Respite Coordinator

Job Title:

Respite Coordinator

Department:

Child Welfare

Reports to:

CW Respite Supervisor

FLSA:

Exempt

Division

Child Welfare Services

Location

Hybrid

Business Unit

Child Welfare

Grade level

9

This position offers a starting salary range of $51,675 - $62,010 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Children's Center of Wayne County (TCC) The Children's Center, founded in 1929, provides evidence-based clinical therapy to children who deal with mental, behavioral, emotional, intellectual, and developmental health and educational challenges or may have experienced trauma.

School + Community-Based Partnerships: We partner with K-12 schools and community organizations that serve children to provide clinical therapy, counseling, psychological services, and psychiatric evaluations, treatment & interventions.

Child Welfare: In addition to the clinical therapy programs offered, The Children's Center places children in licensed foster homes, and supports them throughout their time in the child welfare system.

Child Well-being + Family Success: We operate an onsite family success center that promotes child-wellbeing and offers children and youth from all walks of life to access relevant mental health crisis prevention and child abuse and neglect prevention services.

Advocacy: We champion child and youth's well-being for those experiencing poverty-related issues, those within the child welfare system, and those in need of evidence-based, clinical therapy.

TCC's mission is to help children and families shape their own futures. If as many children as possible, and their families can easily access comprehensive, evidence-based, clinical therapy that is integrated into and supports their everyday lives then, children will experience an improved quality of life where they have a true sense of agency and empowerment in their lives.

We embrace and demonstrate a set of Core Values as the foundation of our culture. They define how we do what we do, and what we value in our work with each other and our community. Daily demonstration of these values, in mindset and behavior, is required to be successful as a TCC team member.

• Dedicated-We are devoted, dedicated and always willing to pitch to accomplish our mission.
• Passionate-We are passionate about what we do and helping the people we serve.
• Accountable-We do what we say and accomplish all aspects of our responsibilities.
• Can Do Attitude- We approach our responsibilities with a positive attitude.
• Respectful- We always treat co-workers, donors, children and families with the utmost respect, courtesy, and patience.

Job Summary

The Respite Coordinator is responsible for planning and coordinating respite care services for children and families involved in the child welfare system. This role ensures that children receive safe, nurturing temporary care while supporting caregivers in maintaining family stability and preventing placement disruptions. The Respite Coordinator will be responsible for recruitment of respite caregivers, training and assessment of prospective and current respite caregivers, and promoting agency programs in the community.
This position is also responsible for sharing the responsibility of facilitating matching (foster parents and clients with respite caregivers), and placements. The Respite Coordinator will complete licensing annuals and renewals per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) rules, completion of new home assessments, complaint investigations, as well as remaining in compliance with Agency rules and regulations.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of human services with 2 years of experience in Child Welfare service, experience in licensing preferred.
• Must have the ability to coordinate and perform multiple tasks as it relates to providing client services.
• Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver's license, automobile insurance, and willingness to complete home visits within the community.
• Knowledge and experience of working with the agency's target population and knowledge of social problems and concerns common to the target group.
• Must have the ability to properly assess homes, individuals, and families for appropriateness.
• Must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their families, foster care parents, MDHHS personnel and department team members.
• Ability to demonstrate basic computer skills related to windows navigation, Microsoft Office, and general office equipment.
• Ability to navigate or to learn to navigate various databases including but not limited to MISACWIS, CCWIS, CWLM and ENOBLE efficiently.
• Must be able to provide clearance that there are no record and/or convictions as a perpetrator of child abuse and/or neglect in the State of Michigan Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry and other states of residency over the past 5 years.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to effectively manage time, information, and meet deadlines.
• Must be available for traditional and non-traditional work hours at times to manage crisis if needed.

Essential Functions

• Support annual development of an annual recruitment plan
• Implement strategies outlined in the recruitment plan, communicate barriers in a timely manner, and initiate additional ideas and strategies around recruitment
• Coordinate and facilitate family support groups with respite providers
• Follow up on inquiries of interested parties
• Facilitate licensing certification
• Identify and/or plan recruitment events and activities
• Conduct in home orientation with prospective respite caregivers
• Assist prospective respite caregivers with gathering and completing necessary documentation
• Conduct GROW training for new respite caregivers
• Identify and coordinate resources to support families and respite caregivers, including Family Incentive Grants
• Maintain engagement and follow up through completion of application submission
• Maintain up to date documentation and tracking on all inquiries and applications
• Track all respite services and activities and timely submission for billing
• Conduct annual licensing reviews and special evaluations as needed
• Plan and participate in recruitment and parent training events
• Conduct quarterly respite caretaker home visits
• Maintain monthly telephone contact with respite caregivers
• Facilitate respite agreement for each placement
• Facilitate meetings between foster parents, respite caregivers, and clients
• Coordinate and assist with placements
• Work as part of the Team to assure families in the licensing process will be able to meet the needs of the children being referred for services
• Maintain licensing records
• Case management responsibilities as needed
• Assumes additional responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

Additional Functions

• Ensure that all documentation deadlines are being met per MDHHS policy
• Knowledgeable of Child Welfare and Department of Child Welfare Licensing Policies
• Comply with service delivery requirements as identified for the program. Additionally, ensure that all policy requirements are always followed.
• Develop Performance Goals and Expectations with immediate direct reports and supervisor annually.
• Contribute to a positive workplace culture that demonstrates evidence of high accountability, inclusivity, and collaboration.
• Demonstrate a commitment to anti-racist practices, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Adhere to best practices, ethical standards, and compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Travel to home visits in the child's/youth placement as well as potential travel to other locations such as court, training, or birth parent homes when needed.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse stairs and other uneven terrain to gain access to and to maneuver throughout offsite locations including office buildings and special event locations.
• Ability to receive and exchange information accurately and effectively communicate and converse with others.

KPI:

• Achieve 90% compliance with inquiry follow up within 1 business day
• Maintain occurrence of at least 1 monthly family support groups with respite caregivers
• Maintain attendance at Quarterly Child Placing Agency (CPA) and MDHHS staff meetings
• Plan and facilitate 2 focus groups per year
• Plan and facilitate at least 4 community-based outings/activities per year
• Follow through and implement recruitment plan strategies
• Attend and/or host at least 1 recruitment event per month
• Achieve 98% accuracy on respite utilization tracking
• Maintain monthly engagement with prospective respite caregivers for 30 days from inquiry
• Ensure at least 1 monthly engagement outreach is in person within 30 days from inquiry
• Conduct quarterly respite home visits
• Maintain monthly telephone contact with respite caregivers
• Attend/Host and participate in a minimum of 20 recruitment activities annually

Physical Functions

• Ability to lift to 10 Lbs.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to drive long distances, must have reliable transportation.

Other

• Maintain a customer satisfaction rate of at least 90% and have fewer than 4 documented complaints from any source in a 12-month period
• Active participation in supervision, no less than on a bi-weekly basis, or consistent with regulatory standards.
• Attend a minimum of 32 hours of training hours related to Child Welfare. The hours must include all required training by the agency and our partners.

Robust Health Care and Benefit Package including:

• Medical
• Vision and Dental Plan sponsored 100% by The Children's Center
• Matching 3% 403(b) retirement plan after one year, fully vested after two years of employment
• 80 hours of paid time off after 90 days, 120 hours of paid time off your first year, 160 hours your 2nd, 3rd and 4th year, 200 hours every year beginning your 5th year
• Accrued Paid Sick Time
• 11 paid holidays
• Life Insurance (Employer-Provided)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability sponsored 100% by The Children's Center
• Longevity Pay
• Health Savings