Intake Specialist (Bilingual)

Office Location: St. Peter – St. Joseph Children’s Home – Social Services 59520
City and State: San Antonio, TX
Location Type: Social Services
Position Type: Para-Professional

Summary

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist is responsible for coordinating and implementing intake services for all UAC placements. The Intake Specialist must be on-call based upon programmatic needs to ensure that the intake process is completed for each UAC placed at St. PJ’s. The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist is supervised by the Emergency Shelter Lead Case Manager.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Coordinate new admissions of UAC with ORR-DUCS personnel.
  • Complete intake/orientation within 24 hours of UAC admission to include but not limited to: completing necessary documentation and providing youth with an Orientation of the program.
  • Ensure all forms and required documentation is properly completed in the web-based programs, including Kaleidacare and UAC Portal to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.
  • Adapt to changing program needs to include work in the evenings, weekends and holidays as needed.
  • Actively participate in the enhancement and/or improvement of the International Children Program, including living and working environment in cooperation with the Program Director and Assistant Program Director.
  • Comply with funding source guidelines for successful reimbursement for services rendered.
  • Participate in quality assurance activities as it relates to Emergency Care Services.
  • Attend administrative staff meetings, staff retreats, and other team building activities.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in knowledge of CPR/First Aid, Emergency Behavior Intervention, and child abuse reporting policies and procedures.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in knowledge of TDFP Minimum Standards and Office of Refugee Resettlement – Division of
  • Unaccompanied Children’s Services National Care Standards.
  • Assume ON-CALL duties after regular business hours, including nights, weekends and holidays.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and sensitivity of cultural norms, values, and heritage.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Intake Specialist position does not entail any supervisory responsibilities. This position ensures that services are provided in accordance with the agency’s policies and procedures, TDFPS Minimum Standards, Office of Refugee Resettlement – Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services National Care Standards, and other stakeholders. The Intake Specialist is supervised by the Emergency Shelter Lead Case Manager.

Qualifications

In accordance with St. PJ’s Policies and Procedures, TDFPS Minimum Standards, and Office of Refugee Resettlement – Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services National Care Standards, the Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist must meet the following minimum qualifications:
Submit to a state and federal background check, Child abuse, and neglect registry check, and Tuberculosis screening.
Be physical, mentally, and emotionally capable of performing assigned tasks and have the skills necessary to perform essential duties and responsibilities.

  • Bilingual in English and Spanish is required.
  • Must have a valid driver’s license.
  • Education and/or Experience

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist shall have a Master’s Degree in the behavioral sciences, human services or social services fields; or a Bachelor’s Degree in behavioral sciences, human services or social services fields plus a minimum of two years of progressive employment experience in the aforementioned fields. Professional licensure in behavioral sciences, human services or social services preferred.

Training Requirements

The training requirements for all personnel include, but are not limited to:

  • An Overview of St. PJ’s Mission, Philosophy, Policies and Procedures, Programs and Services, and behavior management model of care, Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI).
  • Pre-Service Training that includes topics related to the needs of children served (such as trauma, loss and childhood development), measures to prevent, identify, treat and report child abuse and neglect, confidentiality, procedures to follow in emergencies, preventing the spread of communicable disease, CPR/First Aid, and Emergency Behavior Intervention.

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist will complete additional training in the following areas:

  • Office of Refugee Resettlement – Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services National Care Standards.
  • Prohibition against providing legal advice or counsel.
  • Cultural competency including awareness of and sensitivity to different cultural backgrounds.
  • Immigration, child trafficking and smuggling.
  • Common health and mental health diagnosis of children served.

Language Skills

The Emergency Shelter Lead Intake Specialist must have the ability to read and interpret documents such as policy and procedures and program standards. The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist must be able to write routine reports and correspondence and speak effectively before individuals and groups. Bilingual in English and Spanish is required.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measures.

Reasoning Ability

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, organize and manage their responsibilities, and prioritize duties and assignments. The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist must possess strong assessment skills and the ability to remain calm and composed in crisis situations.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Appropriate State licensure and other applicable certificates, registrations, etc.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, hear, sit, stand, walk, talk, bend, stoop, lift and stretch. The employee is also required to use fine motor skills to type and write.

Work Environment

Given the nature of working with children who have been abused, neglected, and/or exploited, the work environment can be somewhat stressful and emotionally challenging. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Additional Requirements

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist agrees to sign the Confidential Information Policy in the Employee Guidebook which states that ALL information about a child, his or her family and past or present circumstances is strictly confidential and is not to be discussed, taken from the premises or divulged to persons other than those who have a professional interest in the child. Discussions of confidential aspects of St. PJ’s or disclosure of confidential matters either to another employee not entitled to the information or to persons outside the St. PJ’s community is considered grounds for termination.

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist will attend work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist is required to complete other job duties as assigned.

The Emergency Shelter Intake Specialist must be willing and available to work after hours, nights, weekends and holidays to handle intakes as needed. Provide proof of valid Texas Driver’s License (Class C); have access to reliable transportation; furnishing a copy of official state driving record verifying an acceptable driving record. Provide 2 (two) employment references and 1 (one) personal reference. Submit to a criminal background check, pre-employment and random drug testing and initial examination for tuberculosis. Learn and use automation to complete required forms and case documentation.

Disclaimer:

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job description or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, etc.)