Job Description

Quality Improvement Specialist

The mission of CWFS - Continuous Quality Improvement Department is to provide a robust continuous quality improvement system that consistently improves services and supports for children and families and ensures that the division is making the most effective use of available resources. The Quality Improvement Specialist will be responsible for supporting the Safe Way Forward (SWF) Program by developing QA measures that promote child welfare best practice and compliance with ACS policies, procedures, and mandates. The QA Specialist will perform functions in four district domains, including: Quality Assurance functions to ensure staff meet required OCFS and ACS mandates; Quality Improvement functions to identify learning needs and gaps in service so that staff always strive towards meeting child welfare best practice; Accountability Oversight and Site Administrative functions in support of the Site Director. The QA Specialist will report to the Director of Quality Assurance.

Essential Duties:

• Understand and promote the organization's Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Identify and evaluate key indicators of performance and practice in child welfare.
• Review weekly charts and progress notes, Family Assessment Service Plans (FASPs), and Plan Amendments to evaluate outcome measures and assess best practice.
• Conduct and analyze data from random reviews of case records to evaluate the timeliness and quality of documentation, assessments of safety, risk, well-being and services, supervision and guidance, as well as timely and effective decision-making on cases.
• Compile monthly statistics and quarterly outcomes metrics to design outcome measures that support quality improvement processes in collaboration with the SWF leadership.
• Collaborate with the team in developing and formalizing program policies, procedures, and guidelines, to create a program manual and support compliance with ACS mandates and new initiatives.
• Oversee program compliance with accountability regulations and procedures of OCFS, ACS and Children's Aid.
• Produce monthly and quarterly reports that includes, but is not limited to, performance data, Indicated SCR, Clients Served, CSEC, Supervisory Case Reviews, Casework Contacts, FASP Timeliness, Family Engagement and Family Team Conferencing.
• Assist with the development and review of SWF dashboards metrics to monitor compliance and practice in key performance indicators.
• Analyze metrics from city, state and federal audits and provide program leadership with reports of findings that include trends and targeted areas for improvement.
• Participate in the ACS Agency Program Assistance Collaborative Quality Improvement cycle and support program staff in the collection and analysis of data in targeted areas for improvement, as applicable.
• Continually engage and support programs by participating in staff meetings, sharing information, attending COFCCA meetings, troubleshooting database issues and building sustainable child welfare practices.
• Work collaboratively with SWF leadership to provide individual and/or site-based group trainings as needed, including new hire orientation.

Teamwork and Collaboration Responsibilities:

• Support the role of the Director of Continuous Quality Improvement by taking on additional tasks and participating in meetings as needed.
• Provide support with various division objectives including, but not limited to, implementation of new contracts and models, monitor and collect outcome data for grant funded programs and initiatives.
• Continually collaborate and support fellow Quality Improvement Specialists to provide adequate coverage and support for all preventive programs, meet deadlines and project deliverables.
• Engage in continuous learning and professional development that furthers the department's continuous quality improvement mission and goals.
• Support the implementation mechanisms of feedback by collecting and analyzing data from, survey tools, etc.
• Support the Director of Quality Improvement to develop internal policy and procedure to improve programmatic practice, performance and operations.
• In addition to the tasks listed above, the Quality Improvement Specialists will accept all other tasks as assigned and necessary to support the success of team and program(s).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in social work or in a related field required.
• Minimum of 3 years' experience working in an ACS Child Welfare/Human Services setting with in-depth knowledge of and familiarity with ACS and OCFS child welfare policies, procedures and best practices preferred.

Key Competencies:

• Advanced skills in using agency and child welfare systems such as, Connections and PROMIS systems.
• Experience using MS Excel and statistical analysis and concepts.
• Must be a creative thinker and problem solver.
• Must be self-motivated and self-directed to manage and complete projects within structured timeframes.
• Strong interpersonal skills as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Flexibility, and ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children's Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children's Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children's Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team. This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes. The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.

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