Dept of Family & Protectve Svc

Job Description: CPS FGDM Spec FSS II (This position manages the FGDM
Facilitators)
The purpose and goal of the Family Group Decision Making Supervisor is to
ensure that the facilitators:

involve families and children in service planning and decision making.

promote the various models of the FGDM process used by CPS. These
models are Family Group Conference, Family Team Meeting and Circle of
Support Meetings.

employ a variety of practices to engage families and children while seeking
greater involvement from relatives, service providers, and other community
organizations to provide better results for reuniting children with their families.

The Family Group Conference Manager is responsible for ensuring staff are

making face to face contact with parents and/or youth (when applicable);

preparing all participants for the family group conference, including CPS staff;

coordinating and confirming conference logistics and set up;

following an established agenda and maintaining focus during the
conference;

maintaining group dynamics and encouraging family participation;

maintaining current knowledge of FGDM trends and practices;

working with the DFPS Disproportionality Initiative to reduce the numbers of
minority children in care

providing consultation, training and education to CPS staff and external
entities
to coordinate, improve and strengthen the FGDM program;

following CPS policy and philosophies governing Family Group Decision
Making;

demonstrating a clear understanding of assigned roles and maintaining an
independent role;

respecting and incorporating culture and family traditions within the
conference process;

maintaining a working knowledge of community resources including
developing and
maintaining a working relationship with internal and external stakeholders;

ensuring timely completion of Family Group Conferences each month;

maintaining accurate and timely documentation in IMPACT of conferences
held each month;

provide on-going training and/or mentoring to CPS staff on the FGDM model;

preparing training and presentation materials as assigned;

presenting information to groups and performing public speaking as assigned;

completing other FGDM meetings such as Circles of Support or Family Team
Meetings when required;

the Family Group Conference Specialist will complete all conferences as
assigned.

Essential Job Functions:
The essential job functions of the Family Group Conference Manager is to ensure that staff:

facilitate a quick response to families who have experienced removal of their children by CPS;

engage and prepare all participants, including the wider family circle, the informal support network, and professionals/service providers, for their roles in the FGC;

create an environment in which honest and respectful dialogue occurs between agency personnel and family groups

display sensitivity to cultural differences and recognize the legitimacy of the customs, values and beliefs of every culture

The Family Group Conference Manager ensure that staff:

coordinates the logistics of the Family Group Conference-25%;

contacts the parent(s) and/or other family members who are referred to a family conference to explain the purpose and process of the family conference-35%;

determine whether the parent or other family members agree with the terms and conditions of the conference and who may attend the conference-5%;

when required, assists the family with documenting their plan-5%;

completes and maintains the referral and family group conference contacts in IMPACT-15%;

maintain other records of the family group conference process as required by regional policies-5%;

trains and develops agency personnel on the family group conference process-5%; and performs other duties as assigned-5%.

Knowledge Skills Abilities:
The successful applicant will demonstrate measurable success in the following knowledge, skills, and ability to assess staff who are:

Skilled to facilitate meaningful discussion between persons with adverse interests;

Skilled to quickly build rapport with persons in crises situations;

Ability to coordinate various activities in an efficient and effective manner;

Knowledge of DFPS agency policies and procedures;

Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and to protect the privacy and identities of CPS families;

Ability to work collaboratively, in a coordinated way, to serve families;

Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships;

Ability to maintain a neutral and non-judgmental stance during conference discussions;

Skilled in building a wide array of community resources;

Excellent coordination skills required;

Excellent organizational skills/time management skills required;

Ability to work some evening hours;

Ability to operate a personal computer and use IMPACT;

Ability to travel.

Registration or Licensure Requirements:
*MUST HAVE TAKEN AND SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE SUPERVISOR ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATION* PLEASE SEE LINK BELOW
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/jobs/supervisor_assessment
Must hold a current, valid Type C Texas Driver’s License.

Initial Selection Criteria:

Must be a current employee of DFPS in good standing of work performance.
Applicants failing to meet this criterion will be screened out.

Prefer DFPS employees possessing a minimum of 7 years of agency experience which includes Investigations Conservatorship, Family Based Safety Services at the supervisory level is preferred.
– -Prefer experience utilizing the Risk/Safety Assessment in case practice.

Prefer experience in effectively communicating with all levels of staff and other agencies, service providers, contractors, extended relatives, biological family members, and stakeholders to meet a variety of clients’ needs.

Must have graduated from an accredited 4-year college or university.

Additional Information:
This position may be filled as a CPS Supervisor I or II. Factors such as education and experience may be considered when establishing the starting salary.

Applicants for this position who are screened in for further consideration are required to complete an assessment to determine his or her eligibility to be considered for an interview. Additional information about the assessment, including class locations, the registration process, and study materials may be found in the Jobs section of the DFPS internet here.
This position will be in a mobile unit which means the majority of the work will be conducted using mobile technology, such as a tablet, while away from the office. Being mobile requires working independently yet still being responsive to supervision and your assigned unit. Newly hired DFPS employees in eligible positions will be assigned a DFPS cellular phone.

Must complete and successfully passed the supervisor assessment exam.
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/jobs/supervisor_assessment PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW

MOS Code:
Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to: 31B, 31D, EOD, 401, 5819, 7S0X1. All active duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at http://www.hr.sao.state.tx.us/Compensation/JobDescriptions.aspx

As a state agency, DFPS is required Texas Administrative Code (TAC 206 and 213) to ensure all Electronic Information Resources (EIR) follow accessibility standards. The staff must be familiar with the WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 to create accessible content including but not limited to; Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDFs, webpages, software, training guides, video, and audio files.

HHS agencies use E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work.

I-9 Form – Click here to download the I-9 form.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.