ACCESS Diversion Specialist

Description

POSITION/BUSINESS TITLE: ACCESS Diversion Specialist 

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT: ACCESS, Onondaga County Child and Family Services (CFS)

REPORTS TO: ACCESS Supervisor  

CCSI SERVICE LINE: Program Management 

DATE: August 2021

LOCATION: Onondaga, NY

ABOUT CCSI:  CCSI is a not-for-profit management services organization with a special focus in the area of behavioral health and human services. We help provider agencies, local and state government, and other not-for-profits deliver programs and services that improve health and quality of life for the people they serve. Our administrative offices are in Rochester and we work with customers and communities across New York State. Our customers are our partners, and we work hard to develop the longstanding, productive relationships needed to support high quality services.

CCSI’s culture is one that values integrity, innovation, community connectedness, and exceptional customer service. We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce, an inclusive environment, and efforts aimed toward dismantling structural racism. Our people make CCSI what it is and in turn, we strive to create a work environment that supports both personal and professional growth.  We work hard and appreciate the importance of wellness through work/life integration.

ABOUT THE POSITION:  The ACCESS program serves as a central location for families to request assistance should their child/youth be experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges.  As a member of the ACCESS Team, the Diversion Specialist serves as the point-person for responding to Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) Diversion referrals received from families and or school districts in Onondaga County.  This preventive response offers voluntary assistance to youth/families through a partnered assessment process that supports opportunities for problem solving, solution building and best-fit service connection to address identified challenges and divert youth from the need for Family Court and or Juvenile Justice intervention. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Responds to Diversion referrals generated from families/school district(s)
• Serves as diversion support point-person for families struggling with children/youth experiencing challenges including but not limited to habitual truancy from school and/or unmanageable behavior at home, in school or in the community  
• Serves as instiller of hope for parents, partnering with families to complete assessment process, explore natural supports, assist with problem solving and support service planning 
• Conducts home visits/meetings with assigned families
• Completes a family driven assessment process; uses diverse assessment tools as needed
• Educates families on services and community resources available and completes associated referrals 
• Coordinates and facilitates/co-facilitates meetings with families that may include school district personnel and or service providers 
• Maintains a connection with the youth/family and associated school district/building personnel, providing short term continued support and or case management services throughout diversion response process 
• Contributes to technical support for ACCESS/Child Welfare Response Team and community partners as needed to strengthen continuum of support for addressing diversion related needs identified
• Maintains effective professional relationships with service providers and community organizations in the interest of client’s and program goals; represents and promotes ACCESS Team and its process at meetings and community events as needed/assigned
• Presents referral information as applicable to designated Onondaga County Juvenile Justice Service personnel for PINS petition consideration and completes related paperwork/other as required
• Participates in Individual and Group Supervision or Coaching sessions for consultation and identification of best fit service/support opportunities available for families
• Inputs and maintains records of all response activity in designated system within the established timeframes and maintains hard copy records, statistics, other as directed
• Maintains communication and coordination with applicable school(s) throughout the response process and completes follow up 
• Provides ACCESS Team intake overflow support/coverage as needed
• Delivers service in a manner that is strengths based, family driven, trauma informed and culturally competent
• Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:  To be successful in this position, you will need to be competent in:

• Communicating effectively; strong verbal and written communication skills
• Building collaborative relationships
• Valuing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment
• Striving for self-development and taking initiative to be resourceful
• Problem-solving both independently and with others, able to handle multiple priorities
• Effective youth & family engagement skills
• Excellent planning, organizational and time management skills
• Computer proficiency
• High level of interpersonal skills with ability to build relationships with team. members, school district personnel, families and members of the provider community.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/BS in Human Services field with 2 years of relevant professional experience and/or some advanced hours of training or MSW/MA in Human Services or equivalent education and work experience (see CCSI's equivalency chart).
• Previous direct work with youth experiencing social or emotional challenges, habitual truancy from school and/or unmanageable behavior at home, in school or in the community preferred.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid Class D New York State Driver License and access to motor vehicle insured with $300,000 liability coverage to meet transportation requirements as applicable.
• Satisfactory completion of required background screenings:  criminal, Statewide Central Register and driving.
• Respect the confidential nature of all CCSI and CCSI customer information you are exposed to in the course of your work performance. Staff working directly with protected health information/electronically stored protected health information, personal identifiable information, and other patient/consumer/customer data, will abide by the specific procedures and policies outlined by CCSI’s Code of Conduct and CCSI’s Privacy and Security Policies, New York State regulations and Federal regulations.

Operating Principles and Demonstrated Behaviors: 

Ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our workplace values through behaviors and actions. These operating principles are expected of all employees in all roles. All applicants (internal and external) must evidence their attitudes/behaviors as part of the application process:

• Excellence in Customer Service
• Collaboration
• Honoring People and Their Work
• Individualized Work/Life Integration
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Community Connectedness
• Diversity & Inclusion

CCSI does not accept inquiries from third party recruiters or search agencies.