident Reporting
• Knowledge of HIPAA, Professional Ethics, Consumer Rights and Confidentiality
• Familiarity with WestCare services and programs
• Demonstrates a high degree of dependability.
  • Maintains a good attendance record.
  • Observes working hours
  • Shows flexibility and is responsive to requests from supervisor
  • Works independently with minimal supervision
  • Exhibits characteristics of good workmanship, and integrity on the job
  • Work time is always productive
• Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, co-workers, external partners, and regulatory agencies
  • Is courteous to consumers, staff, and all others.
  • Demonstrates tact at the appropriate time.
  • Cooperates with others both within and outside WestCare.
  • Works well with supervisor; accepts direction and supervision
  • Maintains a positive attitude toward work.
  • Ensures and maintains a safe working environment.
    • Work area is clean and orderly.
    • Verbalizes, understands and adheres to agency safety procedures.
    • Demonstrates appropriate use of Unusual Incident Reports, in accordance withthe Center’s reporting procedures
  • Presents a positive personal image
  • Dresses and maintains a professional demeanor
  • CPR Certification, First Aid Certification and an annual Tuberculosis test.
  • Ability utilize Microsoft Office Software Suite
  • Ability to provide an Affidavit of Good Moral Character
  • Clearance in Pre-Employment Drug Testing and Criminal Records Checks, as required.
  • Strong leadership and team management abilities.
  • Extensive knowledge of child welfare systems, case management, and regulatory compliance.
  • Experience in program development, quality assurance, and staff supervision.
  • Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills

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  Working Conditions:

• Work is primarily performed in an office or outpatient treatment setting.
• Some outdoor activities may be required.

• Essential Physical and Mental Demands of the Job

  The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or without accommodation:

   

  Physical Demands:

• Requires mobility and physical activity: Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in an office, residential, or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 50 pounds. Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files). Requires the ability to defend oneself and clients in physically abusive situations through the use of approved physical de-escalation techniques.
• Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, patients, and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.
• Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee’s essential job functions and to observe client behavior and activities in and out of the facility.
• The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

• Mental Demands:

• Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions.
• Requires the ability to work and cooperate with clients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.
• Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.
• The ability to defend oneself and clients in mentally/verbally abusive situations through the use of approved mental/verbal de-escalation techniques.

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