Supervising Social Worker, Family Defense Unit

Supervising Social Worker - Family Defense Unit

Full Time

Professional

White Plains, NY, US

$72,000.00 To 95,000.00 Annually

 About Us

For more than 50 years, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has been providing free, high-quality legal counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake including: eviction and foreclosure prevention, domestic violence, disability, elder law, healthcare, consumer fraud and more.  Our services support almost 600,000 poor and low-income families and individuals who cannot afford an attorney in our seven-county service area.  With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to ensure that everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay.  As the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan), LSHV is proud to have handled over 12,000 cases impacting nearly 27,500 household members including 10,000 children last year. LSHV is made up of ten offices, and a dedicated and highly skilled staff of attorneys, paralegals and administrative professionals.

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is dedicated to building a highly skilled workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We are committed to racial justice and promoting equity for all, and we continuously review and strengthen our processes and practices to empower our staff, clients and the communities we serve. Respect is a cornerstone of relationships among our staff.  Our affinity groups are self-directed and provide a space for members to support one another and their shared vision. We encourage applications from people of all identities.

Position Description

The Family Defense Unit (FDU) Supervising Social Worker will oversee the work of one social worker and two parent advocates.   The FDU Supervising Social Worker will take lead in developing a holistic case management plan in consultation with clients, attorneys, and the parent advocate, accounting for the strengths and needs of the client and the family. Additionally, social workers will provide crisis management and ensure clients have the support that they need to access critical legal and non-legal services to achieve clients’ goals of child safety and family stability including leveraging LSHV’s other programs and providing referrals to outside providers.   The Supervising Social Worker takes part in various Stakeholder meetings and represents LSHV in the community.

Essential Duties:                

• Oversee the work of the social work and parent advocate team within the Family Defense Unit, assist with training and provide feedback to the team.  
• Partner with the Supervising Attorney of the FDU
• Carry a caseload and work collaboratively with attorneys and team members to represent parents in Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigations; Article 10 Petitions for Neglect or Abuse (Article 10), Permanency Planning Proceedings and Termination of Parental Rights proceedings in Family Court.
• Provide social work support and advocacy to clients.
• Conduct intake and client interviews, assessing clients’ needs and goals, 
• Ensure clients are engaged in appropriate and meaningful service plans, 
• Complete strength-based family assessments and address acute needs. 
• Refer clients for necessary services and at times accompany them to meetings with CPS and other entities.
• Maintain contact with service providers to obtain letters for court.
• Advocate for clients with CPS and at foster care agency conferences.
• Participate in team meetings as well as administrative meetings within LSHV. 
• Keep up to date client legal notes and enter data in LSHV’s database.

 Qualifications/Education:

• LMSW license.
• Seven years or more of experience working with families in crisis, preferably in the Child Welfare or Family Court System.
• Supervisory experience in the Social Work Field 
• Excellent people skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team with other legal professionals, social workers, government agencies and other service providers.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for the work of defending parents in Child Welfare Proceedings and Investigations and a desire to support parents.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a car.

Preferred

• Fluency in Spanish.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income persons with prior experience in legal services or similar program.

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is a proud equal opportunity employer. People of all races, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability and veteran status, are strongly encouraged to apply.