Foster Care Licensing Worker

State of Iowa•State of Iowa - See Job Description, IA

4d•Onsite

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 Foster Care Licensing Worker (Social Worker 2) to join our team! This position will be located in one of the full-time offices in the Norther Iowa Service Area (Waterloo, Allison, Mason City, Adel, Charles City, Webster City, Marshalltown, Ames, or Ft. Dodge). This is a full-time opportunity, Monday – Friday with typical hours being from 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM with paid overtime as needed. All paid overtime must be pre-approved by leadership. The primary purpose for this position is to determine resource home eligibility and for the continued assessment of licensed and approved resource families according to the rules and policies as outlined in the Iowa Health and Human Services (Department) Social Services Manual. Timely, accurate, meticulous documentation, reliability and organization is extremely crucial for this position.

Requirements

Strong observational and analytical skills, as well the ability to respectfully engage families as partners in planning for safety and establish a working relationship with families
Excellent judgment and communication skills and the ability to provide good written documentation in a timely manner
The ability to use critical thinking skills, prioritize work and work under pressure
The ability to use independent judgement to make sound decisions, demonstrate integrity and confidentiality and a strong work ethic.
Exceptional customer service skills, integrity, and a strong work ethic.
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.
Designated positions in this job class require applicants to obtain the required Chauffeurs License and endorsements within a period of time as determined by the appointing authority at the time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Preference will be given for education or experience which correlates directly with the requirements and duties of the position.

Responsibilities

Ensure licensing and other activities are in compliance with HHS policies and procedures, State of Iowa Code and administrative rules and Federal rules and regulations
Determine compliance with licensing/approval requirements at the time of initial application, renewal, changes and throughout the licensing period
Issuance of the Notice of Action, Notice of Decision, and Foster Care License when the home is in compliance
Process denial, suspension or revocation of the license when serious non-compliance issues exist
Represent the Department at Licensing Appeal Hearings
Participate in local Record Check Committee as needed
Serve as the licensing resource to Department staff, foster care recruitment and retention contractor, and the community regarding foster care inquiries
Assess and complete Variance Requests as needed
Assess and process Waivers of Pre-service Training or Non Safety Licensing Standards
Maintain current listing of renewal dates for resource families and track timeliness of renewal
Prepare information and participate in State and Federal Audits
Develop and implement corrective action plans to resolve compliance issues
Participate in ongoing training and workgroups relating to the licensing and approval processes as requested
Participate and collaborate with peers and stakeholders and attend regular local, statewide and external meetings as required.