Caseworker I/Social Service Worker-Adoption Team, DCFS Southwest Region (Cedar City/St. George)

State of Utah • Cedar City, UT

17h • Hybrid

About The Position

Under the supervision of a Therapist Supervisor, the Adoption Caseworker I/Social Service Worker serves as a subject matter specialist in adoption and permanency planning, providing assessment, consultation, intervention, pre and post-adoption support. The role includes, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and participation in permanency planning activities to promote safe, stable, and permanent family connections for children. The position may be based out of the DCFS Cedar City or St. George Office. These positions will be filled as a Caseworker I or Social Service Worker depending upon the qualifications of the applicant.

Requirements

• Knowledge of child welfare, adoption, permanency planning, and trauma-informed clinical practices.
• Ability to assess adoptive and guardian family strengths and needs.
• Strong organization and time management skills, adhering to permanency deadlines, thoughtful planning and accurate record keeping.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including documentation, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and court-related reporting and professional testimony as needed.
• Must have a valid Utah driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

• May require 24-hour on-call services/time.
• Travel required; you may be required to use your personal vehicle to perform the duties of this position; approved mileage is reimbursable through State Finance.
• All DCFS job offers are contingent upon passing a Background Screening Application (BSA).

Responsibilities

• Provide adoption, permanency, pre and post-adopt services to children in DCFS custody and aftercare in the Washington, Kane, Garfield, Paiute, Beaver, Wayne, Sevier, Sanpete and Iron County service areas.
• Serve as an adoption, permanency, and adoption specialist by collaborating with DCFS case managers to identify, establish, and support long-term plans.
• Support children and families by answering their questions related to adoption or permanency.
• Help them to explore concerns and understand long-term support needs.
• Assessment of adoptive family matches
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community partners, placement providers, and adoption agencies.
• Assess adoption subsidy needs, chair the Regional Subsidy Committee, present recommendations to committees, and track cases exceeding 18 months in care to address permanency barriers.
• Maintain accurate documentation, case records, and reports in accordance with DCFS and DHHS standards, including effective and timely archiving of adoption records.
• Coordinate with regional specialists to identify and resolve Medicaid related needs, including ICAMA coordination with other state agencies.
• Facilitate processing of adoption and guardianship paperwork with casemanagers, legal representation and the court in order to support permanency outcomes for children and families.
• Demonstrate fiscal responsibility through management and tracking of the Subsidy Committee budget with the support of the Regional ASM. This includes payment processing, grants and subsidy changes for children.
• Educate families on adoption and guardianship aftercare resources, supporting them in making effective permanency decisions.

Benefits

• This position is eligible for a full benefits package.
• Job Stability: Enjoy the security and reliability of employment within a well-established organization.
• Career Growth: Develop valuable skills and gain opportunities for leadership within a large organization.
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to an important service that benefits the community and supports organizational goals.
• Supportive Work Environment: Be part of a team that values cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed