Child and Family Service Specialist Trainee-Overnight Hotline

Location: Omaha, NE | Agency: Health & Human Services (Agency 25) | Job ID: JR2026-00030064

About the role

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hiring two full-time Child and Family Service Specialist Trainees for the Hotline team. Hotline Specialists answer and process all abuse and neglect reports received via phone, mail, eFax, website, and email, ensuring information reaches the correct departments. This is a mission-driven role focused on child and vulnerable adult safety, permanency, and well-being while preserving family unity.

Pay

Starting rate: $22.327 per hour. Rate increases to $26.183 per hour after successful completion of training.

Schedule

Initial schedule: daytime hours for at least the first few months. Thereafter: overnight shift 11:00 PM–7:30 AM Monday–Friday with alternating weekend and holiday coverage.

Responsibilities

• Answer and receive all abuse and neglect hotline calls and reports coming in via mail, eFax, website, and email.
• Gather necessary information from incoming callers using professional interviewing skills; seek collateral information from others.
• Provide customer service to callers, collateral contacts, professionals, law enforcement, and other stakeholders.
• Using critical analysis, determine the urgency of each call and ensure proper law enforcement and HHS response to immediate safety concerns for children and vulnerable adults.
• Provide de-escalation and assessment over the phone; make referrals to community agencies, resources, or other information as needed.
• Assess and ensure child, youth, and vulnerable adult safety, permanency, and well-being while making reasonable efforts to solidify, preserve, strengthen, and maintain family unity.
• Review all accessible information in NFOCUS and other data sources to assess history and risk factors involved with the abuse and neglect report.
• Analyze all gathered information and apply the SDM Intake tool to make screening and priority decisions and determine any immediate safety action needed.
• Contact law enforcement as needed; distribute all intakes to proper law enforcement and the local DHHS office.
• Make all contacts needed for priority 1 intakes and ensure law enforcement is informed of community crime and immediate safety issues.
• Provide technical assistance and support.
• May be required to work non-traditional hours, shifts, and holidays.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, mental health care, education, criminal justice, or another closely related area.
• Consideration given to applicants enrolled in the final semester of their Bachelor's degree.
• Promotion to the Child and Family Services classification is contingent on successful completion of degree requirements and required training.
• Ability to provide independent travel to occasional training.
• Availability for evening/overnight hours, including weekend rotation and holidays.

Qualifications

• Two years of child support experience.
• SDM Intake and Assessment trained; knowledge of NFOCUS.
• At least one year experience working with children and families.
• Experience in child welfare and/or case management; internships with human services/child welfare agencies considered.
• Demonstrated ability to handle high levels of stress and emotionally volatile situations.
• Strong problem-solving skills and resiliency.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to effectively manage time and deadlines.
• Experience with Structured Decision Making (SDM) and Safety Organized Practice (SOP) a plus.

Skills

• Knowledge of principles and practices of social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, mental health, education, criminal justice, or related applied social/behavioral sciences.
• Ability to learn the importance of commitment to individuals and families; value of normal life experiences consistent with age, gender, culture, and community setting; right and ability of families/individuals to make decisions.
• Protect confidential information.
• Communicate electronically, on paper, or in person with customers, co-workers, supervisors, and staff to exchange case information and assessments.
• Listen to and understand communication.
• Work effectively with community service providers, law enforcement, the court and legal systems, and vulnerable adults’ families and/or advocates.
• Organize and maintain case records.
• Learn and apply principles and practices of direct case management including assessment and analyzing critical information.

Benefits

The State of Nebraska offers a comprehensive package including pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement, and professional development opportunities. Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency, and employment status.