Quality Assurance Specialist II

This position provides responsible technical support ensuring quality of care standards by providing assistance, consultation, and making recommendations to management and staff in the area of Child Welfare and Adult Services.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

An employee in this class will manage and direct the quality of care standards by facilitating child/family meetings, conducting case audits and reviews, completing home studies, and providing other relevant support to management and staff. An employee will also provide necessary training to staff as training needs are identified through program review and audits or assist in facilitation/coordination of the identified training need. This position must utilize exceptional judgment as decisions could affect future accreditations, licensure and funding. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Child Protective Services Supervisor.

Illustrative Examples of Work

• Carry out comprehensive quality assurance monitoring through the development of standards and review of Agency files to ensure that the Agency is meeting Federal, State and local programmatic requirements.
• Assists with both short- and long-term planning within the Department through direct activity and provision of technical assistance to CPS and APS leadership.
• Facilitates and provides documentation of Child and Family Team Meetings (CFT's).
• Conducts second party reviews of Child Welfare files to ensure cases meet State standards.
• Completes home studies on an as-needed basis of prospective placements for children involved in the Child Welfare system.
• Will collaborate with Agency managers to identify and conduct any necessary training needed to improve Agency outcomes.
• Provides one on one and group training as identified, working with supervisors and program mangers to promote effective social work practices.
• Assists in pulling and preparing case files for audits/reviews.
• Assists in supporting children/families moving through the Partnering For Excellence (trauma-informed care) pathway to ensure timeliness of services.
• Provide backup to SW III who receive and screen services referrals make a thorough exploration and evaluation of the information being provided.
• Position is assigned to Emergency Shelter Duty in the case of a natural or man-made disaster.
• Adheres to the department's safety rules and regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must have strong writing skills and knowledge of Standard English composition and grammar.
• Must be knowledgeable of the Agency's programs and services and human service programs available within the community.
• Must have good interpersonal communication skills.
• Must have good interviewing skills.
• Ability to assimilate information for analysis, interprets trends, draws conclusions, considers available options, and makes relevant recommendations for change.
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and evaluate.
• Must have creative skill in solving problems, presenting ideas, and writing reports.
• Ability to read, interpret and apply policy.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and other units within the Agency, various media, and community professionals and leaders.
• Ability to work independently in the office and/or in the field.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational support functions of fingering, talking and hearing.
• Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.
• Must have visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, work on a computer terminal and perform extensive reading.
• Worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as in typical office or administrative work).

Education and Experience

• Master's degree in psychology, social work, education, health, business administration, marriage and family therapy or related human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience in professional level treatment programming for the applicable client population; or a bachelors degree in one of the fields listed above from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of experience as indicated above; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Additional Training/Experience: Worker must have completed all required training as indicated as necessary by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, including pre-service and in compliance with legislation passed by the 1997 General Assembly which is effective January 1, 1998 in he established timeframes to still be valid.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid North Carolina Driver License.