Child Welfare Social Case Worker

Mesa County•Grand Junction, CO

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

Mesa County Department of Human Services is a forward-thinking agency with over 300 employees serving the needs of nearly 40,000 residents. We value and respect humanity, honesty, balance, inclusion, and teamwork, and provide flexibility for staff to accommodate their lives outside of the office. This position offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with families and community partners for successful outcomes in the Child Welfare Division, promoting professional development in an innovative and strength-based system. We invite committed professionals with proven experience seeking a career in an honorable profession to apply.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from a higher education institution with coursework related to the job responsibilities of child welfare social caseworker. Course work examples can include and are not limited to, the development of human behavior, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques.
Professional, internship, or volunteer work experience in a human services related agency.
Transcripts for Bachelor's Degree Required. Attach to the application to be considered.
Must have valid driver's license, if you are from out of state, you must obtain a valid Colorado driver's license within 30 days of hire date, and you must not have any major violations, including DUI, DWI, and/or DWAI conviction(s) in the past three years.

Nice To Haves

Prior Child Welfare Case Management experience preferred (for Professional Development Coach, Facilitator/Diligent Search, and Family Empowerment Social Caseworker Positions).
Prior Child Welfare Permanency Case Manager Experience preferred (for Adoption Social Caseworker Position).
Bilingual (English/Spanish) desired.

Responsibilities

Provide case management services in accordance with agency, state, and federal guidelines and laws.
Conduct various family, safety, and risk assessments.
Work collaboratively to establish and monitor treatment plans with families and service providers.
Utilize solution-focused practice to mitigate risk, enhance safety, and expedite case resolution.
Complete comprehensive reports and extensive case documentation.
Conduct home visits, attend community meetings, and participate in court hearings.
Provide court testimony, as needed.
Authorize and coordinate supportive services.
Provide referrals to services within the community and collaborate with partner agencies.
Work with, and advocate for, families in crisis situations and/or those impacted by trauma, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, multi-generational poverty, child abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, etc.
Answer the Child Protection Hotline and take thorough and complete referrals through enhanced screening techniques.
Complete fatality, near fatality, egregious and institutional abuse assessments.
Provide training to various audiences on how to identify and report child abuse and neglect.
Act as a representative of Child Welfare at community interdisciplinary meetings.
Conduct initial assessments regarding assigned abuse and neglect referrals.
Engage with families to maintain children safely in the home.
Facilitate removing children from the home when safety cannot be maintained.
Collaborate with families, service providers, community, and courts to establish permanency for children through reunification, allocation, guardianship, or adoption.
Monitor progress of treatment plans and identify barriers.
Collaborate with families, service providers, and the community in non-court involved cases to mitigate risks, maintain safety of children and youth with their family and support well-being.
Identify and address barriers to progress through intensive in-home engagement.
Manage cases primarily overseen by the juvenile delinquency (JD) court system.
Oversee youth placed in Residential Treatment facilities.
Complete the training 'engaging youth in a coach-like way' and implement these skills in all cases.
Support youth with voluntary cases to locate housing.
Assist youth in developing independent living skills.
Promote youth and agency participation in the Chafee program.
Utilize concepts from several family engagement models, such as Family Group Conferencing, Family to Family, and Team Decision Making.
Conduct Permanency Roundtable (PRT) meetings for identified youth.
Conduct family searches to identify kinship supports and potential placement options.
Develop and present group coaching sessions and trainings.
Conduct individual coaching sessions utilizing the co-active coaching model.
Oversee and enhance the mentorship program.
Support staff professional development through creating and monitoring structured learning plans.
Collaborate with permanency case managers to provide concurrent case planning prior to termination of parental rights (TPR).
Manage cases after TPR has been court ordered.
Prepare legal and other required documents for adoption.
Establish a child's eligibility for adoption assistance and complete assistance requirements.
Recruit adoptive families for children.
Evaluate prospective foster, kinship, and adoptive families using standardized home studies, background investigations, home inspections, and interviews.
Certify and recertify foster, kinship, and adoptive families based on state requirements.
Provide initial and ongoing training to placement resource families.
Ensure ongoing compliance of both certified and non-certified placement providers.
Participate in ongoing recruitment and retention events.