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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFamily Court Program Assistant Jefferson County Job Description Job Title: Family Court Program Assistant Department: Juvenile and Family Court Services Reports to: Juvenile Court Administrator FLSA Exempt: No Union: UFCW BBP: No Salary Level: Grade 26 � Approved By: Human Resources Manager Approved Date: July 2020 SUMMARY: Provides volunteer coordination for both the Guardian ad Litem(GAL)Program and the Becca Truancy Program, performing recruiting of volunteers,coordination of training, and ongoing support to department volunteers. Provides additional support to the Dependency and Civil Program Manager by assisting volunteers with gathering of information,exploration of community resources, reports,court appearances and truancy boards. Provides additional organizational support related to dependency matters, Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Plan and Becca cases(Truancy,At Risk Youth and Children in Need of Services). ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned: Provides support to the Dependency and Civil Program Manager for all trainings of CASA/GAL volunteers and Community Truancy Board volunteers.Orders and organizes all training materials and manuals needed for trainings. Participates in the creation and facilitation of GAL and CTB trainings. Researches and communicates continuing education opportunities to volunteers—through national CASA,Becca Conference materials and other opportunities. Is responsible for the day to day duties of recruiting volunteers to serve as CASA/GAL's. Creates promotional materials. Responds to inquiries about the program in the community,disseminates information and applications to potential volunteers and provides initial screening of volunteer candidates. Distributes publicity materials. Develops relationships with volunteers and assists them in gathering necessary materials throughout the life of a dependency case, creates new case packets for GAL's as cases are assigned. Provides regular communication through a newsletter and at least monthly contact with each volunteer; Coordinates the annual fingerprinting of all volunteer according to WSP policies. Is responsible for the day to day duties of recruiting volunteers to serve as Community Truancy Board volunteers. Creates promotional materials. Responds to inquiries about the program in the community, disseminates information and applications to potential volunteers and provides initial screening of volunteer candidates. Distributes publicity materials. Develops short presentations to be able to respond to casual inquiries about the truancy program in the community. Distributes publicity materials for Becca cases(truancy,ARY and CHNS). Develops relationships with CTB volunteers and assists them in gathering necessary materials. Provides regular communication through a newsletter and at least monthly contact with each volunteer; Jefferson County Job Description: Family Court Program Assistant Page 2 of 4 Tracks training requirements of all volunteers to assure that each volunteer is in compliance with training requirements. Coordinates volunteer appreciation events and ongoing meetings. Serves as a liaison for evidence-based programs such as Coordination of Services and Education and Employment Training on behalf of cross-over youth and status offenders. Updates child/client/volunteer/staff data on a weekly basis. Creates weekly reports and customized reports as needed for Program Coordinator on all active cases. Prepares required reports for Washington State CASA and National CASA,Administrative Office of the Courts,L&I, and any others. Participates in the process of hardware/software selection and updates/upgrades. Assists in the screening of At Risk Youth cases and Child in Need of Services Petitions and interfaces with DCYF staff around referrals to programs and case plans. Prepares legal documentation and may initiate correspondence in the course of supporting Truancy and other Becca matters. Provides support to the Threat Assessment Team for Jefferson County, scheduling meetings,preparing documents, attending trainings and serving as an informational conduit for participants during the threat assessment process. May appear on behalf of a GAL and/or on behalf of the Becca Counselor in court at the request of the Program Manager. Provide necessary support to Superior Court family therapeutic court(FTC)and may appear there at the request of the Program Manager.Provides updates to GALs' who are assigned cases that are referred to the FTC. Works with Dependency and Civil Program Manager to coordinate efforts around court improvement projects as set forth in the Superior Court Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Plan. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This job has no supervisory responsibilities. COMPETENCY: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate competency in the following: Problem Solving-Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully;uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics; skill in assessing, evaluating,analyzing, identifying and recommending solutions to complex problems. Project Management—Coordinates projects;communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and within budget. Technical Skills-Pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; shares expertise with others. Customer Service-Manages difficult or emotional customer situations in a professional manner; responds promptly to customer needs; responds to requests for service and assistance. Interpersonal Skills-Maintains confidentiality; and otherwise acts in a professional manner; demonstrates knowledge of, and emphathy for, low income and diverse population groups. Oral Communication- Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; participates appropriately in meetings; demonstrates effective public speaking skills. Jefferson County Job Description: Family Court Program Assistant Page 3 of 4 Written Communication-Writes clearly and informatively; varies writing style to meet needs; able to read and interpret written information. Teamwork—Supports everyone's efforts to succeed. Diversity-Demonstrates knowledge of EOE policy;demonstrates respect for all people regardless of socioeconomic background, culture,religion, sexual orientation,age,disability or gender. Ethics-Treats people with respect;keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values. Organizational Support-Follows policies and procedures; completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values; supports affirmative action and respects diversity. Planning/Organizing-Uses time efficiently. Professionalism-Follows through on commitments; presents professionally in a courtroom environment. Quality-Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; monitors own work to ensure quality. Quantity-Meets productivity standards;completes work in timely manner; works quickly. Safety and Security-Observes safety and security procedures;reports potentially unsafe conditions; uses equipment and materials properly. Adaptability-Adapts to changes in the work environment; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events. Attendance/Punctuality-Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time. Dependability-Follows instructions,responds to management direction; keeps commitments; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan. Initiative- Shows initiative by asking for and offering help when needed. QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully,an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE: Bachelor's Degree(BA)in Social Services or Child/Family related studies and a minimum of two(2)years experience working in child welfare,juvenile justice, social service setting preferred but may be substituted with an Associates Degree(AA)in Social Services or Child/Family related studies and a minimum of four(4)years experience working in a child welfare,juvenile justice,court or social service setting.Direct experience working with children and/or youth required. Experience in the field of child abuse, child development,juvenile law and volunteer program management preferred. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as legal pleadings, court orders, operating instructions,and procedure manuals.Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.Ability to speak effectively in a court environment and before groups of volunteers. MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add,subtract,multiply, and divide in all units of measure,using whole numbers,common fractions, and decimals.Ability to compute rate,ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret graphs. REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variable in standardized situations.Ability to review and analyze data for the purposes of data driven decision making. Jefferson County Job Description: Family Court Program Assistant Page 4 of 4 COMPUTER SKILLS: Knowledge of computers and skill in the demonstrated use of spreadsheet,database,word processing, and other software applications used in the operation of the department and GAL program. CERTIFICATES,LICENSES,REGISTRATIONS: Valid Washington State Driver's License. Must pass a criminal history background check annually satisfying requirements of both Jefferson County and National/WA CASA Standards. Must successfully complete the GAL Core Training to become a qualified, sworn-in Guardian ad Litem within one(1)year of appointment. OTHER KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Ability to have flexibility in work schedule. Duties occasionally include non-standard work hours. Knowledge of the child welfare system,child development and family dynamics. Basic editing and copy-editing skills. Knowledge of juvenile court and dependency law. Knowledge of legal practices,procedures, legal terminology and document formats. Knowledge of trends and practices in advocacy and volunteer recruitment,training and retention. Knowledge of community resources,their referral processes, and services provided. Ability to work independently. Ability to use tact and judgment in responding to volunteers, coworkers, the public, law enforcement, juvenile, and officials from other agencies. Understand the need for maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job,the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand;walk; sit;use hands to finger,handle,or feel objects,tools,or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance.The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision,color vision,and the ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. CAREER LADDER POSITION: This position is not a part of a career ladder.