CAMBA School Based Early Support - Case Manager

Who We Are: CAMBA is a community of staff, volunteers, clients, donors, neighbors and partners who work together to build an inclusive New York City, where all children and adults have access to the resources and supports, they need to thrive. We take a comprehensive approach by offering more than 180 integrated programs in: Education & Youth Development, Family Support, Job Training & Employment Support Services, Health, Housing, and Legal Services. We reach almost 80,000 individuals and families, including almost 13,000 youth. CAMBA serves a diverse cross section of New Yorkers from new mothers in Brownsville to job seekers in the Rockaways. More than half of our clients are immigrants and refugees from around the globe. Over 85% of our families are living in poverty, reflecting the challenges faced by nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers today.

CAMBA’s School-Based Early Support Program is a collaborative initiative with ACS designed to empower families and promote children’s well-being within the school environment. This program offers a range of services and supports directly accessible to families through partnerships with local schools.

Position: Case Planner

Reports To: Supervisor II

Location: 955 Flatbush Ave 4th Floor

What The Case Planner Does:

Family Support and Advocacy:

• Conducts outreach activities to engage families, including those who self-refer, and discuss program offerings and expectations. This outreach prioritizes referrals from partner schools, encompassing educators, support staff, and school-based service providers (health and mental health clinics, after-school programs, community school lead organizations, etc.), and extends to the broader community-based organizations (CBOs) and internal CAMBA programs to ensure a holistic approach to family support.
• Collaborates with referral sources, including schools (educators, support staff, and school-based service providers) and CBOs, to gain a comprehensive understanding of each family’s unique strengths, needs, and priorities, ensuring a good program fit. In this collaboration, informed consent for information sharing is secured from families to facilitate service delivery.
• Develops individualized support plans in partnership with families. These plans are based on comprehensive assessments that identify families’ strengths, needs, and service requirements.

Client Support and Advocacy:

• Builds trusting relationships with clients while maintaining confidentiality.
• Develops client goals, service plans, and tracks progress.
• Acts as a client advocate with schools, healthcare providers, and others.
• Empowers clients to overcome challenges and achieve self-sufficiency.
• Connects clients with essential resources and entitlements.
• Monitors client progress and updates plans as needed.
• May facilitate support groups and events.
• May support clients during school-based meetings to provide advocacy and ensure their voices are heard.

Child Safety and Well-Being:

As a mandated reporter in New York State, prioritizes the safety and well-being of children. This includes:

• • Assessing children’s safety through observations, interactions, and collaboration with families and school staff.
  • Promoting children’s well-being by fostering a supportive environment, identifying and addressing risk factors, and connecting families to appropriate resources.
  • Implementing safety interventions and/or services as needed, in collaboration with families and professionals, to keep children safely at home in their communities.
• Fulfills all mandated reporter requirements, including:
  • Collaboration with ACS staff to report suspected child abuse or neglect and provide relevant information.
  • Regular communication with other school-based staff (e.g., teachers, counselors, nurses) to share concerns and coordinate child safety efforts.
  • Notification to ACS of any elevated risk concerns that warrant an Elevated Risk Conference, ensuring timely intervention for at-risk children and families.

Case Management:

• Manages a caseload of 12 clients effectively.
• Maintains accurate documentation (FASP reports, databases).
• Prepares reports and participates in program evaluation.
• Recommends case closure based on guidelines.
• Participates in case conferences.

Family Engagement and Casework Contacts:

Conducts frequent and regular casework contact with families, adhering to ACS standards. This includes:

• • At least monthly contact with all children living in the home.
  • For families without a CPS history: at least one home visit every three months, supplemented by contacts at schools or community locations convenient for families.
  • For families with any CPS history: at least monthly home visits.

School Partnership and Outreach:

• Builds relationships with families from diverse backgrounds.
• Identifies at-risk families with school teams.
• Educates school staff about the program and target population.
• Provides School-Based Early Support services to families for an expected duration averaging 6-12 months. These services are designed to address challenges and promote a healthy family environment that supports children’s success in school.
• May co-plan and execute school-based offerings in collaboration with the School Outreach Liaison to develop programs, identify needs, and integrate with school plans.
• Keeps stakeholders informed through communication channels.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborates effectively with program staff, supervisors, and external partners.
• Participates in weekly supervision with Program Supervisor to discuss casework, professional development, and program updates.
• Attends scheduled program meetings to stay informed and contribute to program development and improvement.

Professional Demeanor:

• Maintains a professional demeanor at all times, demonstrating courtesy, respect, and empathy in interactions with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• Presents a professional appearance that aligns with the program’s image and fosters trust.
• Upholds ethical standards and conducts oneself with integrity in all situations.