Case Manager, Children's Services

About The Organization:

Doorways is an Arlington-based non-profit agency helping individuals and families create pathways out of homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault leading to safe, stable, and empowered lives. We envision a community where all people live free of violence and have safe and stable housing regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, age, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, abilities, language, or national origin. We see a future without homelessness or domestic and sexual violence.

Doorways began in 1978 when a group of concerned community members saw there was no safe place in Arlington for families in crisis. What began then with one shelter and one response has grown into a series of pathways individually tailored for adults, youth, and children seeking safety and shelter. From immediate crisis intervention to counseling, housing, and employment support, we offer real options and multiple pathways for people of all ages and genders—women, men, youth, and LGBTQIA+ people.

Position Summary:

The Case Manager, Children’s Services focuses on providing services that address the mental wellness, physical, emotional, social, and educational needs of children whose caregivers are adults affected by violence. This position works with clients who are part of Doorways’ Safehouse program. This position will complete trauma-informed, comprehensive assessments with children to determine their individual and family needs and will offer developmentally appropriate, child and family centered and trauma-informed support to children and their parents. Assessments, services, and interventions are comprehensive, short term, and tailored to a culturally and linguistically diverse population. Individual and group counseling is psychoeducational, and the focus is to provide support and to enhance executive functioning skills.

The Case Manager, Children’s Services also provides advocacy, connection, and referrals to community programs to ensure clients’ needs are met. This position will collaborate on a multi-disciplinary team of case managers, therapists, advocates, and home coordinators which requires flexibility in work hours, working at least two evenings per week. This role is designed to work in person in various settings in the community including the Safehouse and Safe Apartments. The Case Manager is part of Doorways on-call Tier system, which will require in-person availability in rotation with other clinical staff. This position reports to the Director of Crisis Services. Spanish Speaking language ability required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Child Social/Emotional/Physical

• Complete assessment to determine child’s needs within 2 weeks of family entry into shelter.
• Based on assessment and the identified needs, work with Family Case Manager to provide information and linkages to needed community supportive services including pediatric providers and/or mental health/developmental assessment services.
• Coordinate with parents and involved family members as appropriate to ensure family-centered services are provided for families in Doorways programs.
• Provide psychoeducational counseling services to support children experiencing trauma or mental health crises including:

• Psychoeducation on grounding techniques, trauma and its impact
• Counseling to build resilience and coping skills and support social-emotional development
• Support groups for children
• Support groups for parents

• Coordinate with outside mental health service providers to support the child including:

• Meetings to discuss tools and techniques that can be implemented in shelter
• Provide regular updates regarding any concerning behaviors or critical information shared by the client

Educational/Developmental

• Help the Family Case Manager promptly enroll children in age-appropriate education or childcare services.
• Collaborate with Family Case Manager to coordinate education services including transportation needs for children and parents to attend school meetings in person or virtually.
• Advocate and coordinate with school staff on IEP or 504 Plan needs to include attending school meetings in person.
• Establish contact with school staff at area schools to ensure communication and coordination on children’s needs.
• Arrange for tutoring and remedial education in collaboration with schools and other agencies as needed.
• Identify recreational and aftercare activities for children throughout the school year and during breaks, including support with enrollment in summer school, summer camp, etc.
• Provide parents with psychoeducation about their child’s development and support them in supporting any developmental challenges children are experiencing.
• Meet with teachers and school staff to explain the impact of trauma on children's development and common behaviors resulting from trauma
• Meet with school staff with parents in parent-teacher conferences or other meetings to support the child's academic and social-emotional development
• Ensure all school-related data is entered into the electronic database system in order to collaborate and coordinate services with Arlington Public Schools.

Parent/Family Services

• Provide psychoeducation to parents on the impact of trauma, homelessness, and domestic violence on their children.
• Provide ongoing parent coaching focused on developmentally appropriate parenting skill building.
• Provide trainings, workshops and activities for parents and families.
• Assess whether children's services are needed as they transition from shelter to housing and arrange a warm hand off with the Senior Children’s Case Manager. 

Advocacy/Volunteer Responsibilities

• Advocate for client needs within and outside Doorways programs.
• Assist in training and supporting volunteers serving children in shelter.

Programmatic and Administrative Responsibilities

• Work closely and in partnership with the Senior Case Manager, Children’s Services to coordinate children’s services across shelter, housing and counseling programs.
• Serve as a subject matter lead related to children services for Doorways Client Services Team, including sharing resources and knowledge with CST staff who work with family households and facilitating trainings as part of staff/volunteer on-boarding and core training.
• Provide children’s services to Revive and/or HomeStart families when capacity allows and services are needed.
• Serve as a liaison with the development team to coordinate and facilitate in-kind drives for children’s goods.
• Demonstrate alignment with Doorways core values and mission.
• In partnership with Doorways staff, assist with Doorways client and community events.
• Completion of administrative tasks to include compiling a monthly report to Arlington Public Schools and contributing content for quarterly reports to funders.
• Document client information per stated policies and procedures, guidelines provided on role expectations and maintain confidentiality of the information therein.
• Compile and report all documentation, relevant data, and statistics as necessary on a timely manner.
• Maintain current industry knowledge and best practices.
• Participate in an on-call rotation.
• Adhere to agency policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Agency Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate alignment with Doorways core values and mission.
• In partnership with Doorways staff, assist with Doorways client and community events.
• Attend meetings, as required.
• Compile and report relevant data and statistics on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis.
• Maintain current industry knowledge and best practices.
• Obtain CPR/First Aid certification and keep current.
• Adhere to agency policies and procedures.

Knowledge and Skills Needed:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services field or at least 5 years of relevant work experience in social services and mental-health related fields.
• QMHP required (can obtain within 90 days of employment)
• Direct experience working with trauma survivors, domestic violence, sexual assault survivors, children/youth or similar field.
• Bilingual (Spanish) required.
• Flexible and a self-starter; able to multi-task.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills with experience collaborating on multi-disciplinary, diverse, and dynamic teams.
• Ability to relate to the underserved, homeless, and disabled populations.
• Must demonstrate an acceptance and respect for cultural diversity in all its forms, including ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities, and religious backgrounds and an ability to work collaboratively in an ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse environment.
• Must possess basic computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, email, and the internet (Microsoft Suite).

Additional Requirements:

• Access to a reliable vehicle, valid driver’s license, and proof of automobile insurance.
• Must maintain personal cell phone for work-related purposes.
• Must be located in the DMV area.

Compensation:

$55,000-57,000 depending on level of education, experience, and fluency in Spanish or other high demand languages. Excellent benefits – health/dental/vision, life, LTD, 403(b), etc.