Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Supervisor

DePelchin Children’s Center•Houston, TX

About The Position

The CANS Supervisor of the CANS Assessment Team oversees and supports a team of CANS Assessors responsible for conducting high‑quality Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) interviews and assessments for children and youth in care. This leader ensures assessments are timely, person‑centered, policy‑aligned, and responsive to the needs of children, caregivers, and permanency teams. The Supervisor maintains oversight of assessment workflow, compliance with Texas Child‑Centered Care (T3C) requirements, and the integration of CANS results into the agency’s permanency and placement processes. This position also serves as a key liaison between agency leadership, community partners, and the assessment team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum three (3) years’ experience in the child welfare field, including Permanency, Foster Care, Adoption, Conservatorship, or Family‑Based Services.

Nice To Haves

Previous supervisory or team‑lead experience strongly preferred.
Prior experience completing CANS assessments and familiarity with T3C standards.

Responsibilities

Provide daily supervision, coaching, guidance, and performance management to CANS Assessors.
Ensure staff complete all required trainings and maintain CANS certification.
Conduct regular team meetings, case staffing, and one‑on‑one supervision.
Promote a supportive, inclusive, and mission‑driven team culture.
Oversee scheduling, coordination, and delivery of CANS assessments to ensure compliance with state timeframes and agency standards.
Monitor assessment reports to ensure accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and adherence to T3C requirements.
Review documentation in the eCANS and IMPACT systems and provide corrective feedback as needed.
Resolve escalated issues or disputes regarding assessment outcomes.
Serve as primary point of contact for permanency workers, placement teams, caregivers, and community partners regarding the CANS process.
Communicate program updates, policy changes, and assessment outcomes to internal and external stakeholders.
Provide technical assistance and training on the CANS tool, placement processes, and related policies.
Provide input to leadership on process improvement and implementation strategies for the Texas Child‑Centered Care System.
Ensure adherence to agency policies, licensing standards and confidentiality requirements.
Track program metrics and prepare reports for leadership as requested.
Attend required agency trainings (e.g., Emergency Behavior Intervention, Trauma‑Informed Care, CPR/First Aid).
Remain informed of best practices in child welfare, assessment, and permanency planning.
Perform other duties as assigned to support the Texans Together mission.
Successful completion of the Texas CANS Child Welfare certification and certification as a CANS Super-Skilled User within 90 days of hire date included as part of the position’s training and required annually thereafter.