Senior Family Service Specialist - Master Family Service Specialist - 2nd Shift

State of Delaware•Dover, DE

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Family Service Specialist series provides and coordinates professional case management services to children, youth, adults, and families experiencing abuse, neglect, dependency, behavioral concerns, crisis situations, or family dysfunction. The position involves conducting assessments and providing planning, facilitation, advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation in collaboration with clients and other professionals. Work may include child abuse investigations, ongoing case management, foster care, and permanency planning. This role requires independent work in an office, homes, and community settings, including statewide travel for home visits, court appearances, community-based services, and urgent responses concerning child safety and well-being. The second-shift incumbent also receives, documents, and screens Child Abuse Hotline intakes and responds after hours to screened-in cases and emergencies. Work outside standard hours may be necessary to meet the needs of families and children and other operational needs. The position is part of the Family Services Specialist career ladder. Employees may be eligible for promotion after satisfactory completion of Department promotional standards and job requirements. Potential vacancies may be in New Castle or Kent County, Delaware. New hires must attend Statewide New Employee Orientation. The position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. A conditional offer requires pre-employment drug testing and a satisfactory criminal background check, and applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

For the Senior Family Service Specialist level, meet one of the following: two years of professional health or human service work experience; an Associate’s degree and one year of such experience; or a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
For the Senior Family Service Specialist level, six months of health or human services experience focused on family safety and welfare, including identifying issues, barriers, and goals; determining eligibility for and availability of community resources; helping clients obtain services; resolving family conflict and crises; and assessing progress toward goals.
For the Senior Family Service Specialist level, one year of case management experience assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individual’s human service needs.
For the Master Family Service Specialist level, meet one of the following: three years of professional health or human service work experience; an Associate’s degree and two years of such experience; or a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
For the Master Family Service Specialist level, one year of health or human services experience focused on family safety and welfare, including identifying issues, barriers, and goals; determining eligibility for and availability of community resources; helping clients obtain services; resolving family conflict and crises; and assessing progress toward goals.
For the Master Family Service Specialist level, two years of case management experience assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individual’s human service needs.
Ability to work independently in office, home, and community settings and travel statewide for job duties.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
A satisfactory criminal background check and pre-employment drug testing are conditions of hire.

Responsibilities

Advocate for clients’ and families’ health, safety, welfare, and rights, and assist them in obtaining needed services.
Interview clients, family members, and professionals to gather personal, social, and background information; clarify problems, contributing forces, available resources and strengths, and barriers to resolving problems without State intervention.
Determine eligibility for agency and community social service programs.
Collaborate with clients and families to develop and implement service or treatment plans, and help them obtain community, social, and therapeutic services and resources.
Conduct individual and family counseling to support social development and adjustment to problems and situations.
Assess progress toward goals and recommend plans or actions, including reclassification, discharge, aftercare, emergency protective placement, guardianship, petitions, or options counseling.
Prepare social histories, progress reports, evaluations, discharge summaries, court reports, and petitions, and maintain client records and files.
Enforce court orders and community supervision conditions as required.
Attend court hearings and judicial proceedings to answer questions, make recommendations, and present client progress reports.
Respond to crisis situations, potentially including suicides, assault and battery against clients, and sexual abuse cases; coordinate with law enforcement and emergency staff when needed.
Receive, document, and screen Child Abuse Hotline intakes during second-shift hours and respond after hours to screened-in cases and emergencies to ensure child safety.
Conduct home visits and provide community-based services, including urgent responses to assess and maintain child safety and well-being.