LOCATION:      Brooklyn, NY

REPORTS TO: FTC Supervisor 

DEPARTMENT: PQI - Performance and Quality Improvement

SCHEDULE:     Full Time / Onsite / Hybrid Schedule

AGENCY BACKGROUND:
MercyFirst is a not-for-profit human and social service agency that has been serving children and families in need since we were founded by the Sisters of Mercy/Hermanas de las Misericordia in 1894. Today our agency continues to address the emotional and physical needs of children and families in Brooklyn, Queens and across Long Island through innovative treatments and life-changing interventions. We provide community-based prevention and family foster care services, group homes in the community for struggling children and families within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and short-term residential services for unaccompanied migrant children. Each year, MercyFirst helps more than 3,000 children, teenagers and families overcome enormous obstacles, re-imagine their futures, and develop their full potential.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND:
The Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) Department is responsible for the agency's information, program and operational quality, compliance, program data tracking, reporting and quality/performance improvement process across MercyFirst.  PQI ensures MercyFirst meets all regulatory and contractual program performance and facility requirements across the agency.  Led by the Chief Quality Officer, PQI staff support programs the above areas along with conducting continuous quality improvement activities such as case record reviews, utilization reviews, stakeholder surveys, KPIs and outcome measures.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The FTC Facilitator is responsible for helping to identify issues that may threaten the safety of children at home, address the status of behaviors or conditions that present risk of abuse or maltreatment to the child, and to help family members create a plan that will address these risks while promoting the advancement of a permanency and/or stabilization plan for the child/family. The FTC Facilitator will utilize a strength-based perspective in guiding a processes that is solution focused, and maintain a neutral and/or objective perspective while guiding the problem-solving solutions raised by staff, children, and/or family members.

Reporting Relationship: FTC Supervisor

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s in social services (e.g., social work, psychology, sociology, etc.) with 2 years casework and 1-year group work experience and/or 1-year supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of child welfare and understanding of systemic approaches for engaging families in team conferences and regulatory procedures and practices for child welfare facilitation preferred.
• Effective negotiation skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with programs and clients.
• Flexibility, and good engagement and assessment skills, including strong oral, writing, and organizational skills.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders and develop collaborative relationships.
• Detail-oriented and able to keep accurate, well-organized records; able to work independently but know when to seek assistance.
• Travel may be required to facilitate conferences at MercyFirst program sites for Foster Care, Residential, and Prenatal/Postpartum/Parenting (PPP) programs.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the ability to learn city state and federal data systems including NYS’ CONNECTIONS case management system, as well as MercyFirst’s internal case management systems as necessary.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitate and coordinate Family Team Conferences (FTCs) in both Family Foster Care (e.g., EFFC, Therapeutic Foster Care), and Residential (e.g., PPP programs) to ensure case plan decisions reflect MercyFirst values and principles.
• Maintain fidelity to the FTC model: Establish an atmosphere conducive to facilitating an FTC that is strength-based, solution-focused, and engages all stakeholders in a participatory process to assist in reaching consensus; raise objective questions to initiate “straight talk” among the stakeholders and guide the problem-solving process.
• Communicate with direct supervisor to troubleshoot decisions prior to cancelling or rescheduling an FTC if a stakeholder will not be present or arriving late for the conference.
• Assure all stakeholders have the FTC summary report, which is inclusive of next steps, timeframes, and any referral source(s).
• Anticipate and communicate with the FTC Coordinator any incident that occurred during an FTC that may require additional administrative intervention such as identified safety issues, reasons that should deem a removal, or concerns that may have not required reaching consensus but may impact attaining the goals set forth on behalf of the case.
• Attend and participate in weekly supervision to report on the FTCs held, and raise concerns that are pertinent to the follow up of supervisors and staff in addressing the needs and goals identified at each conference.
• Practice flexibility in work schedule to assure FTCs occur.
• Complete other assignments as needed or designated by the FTC Coordinator and Chief Quality Officer.

• Submit weekly calendar to Unit Supervisors/Program Director in family foster care, preventive, and residential programs to reflect all FTCs that will be facilitated.
• Ensure timely documentation of FTC summary report in CNNX to be contemporaneous with when the conference was held; also enter information within agency’s internal system of record, i.e., ASARA as required, and track outcomes via reporting.
• Ensure that solutions and/or next steps are measurable, have time limits, and are matched to the needs of clients by identifying and outlining when and how to accomplish next steps to achieve programmatic goals.
• Track all FTCs held and support quality improvement-related data collection and analysis, including providing reports on a monthly basis to family foster care, residential, PPP, and preventive programs.
• Meet with program staff to ensure that the programs are meeting facilitation targets, including providing training, support, and technical assistance.

BENEFITS/PERKS:

• A comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental and vision plans for you and your family (fulltime reqd).
• 403B retirement benefits.
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance.
• Generous paid time off (vacation, personal, 12 paid holidays for fulltime, sick leave based on hours worked).
• Free employee assistance program through National EAP.
• Insurance discounts for our staff and their families.
• Trainings to support professional and personal development.
• Employee wellness program.
• Employee recognition activities.

Salary Range:

$55,000 - $58,000 per year
 

MercyFirst is an inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer who welcomes prospective employees from diverse backgrounds for all levels at the agency. We strive for a workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve, and do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, age (18 and over), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, marital status, partnership status, care giver status, pregnancy, genetic information or predisposition or genetic characteristic, unemployment status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking, consumer credit history, or any other status protected by federal, state, and/or city law. This includes, but is not limited to, employment actions against and treatment of employees and applicants for employment.