Kinship Navigator

A Kinship caregiver is someone who is raising a child related by birth, marriage, or adoption, or a symbolic non-relative who has formed a strong bond or connect with the child in their care. This position is responsible for the coordination and provision of services under the Kinship Navigator and Kinship Caregivers Support Program contract for Kittitas, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Columbia, Garfield, Walla Walla, Asotin counties.

Responsibilities:

Manage and coordinate services for the Kinship Navigator Caregivers Support Program contract

• Provide outreach activities to inform the community of available kinship services.
• Provide information regarding Kinship services to schools, medical providers, senior and youth organizations, churches, social service agencies, and other institutions who may be serving this population.
• Lead kinship support groups and coffee chats
• Help with the development of the bi-monthly newsletter.
• Develop informational materials available to eligible families and community organizations.
• Coordination with Aging and Long Term Care (ALTC), and other community agencies providing services to kinship families.
• Participate in training with other Kinship Navigators through Catholic Charities.
• Participate in monthly technical assistance calls with other Kinship Navigators in WA State
• Participate in the Kinship Case Management Model under direct supervision with the Kinship Lead/Supervisor, SE WA ALTC and Home and Community Living Administration.

Maintain reporting requirements and submit required data to SE WA ALTC

• Maintenance of records, reports, and policies according to contract guidelines and the Kinship Case Management Guidelines.
• Input information into designated Kinship databases on children and families served.

Provide screening and eligibility for Kinship Caregiver Support Program families

• Provide income eligibilities and qualification to families eligible for KCSP.
• Authorize vouchers/purchase orders for qualified children/families.
• Coordinate with Catholic Charities business office on approved KCSP allocations to families and follow procedures to ensure direct assistance to families are processed according to the agency guidelines.

Provide information and referral to eligible Navigator Kinship families

• Assist kinship caregivers in understanding and navigating the system of services and how to access them.
• Appropriate services that will assist them in maintaining their caregiver role to prevent out-of-home placements
• Assist families with Minor Guardianship and other services that promote permanency for the children
• Enroll kinship families in the case management model and provide case management services to those families
• Assure that the kinship caregivers experiencing the most urgent/emergency needs are given the highest priority
• Have the ability to travel from Yakima to Tri-Cities offices to meet with clients as needed

Coordinate efforts with other service delivery agencies

Perform other duties as assigned