Family Case Manager

Family Case Manager

Date Posted: Jan 10, 2025

Requisition ID: 454494

Location:

Seymour, IN, US, 47274

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a diverse range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

At the State of Indiana, we don't just talk about diversity and inclusion-we make it our goal to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace with a workforce that is representative of Indiana's population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role.

About the Department of Child Services:

Join a team that engages with families and children to improve lives in meaningful and significant ways. DCS engages authentically with children who are victims of abuse or neglect and strengthens families through services that focus on family support and preservation. The Department also administers family preservation and prevention services, foster care, and child support throughout the State of Indiana. You will relentlessly pursue permanency for children and families through reunification, guardianship, adoption or support youth in making a successful transition to adulthood. While this job is difficult and may have long and sometimes unconventional hours, this is more than a job-it is a calling to improve your community and neighbors. Will you join us in supporting our Mission, Vision, and Values?

Mission :   The Indiana Department of Child Services leads the state's response to allegations of child abuse and neglect and facilitates child support payments. We consider the needs and values of all we serve in our efforts to protect children while keeping families together whenever possible.

Vision: Children will live in safe, healthy and supportive families and communities.

Values: We at the Indiana Department of Child Services empower our team, in collaboration with state and local partners, to make decisions in the best interest of every child in our care by embracing:

• Child safety

• Permanency

• Collaborative partnerships with foster and adoptive families

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion

• A culture of safety and transparency

• Continuous improvement

Role Overview:

As the Family Case Manager, you will be responsible for working as a caseworker specialist in social services within a Local County Office or Central Office of the Department of Children Services. In this position, you will protect families and children from abuse and neglect, maintain or reunify families whenever possible and, when in the best interest of the child, to achieve a permanent home or independent living for children unable to be reunited with their families.

Please click  this link  (***/watch?v=Q8ZfAUCCRxU) for a realistic job preview video. 

Location:

This position is located at the Jackson County DCS branch.

Salary Statement:

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $47,320.00 but may be commensurate with education or work experience.

A Day in the Life:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Investigate reported incidents of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, makes determination of whether the incident is substantiated and develops recommendations to a Juvenile Court or County Director for disposition.

• Assess level of risk to the child for additional injury or harm, including whether the child is in imminent danger, and may remove the child from the family as the situation warrants, places child in a protected environment.

• Perform needs assessments to determine treatment options for families and children reported to be abused/neglected.

• Testify and prepare pre-dispositional, and progress reports maintains case files and develops briefing reports for the community child protection team. Develops 'informal adjustment' plans with families and children to divert children from the juvenile justice system.

• Develop case plans to assist families and children to become more self-sufficient in a safe and nurturing environment and to ensure a permanent home for the child.

• Develop discharge/transition programming to assist families and children to attain and maintain self-sufficiency in a safe environment.

• Monitor and assess the service capability treatment programs and providers to ensure consistency with the case plan.

• Accept on-call responsibility as needed to receive and investigate allegations of child abuse/neglect.

• Conduct home studies, family histories and recommends placement for adoption to an adoption team.

• Visit children in out-of-home placements to coordinate family reunification, adoption, or independent living efforts.

• Maintain data which provides management an opportunity to evaluate family and children needs on a trend analysis basis.

The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

What You'll Need for Success:

You must meet the following requirements to be considered for employment:

• Fulfill one of the following education/experience requirements:

• Bachelor's degree; or

• Associate degree with a minimum of two (2) years of human services job experience; or

• Completion of thirty (30) college credit hours from an accredited institution with a minimum of four (3) years of human services job experience; or

• A minimum of at least five (4) years of human services job experience

• Advanced knowledge of principles and practices of social work, casework, sociology and group and individual counseling including new methods and theories of treatment.

• Thorough knowledge of state and/or federal laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards affecting child protection services, foster care, family preservation and adoption.

• Thorough knowledge of related social services programs and ability to coordinate work among programs.

• Specialized knowledge of the interrelationships of the various behavioral sciences as they affect care and treatment of patients/clients and/or objectives of social work projects.

• Ability to investigate and interview alleged victims and perpetrators of child abuse or neglect in an appropriate and effective manner.

• Ability to formulate and monitor project guidelines or treatment plans.

• Ability to prepare clear, accurate reports.