JOB SUMMARY
Located in the nation’s capital, The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is the chief legal office of the District of Columbia. The OAG enforces the laws of the District, defends, and provides legal advice to the District’s government agencies and protects the interests of the District’s residents. This position is located in the Public Safety Division (PSD) within the Juvenile Specialty Courts Unit (JSCU).
The Public Safety Division handles all cases where young people commit a law violation in the District of Columbia and prosecutes selected adult misdemeanor cases. The Domestic Violence and Special Victims Section and the Mental Health Sections protect victims of domestic violence, incapacitated adults who are being abused, and mentally ill adults who need emergency psychiatric care. The Restorative Justice Section facilitates conferences between the young people who commit crime and the victim, where the victim is interested. The Public Corruption Section prosecutes offenses related to fraud that undermine the public trust.
JSCU represents OAG in court in the Juvenile Behavioral Diversion Program, as well as handles Person In Need of Supervision (PINS) cases and manages the Addressing Truancy Through Engagement and Negotiated Dialogue (ATTEND) Mediation Program. ATTEND is designed to abate truancy in the District involving children ages 5 to12. The program receives referrals against parents who repeatedly fail to send their young children to school without a valid excuse and aims to assist those parents with services to allow their children to achieve maximum attendance in school.
This position description depicts generalized duties and responsibilities required of a Case Manager position with the primary responsibility for managing a caseload of parents whose children are identified as truant. Additional responsibilities include collection of statistical data, school records, court documents and other pertinent information to implement and reinforce a planned program with resources designed to meet the varied demands of individual needs and abilities of the families involved in consistent absenteeism from school where the child’s education is impacted. The incumbent is responsible for the constructive guidance, management and evaluation of individuals; and as such conducts intakes with parents and children of newly referred truancy cases in order to obtain pertinent data and to orient families to the District’s education rules, regulations, procedures and program opportunities and resources to resolve truancy issues.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Case Manager, CS-0101-12
This position is located in OAG’s Juvenile Specialty Courts Unit. The incumbent serves as a case manager for matters that OAG receives and refers to its ATTEND Mediation Program. OAG launched the ATTEND Mediation Program in January 2018 and designed it primarily to address truancy in the District involving children ages 5 to 12. The program receives referrals against parents who repeatedly fail to send their young children to school without a valid excuse and aims to assist those parents with services so their children achieve maximum school attendance. Incumbent’s duties include:
- Hands-on supervision utilizing the widest range of flexibility to provide comprehensive case management services to District parents and/or guardians of school aged children (consumers) who are identified as being at-risk or chronically truant.
- Provides case management services including linking consumers to community-based organizations or partner agencies to address daily essentials and barriers that impact their ability to ensure their school aged children attend school daily and on time.
- Provides direct assistance and supervision of expansion of the ATTEND Mediation Program into elementary and middle schools across the District with a concentration in Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8.
- Assists with the implementation and development of the ATTEND Mediation Program policies and procedures.
- Identify and cultivate educational, community, and therapeutic resources and partnerships to properly implement case management services.
- Conducts mental health, risk, and needs assessment of consumers to support addressing chronic absenteeism, educational enrichment and/or well-being. When applicable, provides objective and empirically validated evaluations of the assessments to Supervisor, Superior Court, D.C. Public Schools, and agency partners.
- Acts as a liaison between the ATTEND Mediation Program and OAG divisions and agencies including D.C. Superior Court, D.C. Public Schools, D.C. Public Charter School Board, and Mayor’s Services Liaison Office.
- Oversees parent engagement workshops including topic and speaker selection.
- Oversees the general administrative process and supervision of the ATTEND Mediation Program from case inception to closure.
- Contacts parents to confirm their participation in the program.
- Provides professional assistance, including mediation observations, during the ATTEND Mediation Program’s weekly sessions.
- Provides direct supervision of post-mediation matters to ensure compliance with agreements.
- Researches and utilizes evidence-based practices to maintain and enhance programmatic and customer service delivery.
- Assists in database design and data collection.
- Organizes and maintains statistical information on ATTEND matters.
- Produces written reports on the ATTEND Mediation Program as requested.
- Evaluates program effectiveness in meeting the prescribed objectives.
- Fluency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Smartsheet, and MS Access preferred. Ability to utilize a variety of program delivery methods, including live and/or web based online collaborative processes where appropriate.
KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION: Thorough knowledge of the Division’s Program Statements and Orders, as well as a wide range of all Public and Charter School Board, policies, procedures, manuals and directives that govern truancy matters and the confidentiality of consumer information.
Skill in interviewing consumers, within the context of cultural competency considerations, in order to gather information pertinent to case services and resolutions.
Thorough knowledge of research techniques, methods, and procedures to research and interpret considerable documents associated with the agency; to conduct research of case issues; to review and analyze complex cases; and to prepare reports of studies and recommendations.
Thorough knowledge of, and skill in applying analytical, investigative and evaluative methods and techniques to conduct research, resolve problems, gather information, analyze and evaluate information.
Ability to effectively communicate with people having varying degrees of socioeconomic barriers and cultural backgrounds.
Ability to develop, compile and present accurate reports and supportive documentation.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing, in order to provide assistance to clients; to prepare reports; and maintain contact with community, resource groups, and collaborative organizations. Ability to exercise tact, discretion, and skill in dealing with people at various grade levels and job categories. Knowledge of, and proficient in the use of operating a personal computer (PC), utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc., and a willingness to learn new technology associated with assigned work tasks for entering data, and producing reports and documentation.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s degree.
OR
Applicants must have four years of appropriate experience with a least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the CS-11 grade level, or its non-District equivalent gained from either the public or private sector.
OR
Applicants can have a combination of education, training and experience to qualify.
LICENSURE/CERTIFICATIONS: None
OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTORS:
Pay Plan, Series, And Grade: CS-0101-12
Salary Range: The maximum salary for this position is negotiable up to $92,656 depending on qualifications and availability of funds.
Number of Vacancies: One (1)
Type Of Appointment: Career Service – Term (13 Months)
Tour of Duty: Monday-Friday; 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Promotion Potential: No known promotion potential.
Collective Bargaining Unit: This position is in the collective bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Local 2401
GENERAL SUITABILITY SCREENING: The selected candidate will be subject to a background investigation including reference checks.
RESIDENCY PREFERENCE: Applicants claiming "Residency Preference” will be required to maintain residency in the District of Columbia for a minimum of (7) years. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of employment.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, genetic information, or political affiliation.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Code § 2-1401.01, et. seq., (the Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.
OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE TO BE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
