Social Services Program Analyst 2026-02600

State of Wyoming • Casper, WY

12d

About The Position

The State of Wyoming's Department of Family Services is seeking a Social Services Lead Worker to administer social services and juvenile services programs and manage high- and very-high-risk family cases. The role focuses on helping families safely care for children in their homes through safety interventions, community collaboration, and support for foster care providers, including relative caregivers. The Lead Worker also provides consultation, coaching, and mentorship to newer workers, especially in assessing risk and safety during home visits.

The position conducts safety, risk, and family assessments; develops and implements safety and case service plans; and provides ongoing and crisis case management for voluntary and court-ordered services. It involves coordinating referrals and community resources, working with families and professionals to address service needs, reviewing field staff determinations, and supporting staff training and policy implementation. The position operates under the guidance of a Social Services Supervisor.

The posting describes an average work environment. Positions with the Department of Family Services require successful applicants to complete a background information check, including fingerprinting.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, typically in social services; the preferences section specifies social work or a related field.
• Minimum qualifications list 0–3 years of progressive work experience, typically in social services programs, with knowledge at the level of a Social Services Worker; alternatively, 4–6 years of such experience may substitute for education and experience requirements.
• The preferences section requests 2–3 years of progressive work experience in Child Welfare.
• Ability to manage complex caseloads involving high- and very-high-risk individuals and families, including investigations and assessments.
• Proficiency in crisis intervention, de-escalation, crisis planning, and support in high-stress environments.
• Ability to engage diverse populations with cultural sensitivity and responsiveness.
• Sound judgment and timely decision-making, especially concerning child safety and well-being.
• Advanced ability to assess risk and safety, develop and implement safety plans, and communicate conclusions to relevant parties.
• Ability to collaborate with community partners, including law enforcement, mental health, substance abuse, and medical professionals, and facilitate professional groups.
• Leadership skills and ability to mentor and train new workers, provide best-practice coaching, and direct workflow in a supervisor's absence.
• Strong organization and documentation skills, including managing case documentation, writing court reports, maintaining contracts, and following policies and procedures.
• Proficiency in Motivational Interviewing for information gathering, rapport-building, and evidence-informed practice.
• Understanding of relevant policies and procedures and ability to answer staff questions, direct workers to resources, and contribute to local office procedure development.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include evenings, nights, holidays, weekends, and on-call hours.
• Successful applicants must complete a background information check, including fingerprinting, through the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Family Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in social work or a related field.
• Two to three years of progressive work experience in Child Welfare.

Responsibilities

• Administer social services and juvenile services programs, including managing one or more statewide or agency-wide programs.
• Determine program goals and objectives and/or chair committees established to support programs.
• Develop and coordinate program activities, services, and implementation with private providers, government entities, program users, and other partners.
• Monitor and evaluate operations, programs, processes, and practices for quality and effectiveness, and recommend improvements.
• Develop and coordinate plans, policies, resources, mission, goals, vision, and expectations for an agency or program.
• Respond to questions from clients and the general public.
• Draw down and manage federal funds.
• Review and monitor field staff determinations in protection cases concerning safety, permanency, and well-being.
• Provide technical and functional supervision to line staff through training and consultation on program policies, plans, priorities, processes, and practices.
• Analyze, research, develop, and implement statewide social services programs.
• Write and revise program policies and procedures; train staff and monitor policy implementation.
• Develop, maintain, and coordinate staff training for department personnel.
• Monitor the request for proposals (RFP) process.
• Manage and/or provide consultation for high- and very-high-risk cases, including investigations and assessments.
• Use Motivational Interviewing to gather information, prepare reports, and build rapport; support office training and development in Motivational Interviewing.
• Conduct safety, risk, and family assessments, with an emphasis on plans that help maintain children safely in their homes.
• Conduct initial and ongoing face-to-face contact with children and adults involved in reports to assess safety, risk, service needs, and family strengths.
• Develop and implement safety plans and case service plans in collaboration with families and other professionals.
• Provide ongoing and crisis case management for voluntary and court-ordered services.
• Address family needs and dynamics related to safety, risk, poverty, housing, medical care, mental health, employment, education, finances, and substance abuse.
• Refer families to appropriate services and connect clients with community resources supporting safety and well-being.
• Coach and train new workers in best practices for risk and safety assessments, including accompanying them on visits, with a focus on keeping children safely at home whenever possible.
• Work with community members, providers, law enforcement, schools, and medical providers to train and develop services that mitigate immediate risk and safety concerns.
• Mentor new social services workers, facilitate professional groups, and direct workflow in the supervisor's absence.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, FMLA, and holidays.
• Retirement pension and 457B plans.
• Flexible schedules and work-life balance options.
• Meaningful work serving Wyoming communities.
• Additional benefits are referenced in the state's benefits information and total compensation resources.

What This Job Offers

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