Child & Family Services Case Manager

About the position

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Family Well-Being and Protection, Bureau of Child Protective Services, is seeking a Child & Family Services Case Manager (Social Worker 2) to join our team! Do you enjoy working with children and families? If so, this is a great opportunity! Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has a current opening for a team member in the Family and Child Well-Being Division. HHS is responsible for working with families who have experienced abuse and neglect. You play a key role in preparing and supporting children and families to be successful. You will also assist families in realizing their full potential by working with them as experts, case planning with team members, and the courts, and connecting families to community resources. This is a full-time opportunity, Monday - Friday with typical hours being from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM however, flexibility in schedule is allowed with supervisory approval. Overtime may be required based on business need and position will require working some evenings, weekends, and holidays. Telework may be an option upon successful completion of the training period and will travel on a regular basis to conduct the assessments of allegations within the assigned Service Area. Mileage is paid at $0.50/mile travelled according to the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) State Accounting Enterprise Procedures. A valid driver's license is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage a diverse caseload of children and families that require ongoing service provision to ensure safety.
• Address the needs of children and families including safety, basic needs such as food, hygiene, education, health, and mental health.
• Evaluate the ongoing safety and risk of children by conducting home visits with the children and parents, foster parents, relatives, and others involved while providing timely professional documentation of these contacts and reports.
• Upload/e-file timely, accurate and detailed documentation for court involved cases and manage your schedule to accommodate your caseload.
• Respond to situations decisively and effectively (within policy) as family needs change which would include supervisory consultation as needed.
• Be a good team player with your co-workers and be willing to ask for and provide help.
• Engage the family in creating a family-centered plan in accordance to policy that analyze and assess the strengths and needs of the child and family and address ongoing danger and risk concerns.
• Assess the ongoing risk to the children, while developing safety plans and make recommendations to various county attorneys and courts.
• Collaborate with medical/mental health community partners, schools, legal partners, law enforcement, local community resources and others based on case needs.
• Professional and timely documentation of referred and provided services.
• Attend court hearings and provide professional testimony on behalf of the Iowa Health and Human Services.
• Attend and participate in various training sessions offered by HHS and other partner agencies.
• Understand and use multiple computer programs and data systems.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university; OR the equivalent of four years of full-time technical work experience involving direct contact with people in overcoming their social, economic, psychological, or health problems; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting the equivalent of one year of full-time qualifying work experience for one year (thirty semester or equivalent hours) of the required education to a maximum substitution of four years.
• A valid driver's license is required.

Nice-to-haves

• Critical thinking skills and plan development
• Customer service including de-escalation of conflictual or adversarial situations
• Excellent oral and written communication and report composition
• Teamwork, collaboration, and consultation
• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.