Unregulated Operations Investigator IV

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Amarillo, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) as an Unregulated Operations Investigator IV, a role dedicated to protecting children in child care settings and educating the public on regulated child care. This highly complex, senior-level investigative position involves proactively identifying unregulated operations, conducting thorough investigations including interviews and surveillance, and evaluating exemption requests. The investigator acts as a lead community engagement and outreach specialist, educating families and communities, and takes appropriate enforcement actions against non-compliant operations, including preparing legal documents and testifying in court. The role requires extensive field travel and occasional office work, operating primarily as a full-time telework position within a mobile unit.

Requirements

Knowledge of Texas laws and regulation.
Skill in effective verbal and written communication.
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Skill in applying emotional intelligence to all situations.
Skill in establishing and building rapport.
Skill in presenting, both in-person and virtually.
Ability to critically think and identify risk and mitigation measures.
Ability to work with diverse groups of people while promoting respect for cultural diversity in all working relationships.
Ability to de-escalate situations with tact and diplomacy.
Ability to self-start, organize, and manage priorities.
Ability to operate basic office equipment including camera/AV equipment.
Ability to travel.
Valid driver’s license.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in Human Development, Early Childhood Development, Social Services, Education, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Public Health, Family Studies or other closely related field or experience that is equivalent to a four-year degree. Experience and education may be substituted for one another on a year-to-year basis.
Transportation and a valid Texas driver's license with insurance as required by the State of Texas.
Ability to pass a Background Check, which includes a criminal history check and a review of the Texas Child Abuse and Neglect Registry.

Nice To Haves

Experience in evaluating and analyzing risk to children.
Experience in participating in, leading or coordinating community engagement activities.

Responsibilities

Proactively search for unregulated operations and identify the appropriate level of risk at the time of intake based on due diligence searches.
Conduct complex unregulated operation investigations, including interviewing caregivers, parents, children, and anyone with knowledge of the care being provided, conducting surveillance to determine if child care is occurring or to verify information received as part of the investigation.
Thoroughly document investigation findings.
Evaluate, assess, and make determinations on exemption requests.
Act as lead community engagement and outreach specialist for Child Care Regulation.
Educate communities and families on rules of regulation and the benefits of choosing regulated child care, empowering families to choose regulated child care and expanding the child care community.
Participate in community engagement events, conduct presentations, and seek out community partners.
Take appropriate enforcement actions on high risk and/or non-compliant operations.
Educate potential providers on the benefits of becoming a regulated child care provider.
Prepare legal documents to help support actions in coordination with the Office of the Attorney General.
Represent Child Care Regulation while performing informational and educational presentations to the public, at conferences and when collaborating with child health and safety advocates.
Initiate investigations of unregulated operations based on priority and level of risk identified in the intake report.
Conduct thorough walk-through of child care facilities to evaluate risk and determine whether child care is provided, determine if the operation is subject to child care regulation, and identify next steps to ensure risk is mitigated.
Conduct interviews with the child care facility staff, children, parents, neighbors and anyone else who might have knowledge regarding the allegations.
Address any conflicting information and deescalate situations where the alleged provider is being uncooperative.
Conduct surveillance to establish whether child care is occurring or to verify information provided as part of the investigation.
Enter unregulated operation intakes based off of proactive searches and reports received though the intake process.
Utilize specialized applications to determine locations and person details to appropriately determine the priority of unregulated operation intakes.
Plan and develop investigative procedures and conduct investigations in order to determine appropriate actions.
Review statute, TAC, and policy to determine the aspects associated with an investigation and recommend appropriate legal or regulatory actions resulting from the investigation.
Review exemption requests to determine if the operation will be exempt from obtaining a permit according to the Human Resources Code, Chapter 42 and Texas Administrative Code by meeting specified exemption criteria.
Consult with Child Care Regulation leadership and legal regarding exemption requests.
Conduct inspections to observe operations requesting exemption to support determination decisions.
Provide written correspondence to operations requesting exemptions when determinations are made.
Plan, prepare and present in-person and virtual presentations and trainings targeting communities, families, child and health advocates and other key stakeholders.
Build collaborative relationships with internal and external partners to support outreach efforts.
Identify and initiate enforcement action recommendations for high risk operations and operations failing to cooperate or meet compliance.
Gather evidence and documentation to support enforcement recommendations.
Consult with the legal team and provide supporting legal documentation when necessary to prepare for hearings and legal actions.
Testify in court proceedings related to enforcement recommendations.
Maintain continuing education and current knowledge of child development, investigation and regulatory practices, health and safety, applicable laws and rules, and regulated fields.
Make recommendations for policy updates to support investigative and exemption tasks.