Heartshare St. Vincent's Services ("HSVS") has served New Yorkers in need for over 150 years! HSVS believes that every youth deserves a safe, stable, and loving family. HSVS is seeking an extremely motivated and highly organized Adoption Specialist to help youth in foster care join their forever families. The Adoption Specialist meets with pre-adoptive families to gather all of the information and materials necessary to finalize adoptions, including conducting a home study and drafting a comprehensive adoption report. The Adoption Specialist works collaboratively with the case planning team, legal team, adoption attorneys, and courts, and as such, must be a very effective communicator.
First and foremost, the HSVS Adoption Specialist must believe that every youth, regardless of age or needs, deserves a permanent family, and is willing to work hard to make adoptions happen!
Meet with pre-adoptive foster parents to gather information and documents needed for home study, adoption subsidy, and finalization process. Write and organize comprehensive adoption report, including adoption home study and any needed addendums. Prepare adoption subsidy application. Gather all documents needed to complete adoption package for adoptive parent’s attorney to file in court Work collaboratively internally with casework, home finding staff, and legal team; and externally with adoption attorneys, ACS and OCFS to facilitate expedited filings and finalizations. Appear in court for adoption finalizations and as required by judges and ACS attorneys. Prepare status update reports for caseworkers for permanency hearings and other court appearances. Maintain accurate and current tracking system for progress toward goal of Adoption and enter this information into Connections Attend and participate in regular meetings with leadership and external stakeholders. Attend all required trainings. Prepare cases for Adoption audits Performs other duties as assigned.
Go to pre-adoptive homes to meet with pre-adoptive family and to conduct home studies.