THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $56,281 - $70,000.

*THIS POSITION IS OPEN ONLY TO CANDIDATES CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE PERMANENT TITLE OF CHILD WELFARE SPECIALIST*

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of New York City’s children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care services. In child welfare, ACS contracts with private nonprofit organizations to support and stabilize families at risk of a crisis through preventive services and provides foster care services for children not able to safely remain at home. Each year, the agency’s Division of Child Protection responds to more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. In juvenile justice, ACS manages and funds services including detention and placement, intensive community-based alternatives for youth, and support services for families. ACS is also a key part of NYCs early childhood and education continuum, providing childcare assistance to thousands of child welfare involved and low-income children so they can access safe, affordable, quality care.

Located within Family Permanency Services, under the umbrella of the Adoption and Kinship Services the Kinship Guardianship Program (KinGAP) which went into effect on April 1, 2011 is a federally supported program designed to provide financial assistance and medical coverage to qualified relative caregivers who assume legal guardianship of children formally in their care as foster children. KinGAP was designed to promote permanency for foster children who do not have discharge goals of return to parent or adoption by providing safe permanent placements with relatives. The KinGAP and Non-Recurring Guardianship Expenses Payment Program was developed to allow a relative who is the child’s current approved certified foster parent and who has been that child’s foster parent for a minimum of six consecutive months, to become the child’s legal guardian with financial and medical assistance. The KinGAP team members regularly liaises with provider agency staff and support staff providing information on the program. The unit is responsible for offering training on the program and sharing updates as it pertains to any new regulations with provider agency staff, attorneys, and other constituents. The team members also review and approve supportive documentation for program eligibility. The KinGAP unit consists of an Executive Program Director, Senior Advisor, Supervisor, Program Coordinator, and five Support Specialists.

The Child Welfare Specialist/Support Specialist would be responsible for but not limited to:

- Confirming eligibility requirements for all KinGAP families by reviewing KinGAP applications, Expenses Agreements, and supportive documentation for accuracy.
- Assisting provider agency staff in determining appropriate documentation required to apply for the Kinship Guardianship subsidy.
- Offering one-to one support to provider agency staff on the merits of the program, and providing key pointers on completing applications and submitting KinGAP packages.
- Liaising with case planners and supervisory staff providing guidance, recommendations, and follow-ups on completing KinGAP packages.
- Maintaining meticulous documentation and case files; developing Excel spread Sheets and ticklers as reminders for case assignments, requests for supportive documentation, and follow-ups from provider agency case planning staff.
- Speaking with internal and external partners regarding the program eligibility, and dispensing information accordingly.
- Reviewing Title IV-E eligibility status of children moving toward Kinship Guardianship.
- Preparing unit case records for Kinship Guardianship subsidy initiation after guardianship has been awarded.
- Preparing for and attending Kinship Guardianship subsidy fair hearings and completing necessary case notes and documentation.
- Completing post Kinship Guardianship subsidy upgrade application requests and Post Guardianship Amendment forms.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college including or supplemented by 24 semester credits in one or a combination of the following fields: social work, psychology, sociology, human services, criminal justice, education (including early childhood), nursing, or cultural anthropology, with at least 12 of these credits in one discipline.

Requirements for Assignment Level II
a. Upon satisfactory completion of six months of training and experience at Assignment Level I, an employee shall be assigned to Assignment Level II.
b. Upon completion of one year of satisfactory experience at Assignment Level II of Child Welfare Specialist and satisfactory completion of the probationary period an employee shall receive no less than the minimum salary after 18 months in title.
c. To be appointed directly to Assignment Level II, a candidate must have, in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements set forth above, one year of satisfactory child welfare casework experience.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.