• Job Description

  Req#: 541627

  Position Summary :

  The Domestic Violence Specialist Is primarily responsible for implementing best practices related to domestic violence in the child protective service delivery through domestic violence screening, documentation, training, and case consultation. The role of the specialist is to improve the safety and wellbeing of families through educating the child welfare workforce of services and protections available to Domestic Violence and Interpersonal Violence survivors. The Domestic Violence Specialist also contributes to needed child protective system improvements for this population by providing data and outcomes related to consultations, education and training stake holders and through complex case consultation with individual workers and case managers.

  Duties and Responsibilities:

  Client focused duties:

  • Provides consultation to OHS, CUA and Prevention provider’s workers who have concerns about DV in a case and/or who have cases involving DV
  • Coaches OHS and CUA workers on best practice to engage and intervene with families that are experiencing DV.
  • Provides timely follow up with DHS, CUA and Prevention workers who have concerns about DV in a child welfare case.
  • Report any child abuse concerns, as outlined in the mandated reporter trainings and guided by the child abuse laws.
  • Initiate and/or participate in family conference meetings, multi disciplinary meetings, and case review meetings.
  • Maintains client confidentiality per the guidelines of OHS and that National Association of Social Workers.
  • Assess families for lethality risks, develop safety plans in partnership with the worker and assist in documentation of domestic violence.
  • Engage both the survivor of domestic violence as well as the abusive partner in discussion about needs and potential services.
  • Provide networking support and technical assistance between case workers, supervisors and DV programs.
  • Utilizes bi-weekly supervision to discuss difficult cases, ensure best practices are being followed and to receive support from their supervisor.
  • Provide crisis intervention and home visit to families where there is a high potential for lethality as needed.
  • Other duties as assigned.

  Systems Improvement Duties

  • Ensures there is consistent communication with Domestic Violence Intervention Director (direct supervisor), the Office of Domestic Violence Strategies and other City's departments that are working with families affected by domestic violence.
  • Identifies patterns in investigations, case review meetings and individual case consults where there is room for improvement. Contribute to policy or practice adjustments led by Domestic Violence Manager.
  • Participates in Department and/or Unit meetings to ensure ongoing communication of DHS initiatives as well as to ensure a collaborative forum to develop, inform and enhance domestic violence and sexual violence related initiatives.
  • Participates in the development and establishment of policies and procedures, standards and scopes that align with best practices to identify and respond to domestic violence.
  • Represents the department externally and ensures the communication of program results with an emphasis on the successes of programs as models for regional and national replication.
  • Collaborates with OHS University (DKS-U) to ensure that social workers and supervisors receive appropriate and ongoing training on DV, including how to recognize signs of DV and how to effectively intervene in situations where DV Is present.
  • Provides trainings to CUA and DHS workers on best practices in child welfare when a family is experiencing DV.
  • Attend any trainings or in services available that Will increase knowledge of the resources available in Philadelphia, local laws that protect DV survivors and have an awareness of the services provided by all DV agencies in the city.
  • Other duties as assigned.

  Skills Required:

  General Skills and Experience In:

  • Prior experience working with individuals and families affected by domestic violence
  • Ability to design and facilitate a training for professionals that is catered to adult learners.
  • Excellent verbal, listening and written communication skills
  • Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Internet tools and social media.
  • Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions.
  • Proven working experience as a project manager in the human services or social services sector
  • Understanding of systems change approaches and the ability to transfer knowledge of advocacy and intervention to others
  • Capacity to see the big system picture while also having sensitivity to the needs of individual families
  • Capacity to educate and provide guidance, as well as to identify opportunities for advice and teachable moments

  Specific Knowledge and Skills in:

  Leadership.

  • Must be seen by employees, peers, and leadership as providing expertise In field of DV.

  Coaching:

  • Must be able to coach and support social work staff of varying tenures and experience with domestic and interpersonal violence interventions.

  Critical Thinking:

  • Must be able to solve problems as they arise, analyze inefficiencies and refine procedures.

  Oral Communication:

  • Able to communicate clearly to employees, leadership staff, general public and funded providers. Strong writing skills.

  Child Welfare Service Delivery:

  • Knowledge of child welfare system principles and practice modes.
  • Knowledge of social service administration as it applies to domestic violence.
  • Knowledge of principles, practices, methods, techniques, literature and current developments in the field of domestic violence

  Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in one of these majors: Counseling, Social Work, or Psychology with at least five years’ experience working with survivors, children or perpetrators of domestic violence.
  • Experience providing trainings to adult leaners.
  • Significance experience working with survivors of domestic violence and their children and with men who use violence.
  • One year of supervision experience, with preference to experience coaching professionals.
  • Advanced clinical skills and ability to provide case consultation and crisis intervention

  Physical Demands:

  Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of this position. Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to hire by PMHCC and during

  Essential Functions:

  • Establish and maintain relationships with community-based organizations and other City departments.
  • Develop forms and records to document project activities.
  • Set up files to ensure that all project information is appropriately documented and secured.
  • Monitor the progress of the project and adjust as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.
  • Establish a communication schedule to update stakeholders including appropriate staff in the organization on the progress of the project

  Equal Opportunity Employment:

  PMHCC, Inc. is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

  Americans with Disabilities Act:

  Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc. will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.

• About the company

  PMHCC, The Philadelphia Mental Health Care Corporation

Notice