Job Description

New Hire Sign-On Bonus: $1,500.00

Position Summary:
CHRIS 180 Migrant Wellness Program provides 24-hour care for unaccompanied children (UC) under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) who are placed in residential care as they prepare for sponsorship. The program provides stabilization, behavioral support, comprehensive case management, educational services, daily living skills acquisition, recreational and therapeutic activities, and coordination of care. The Migrant Wellness Program provides a family-involved, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach to care within residential communities throughout the Atlanta area.

Being a House Parent is more of a mission/calling than your occupation. This is a 24-hour-a-day responsibility, just like being a parent to your children. Your schedule would be one week on and one week off. You must have an innate concern for the safety and well-being of children and youth. You do not choose the children who will be placed in the home, so a good understanding of cultural differences and trauma-informed care is important. You will be a paid staff member of CHRIS 180 as a foster parent receiving a salary living in one of our Migrant Wellness fully furnished homes.

This is a year-round position. While living in the home you are provided with a rent-free private bedroom, bathroom, living area, and a vehicle to use. All utilities are provided, and meals are included with the residents living in the home during your weeks on-site. Recreational activities involved with the residents during your schedule are also paid for through household funds.

The House Parent functions as the live-in therapeutic foster parent to the UC who immigrated to the United States primarily from Spanish speaking countries. The foster children living in the home maintain trauma histories, complex behavioral health needs, and may have experienced abuse and neglect. This position is responsible for creating a healthy, positive, long-term family living environment for up to four children in the home to prepare for reunification or transition to permanent foster care settings. Under the supervision and direction of the Program Manager, the House Parent is responsible for all of the day-to-day operations of running the home such as overseeing financial operations of the residential setting; assuring the home meets all regulatory standards; overall cleanliness of the home; coordination of home/youth activities and services provided; supervision of youth at all times; overall record keeping required for the home; communications from/to the office, youth and outside service providers, etc.

Role and Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide positive role modeling to youth.
• Promote self-esteem.
• Promote healthy boundaries.
• Promote good hygiene and appropriate personal appearance among youth.
• Reinforce socially acceptable behaviors (ex: manners, eating habits, safety).
• Teach and reinforce thoughtful decision-making.
• Assessing youth history of trauma, strengths, and needs.
• Assist in administering SFSS.

Duties:

• Prove support to meet youth’s health, well-being, education, mental health, and reunification needs.
• Participate in Team Meetings for all youth.
• Provide a safe, nurturing, consistent and caring atmosphere for youth in care.
• Support the consistent rhythms and routines of the home.
• Transport youth as required.
• Care for program facilities and equipment: organizing, cleaning, sanitizing. Household tasks and duties as assigned, or as needed, to promote a clean, safe, and comfortable environment.
• Cook balanced, healthy meals for youth and provide life skills training and supervision regarding menu planning and cooking.
• Assure safety in the home by conducting room inspections and securing potentially hazardous equipment and/or cleaning products.
• Assure youth safety in the home by monitoring youth interactions, remaining mindfully attuned to escalating emotions, and intervening with calming and de-escalation interventions and strategies to diffuse interpersonal tensions.
• As a last resort, safely implement Mindset restraint techniques to prevent harm.
• Support routines of youth through assisting and supervising wake-up, bedtime, personal care routines, completion of chores and laundry, meals, meal preparation, recreational activities, homework supervision, and assistance.
• Maintain awareness of each youth's history of trauma, developmental age, medications, strengths, skills, and abilities and use such information to guide interactions and interventions with the resident.
• Plan and actively participate in activities to support and increase skills and competencies.
• Engage youth in planning activities whenever reasonable to do so.
• Work as part of a team to identify needs and strategies to meet those needs. Implement identified strategies for youth to ensure needs are met.
• Assure medical and behavioral health needs are met in a timely and efficient fashion.
• Aware of a current safety plan for all youth and able to implement it.

Documentation Requirements:

• Document significant incidents in the KaleidaCare MIS before the end of the shift.
• Document all medical and dental appointments in the KaleidaCare system.
• Document visits, meetings, and court dates as case notes in K-Care.
• Maintain the files/charts on each child while in placement.
• Review medication administration records daily for accuracy.

Performance and Conduct:

• Maintain confidentiality of client information.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Works on other duties, tasks, and projects as assigned.
• Ensures agency compliance with the National Council on Accreditation and other mandatory regulations/standards.
• Lives and works by the CHRIS 180 Values and Code of Ethics
• Follow mandated reporting requirements of the GA Code.
• Support and maintain an environment of emotional and physical safety for youth, staff, and other stakeholders at all times.

Demonstrate Customer Service:

• Promote a positive image of CHRIS 180 programs at all times.
• Work as a contributing and collaborative team member.
• Respond to client and peer needs in a timely fashion.
• Answer telephone calls and emails accordingly.
• Respond to requests for information from stakeholders in a timely fashion.
• Work with sponsors, education professionals, court officials, and other stakeholders and a helpful and professional manner.

Qualifications/Competencies:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent degree required.
• Advanced education, is preferred.
• A minimum of 1-year of employment experience in the child welfare field working with children and/or adolescents in a social service setting is required.
• Prior experience working with the immigrant/refugee population, is strongly preferred.
• Must be at least 25 years of age.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, or sit; use finger dexterity, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Occasionally required to move or lift items up to 25 pounds in weight.
• Must pass a criminal history screen, including state and local child protection agency registries.
• Possess a valid driver’s license.

*HOW TO BECOME A HOUSE PARENT*
If/once you are selected to be a House Parent you will be asked to complete the foster parent certification process. To become an approved foster parent in the State of Georgia you will be required to complete some or all of the following processes. The process of becoming a House Parent Caregiver with CHRIS 180 typically lasts between one to three months and includes the following steps:

Certification Process

1. Participate in an informational orientation.
2. Submit a complete application and other documentation.
3. Participate and complete the home study approval process to receive approval to be a verified house parent.
4. Child Abuse Registry Check/Fingerprints – To be completed on all applicable household residents.
5. References – To be obtained before the training process.
6. First Aid and CPR Training – Will be provided.
7. Complete all required clearances – Must be obtained for all household residents.

SUPPORT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
CHRIS 180 understands that the commitment to foster a child comes with great rewards — and great challenges. This is why we offer the benefits of support and tangible resources to our LIRS to Adoption house parents.

These benefits include but are not limited to:

• Health Insurance and benefits (dental, vision, life)
• Paid Housing
• Paid Utilities
• Paid Food
• Company vehicle to utilize for work travel and appointments.
• Paid membership to the local YMCA
• Access to free or reduced-priced tickets to local events and attractions.

These supports include but are not limited to:

• Specialized trauma-informed training and 24-hour crisis intervention
• In-home support from Foster Care specialists and the treatment team
• Access to CHRIS Counseling Center with medication management assistance and therapy services.
• Assistance with linkage to age-appropriate resources and services.

Salary: $50K-52K/annually & $1,500.00 New Hire Sign-On Bonus

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

This position is grant-funded and on-site.

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