Family Case Manager

About This Role

Join the Department of Child Services to protect children from abuse and neglect, strengthen families, and ensure permanency for children in need. This role involves investigating incidents, assessing risks, and developing case plans to support vulnerable families in Indiana.

Responsibilities

• Investigate reported incidents of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, determine substantiation, and develop recommendations
• Assess the level of risk to children for additional injury or harm, including imminent danger, and remove children from families if warranted
• Perform needs assessments to determine treatment options for families and children reported to be abused/neglected
• Testify, prepare pre-dispositional and progress reports, maintain case files, and develop briefing reports
• Develop "informal adjustment" plans with families and children to divert them from the juvenile justice system
• Develop case plans to assist families and children in becoming more self-sufficient in a safe and nurturing environment and ensuring a permanent home for the child
• Develop discharge/transition programming to assist families and children in attaining and maintaining self-sufficiency
• Monitor and assess the service capability of treatment programs and providers to ensure consistency with case plans
• Accept on-call responsibility to receive and investigate allegations of child abuse/neglect
• Conduct home studies and family histories and recommend 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 to help management evaluate trends in family and child needs

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree, OR
• Associate degree with 2+ years of human services job experience, OR
• 30 college credit hours with 4+ years of human services job experience, OR
• 4+ years of human services job experience
• Advanced knowledge of principles and practices of social work, casework, sociology and group and individual counseling
• 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
• Ability to investigate and interview alleged victims and perpetrators of child abuse or neglect
• Ability to formulate and monitor project guidelines or treatment plans
• Ability to prepare clear, accurate reports
• Ability to work with families of diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds with sensitivity
• Ability to work with children with special needs
• Ability to exercise sound judgment while managing crises situations
• Must maintain a valid driver's license

Qualifications

• 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 four (4) years of human services job experience.
• Entry level. If associate degree: 2+ years of human services experience. If 30 college credits: 4+ years human services experience. If no degree/credits: 4+ years human services experience.

Benefits