Child Welfare & Adult Protection Lead Caseworker

Lake County Government•Leadville, CO

2d•$73,000 - $83,000

About The Position

This position works within a state-supervised, county-administered human services structure and provides intake and ongoing child welfare and Adult Protection services, along with casework supervision across program areas including child abuse and neglect, youth in conflict, foster care, adoption, and adults unable to protect their own interests. The incumbent maintains a caseload primarily involving court cases, prepares court documents and progress reports, coordinates services and treatment plans, oversees investigations and placements, conducts or coordinates home visits, and testifies in court. The role also provides team support, including reviewing colleagues’ case plans and reports, helping with complex cases, training new caseworkers, maintaining team procedures, and serving as back-up supervisor to the Child Welfare and Adult Protection Manager. The position rotates as on-call supervisor, supports casework approvals and referral triage, and acts as an Interstate Compact for Placement of Children coordinator. The work involves extensive collaboration with clients, families, legal and judicial professionals, medical and mental health practitioners, substance abuse and psychiatric professionals, foster parents, community organizations, and agency staff. It requires independent judgment in complex and potentially high-risk situations, including assessing protection needs and selecting appropriate casework approaches. The position involves frequent travel for home visits, court appearances, and community meetings, and may involve exposure to unsafe or unsanitary conditions, crises, adverse weather, and emotionally challenging situations. Work includes prolonged sitting, computer work, and document review; occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting up to 25 pounds; regular public interaction in high-pressure situations; and occasional after-hours responsibilities. A county vehicle is provided for casework travel. Employees may also be required to serve as Disaster Service Workers during a declared local emergency or disaster.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in social work or another social science is required.
To satisfy the minimum educational requirements for a human behavioral science degree, the degree must include major coursework equivalent to 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in human behavior development, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques, such as social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, or child development.
Extensive casework experience in a public or private social services agency is required.
Management experience is required.
Complete all Colorado Department of Human Services training required for certification and ongoing state and county training within the first year of work.
Demonstrated high proficiency in social casework theories, principles, and concepts related to assessment and treatment across assigned program areas.
Knowledge of social work principles and methods; medical symptoms related to injuries or failure to thrive in children; domestic violence effects and applicable abuse, neglect, and dependency laws; and the needs of seniors and people with disabilities, LGBTQIA people, people with developmental delays or mental illness, people affected by addiction, and people deemed incompetent.
Skills in interviewing, crisis intervention, and relevant treatment modalities; knowledge of community resources, agency rules, regulations, and procedures.
Ability to establish rapport with clients; independently analyze complex situations, develop plans, and make timely decisions; communicate clearly verbally and in writing; maintain professional relationships; and testify effectively in court.
Ability to travel by car for casework and operate a motor vehicle for visits, court appearances, and community meetings.
Ability to exercise judgment, critical thinking, and situational evaluation in selecting appropriate casework techniques.
Follow established safety protocols and exercise sound judgment during field work.
Must be authorized to work lawfully for any employer in the United States; Lake County cannot sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.
Ability to attend emergency-management trainings and exercises as requested and perform Disaster Service Worker duties if required during a declared local emergency or disaster.

Responsibilities

Maintain a caseload primarily comprised of court-involved cases and assist with intake assessment overflow.
Prepare court documents for placement and permanency hearings and progress reports on Family Treatment Plan goals.
Source services for families that are court-ordered and included in treatment plans.
Assess children’s and adults’ mental health, medical, and physical needs and work with practitioners to develop appropriate treatment plans.
Attend state trainings to maintain certifications and develop subject-matter expertise.
Provide oversight of investigations into alleged physical abuse, neglect, and parent conflicts; assess whether children should be placed outside the home; supervise foster care placements and parent-child visits; and recommend whether children should return home.
Coordinate or supervise home visits with families.
Determine whether to recommend foster care placement and supervise children’s progress in placement.
Testify in court and make recommendations concerning abuse and neglect cases, child placements, adult guardianship, and custody investigations.
Oversee case plans and counseling services addressing parenting skills, family problems, parent-child relationships, and community-related problems.
Review fellow caseworkers’ case plans and reports for appropriateness and compliance with state standards when the Protection Manager is absent.
Assist fellow caseworkers with difficult cases and with developing, maintaining, and modifying family treatment plans.
Train new caseworkers and work with the Protection Manager to develop and maintain team standard operating procedures.
Provide feedback to colleagues on intake assessments and evaluations, counseling referrals, and case planning across assigned program areas.
Facilitate Family Engagement Meetings for teammates’ cases in coordination with the Protection Supervisor.
Authorize written reports and documentation of case plans, recommendations, contacts, and assessments.
Rotate with the Protection Manager as the team’s on-call supervisor.
Coordinate with the Protection Manager to approve teammates’ casework in Trails and CAPS.
Provide technical assistance to teammates and assist with Red Team meetings and referral triage as needed.
Serve as team supervisor in the absence of the Protection Manager.
Act as an ICPC (Interstate Compact for Placement of Children) coordinator.
Travel by car for home visits and visits with foster parents and children in placement as necessary.
Attend emergency-management training and exercises as requested and make reasonable efforts to attend scheduled events with advance notification; perform Disaster Service Worker duties if required during a local emergency or disaster.