Child Protection Specialist (Region 4 - Southwest)

State of Montana • Dillon, MT

11h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Child Protection Specialist works within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services’ Child and Family Services Division, serving families in Region 4. The role involves investigating reports of child maltreatment, engaging with families facing difficult circumstances, and providing support, advocacy, and connections to resources. It requires empathy, resilience, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex and sometimes hostile situations.

The specialist conducts assessments and maintains a caseload, collaborates with law enforcement and other professionals, prepares for and participates in court and multidisciplinary proceedings, and arranges and monitors placements when needed. The position includes frequent travel, in-home visits, and interviews. A standard schedule applies, but critical business needs may require evening, weekend, or holiday work, and the employee is assigned to a rotating on-call schedule. The role supports Region 4, including Butte, Bozeman, Anaconda, Livingston, and Dillon. Work locations vary according to availability and community needs. Partial telework within Montana may be possible under conditions set by the supervisor and state policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, psychology, or a related field.
• Two years of social services or directly related work experience with children and families in difficult and sometimes volatile situations.
• Ability to make critical decisions based on information from multiple sources, including discrepant information, in high-stress situations.
• Ability to engage children and families under difficult circumstances to gather information and make accurate decisions.
• Ability to remain calm when confronted and develop and maintain constructive, cooperative working relationships, including with people who may be angry or violent or hold different viewpoints.
• Ability to operate a personal computer and general office equipment, including spreadsheet, word-processing, database, email, internet, and other computer programs.
• Willingness to travel frequently, including potentially out of state, and to have appropriate travel documents.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, or holidays when required by critical business needs and participate in a rotating on-call schedule.
• Demonstrated stress tolerance, self-management, decision-making, advocacy, and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with tribal government entities and/or other organizations of Native peoples.
• Knowledge of child development, child maltreatment prevention and treatment, and family-centered social work practice.

Responsibilities

• Conduct timely assessments of child maltreatment reports in accordance with state and federal statutes and agency policy, using standardized safety assessment tools and decision-making guides.
• Carry a caseload and keep case-file documentation current.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, welfare professionals, and other agencies.
• Prepare for and testify in court; participate in preliminary hearings, multidisciplinary team meetings, family partnership meetings, and court hearings.
• Place children in out-of-home care when necessary, ensuring placements are safe, comply with statutory and policy preferences, and serve the children’s best interests.
• Identify resources and connect families and children to them.
• Ensure children are evaluated and assessed to determine medical and psychological needs throughout the case.
• Prepare assessments and case plans, evaluate participant progress, and make and monitor appropriate placements.
• Conduct frequent travel, in-home visits, and interviews; obtain appropriate travel documents for any out-of-state travel.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule and work evenings, weekends, or holidays when critical business needs require it.

Benefits

• Healthcare coverage
• Retirement plans
• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Work/life balance
• Eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program
• Advancement opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level