Cares Worker I

CARES Worker I

Position Title: Worker I, CARES (Clinical and Responsive Engagement Services)

Department: IHCS - In Home Clinical Service

Office: Pittsburgh Corporate Office

Reports To: Director, CARES

FLSA Status: ☐ Exempt (Salary) ☒ Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Job Status: ☒ Full-Time ☐ Part-Time

Organizational Overview:

ASCI is a mission-driven organization committed to advancing excellence in kinship care and strengthening outcomes for youth and families. Guided by a vision to be the nation's foremost thought leader on kinship care, ASCI works to ensure all youth have the opportunity to grow into responsible adults while helping to break cycles of abuse and addiction. The organization supports kinship caregivers, youth, and the broader child welfare triad through high-quality services, advocacy, education, and innovative programs. ASCI's culture emphasizes collaboration, integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement in pursuit of lasting, positive impact for children, families, and communities.

Everything we do at A Second Chance, Inc. is in support of our five overarching goals:

• To educate communities to prevent the cycle of child drug and alcohol abuse
• To provide children and families with a kinship alternative as a primary placement option
• To extend knowledge gained and expand organizational capacity with traditional and non-traditional constituents
• To enhance long-term financial security
• To maintain state-of-the-art facilities, technologies, and operations

Position Summary:

The Worker I, CARES is responsible for providing short-term, trauma-informed therapy to children and families involved with the child welfare system, serving youth ages 7-18 with mild to high clinical needs requiring immediate intervention. This role delivers in-home clinical support to reduce disruption, preserve kinship placements, and provide structured, agenda-driven sessions, interventions, and coping strategies that promote healthy attachment, reframe trauma, and remediate maladaptive behaviors and emotions. This position contributes to ASCI's mission by strengthening kinship families, promoting healing, and improving stability and long-term outcomes for children and families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain a caseload of 20-22 cases, serving high-risk, high-need kinship families at risk of placement disruption
• Provide short-term, trauma-informed therapy to children and families in home, community, and agency settings based on assessed need
• Develop and implement treatment plans and interventions within the 8-week CARES service model using a strength-based approach
• Conduct clinical assessments and complete assessment instruments to identify strengths, needs, and goals for children and families
• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant clinical documentation, including contact logs, encounter forms, treatment plans, case notes, and discharge summaries
• Conduct critical case management services and consultation with the kinship triad to address behavioral and emotional challenges impacting well-being
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of children and families served
• Provide coping strategies and interventions to promote healthy attachment, reframe trauma, and remediate maladaptive behaviors and emotions
• Refer families to community-based mental health services when specialized or intensive support is needed
• Collaborate and maintain professional communication with internal teams and external partners, including POC, HIU, and other agencies
• Participate in weekly case planning, case review, and evaluation of progress with supervision and coaching support
• Serve as a consultant in case reviews and facilitate Critical Case Conferences and quality review meetings
• Participate in departmental initiatives, including training development, mental health awareness efforts, and professional development activities
• Engage in ongoing training, supervision, and skill-building to enhance clinical effectiveness
• Participate in on-call rotation and maintain a flexible, non-traditional schedule based on family needs
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Education

• Required: High School Diploma or equivalent
• Preferred:
• Master's Degree in Social Work or related human services discipline with a minimum of two (2) years of child welfare experience, or
• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work or related human services discipline with five (5) to ten (10) years of child welfare experience

Experience

• Required: Minimum of one (1) year of clinical experience working with children and families
• Preferred:
• Experience with trauma-informed care
• Experience providing individual and group therapy
• Experience working with kinship families or within the child welfare system

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong clinical assessment and therapeutic intervention skills
• Knowledge of child, adolescent, and family treatment modalities
• Knowledge of crisis prevention and intervention techniques with the ability to respond effectively in emergency situations
• Knowledge of kinship foster care programs and family systems
• Ability to collaborate with direct care staff and multidisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated cultural competency, including experience working with diverse populations, with emphasis on families of African American heritage
• Ability to develop clinical interventions, treatment plans, and case strategies
• Strong documentation and organizational skills to meet regulatory and licensing standards
• Ability to participate in training initiatives, case consultation, and clinical program activities

Certifications & Requirements

• Current Act 33, State Police, and FBI Clearances
• TB Test & Physical
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License
• Registered and insured vehicle
• Certificate of Insurance for vehicle
• Work flexible hours as needed
• Availability for on-call responsibilities
• Regular travel within the local city and county, with travel to surrounding counties as predicated by program and business needs

Physical Demands:

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Ability to perform computer-based work for extended periods in office, remote, and community-based settings
• Ability to move about office environments and community locations, including homes, schools, partner agencies, and other service sites
• Ability to regularly ambulate within the community, navigate stairs, and enter and exit residences and other facilities while providing services
• Ability to travel as needed to conduct visits, meetings, trainings, and other program-related activities
• Ability to lift, carry, and transport files, program materials, supplies, and small equipment up to 20 lbs. as needed
• Sufficient vision, hearing, and communication abilities to effectively engage with children, families, community partners, and coworkers in a variety of settings

This job description does not constitute an employment contract and may be revised to meet changing organizational needs.

A Second Chance is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious; national origin or ancestry; sex; gender identity or expression; sexual orientation disability; marital status; familial status; age (40 or over); or use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical disability of any individual or independent contractor or because of the disability of an individual with whom the person is known to have an association; or on any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.