Family Services Specialist

Location: Mission, SD
Salary: $27.00 hourly, depending on qualifications
Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours weekly
$2,000 hiring incentive

About the role

The Division of Child Protection Services impacts children and families’ lives every day by assessing safety, providing intervention, and securing stability for children. This position is responsible for:

• Completing assessments with families from diverse economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds alleged to have maltreated their children, including analysis of danger threats to children
• Providing intervention services with families after a determination that conditions in the home threaten child safety
• Providing ongoing safety management through out-of-home placement of children or in-home safety plans when children remain in the home
• Working with the court system, including testifying when children are placed in the custody of the state
• Finding foster and adoptive homes for children, recommending placements, and monitoring children placed in out-of-home care
• Case planning and assessing needs of resource families while providing support services
• Identifying and locating relatives for possible placement resources for children placed in out-of-home care
• Responding to emergencies regarding reports of alleged child abuse and/or neglect on a 24-hour basis

Working Conditions

• Duties performed in various settings, including departmental offices, client homes, and courtrooms
• Exposure to high-level stress, emotional situations, strong differences of opinion, and potential physical danger or contagious diseases
• Work with families traumatized by sexual abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and/or emotional maltreatment
• Requires lifting up to 30 pounds safely
• Flexible schedule may include evening, night, holiday, and weekend hours due to crisis or case situations
• Considerable field travel, including overnight travel, may be required
• Requires a valid driver’s license

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in a human service-related field (preferred) or relevant experience
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships while demonstrating compassion, respect, courtesy, and tact
• Strong active listening, communication, and critical thinking skills
• Proficiency in utilizing computerized data and technology systems
• Ability to prepare clear, concise documentation, reports, and correspondence reflecting relevant facts
• Time management skills to prioritize multiple demands in a fast-paced environment
• Initiative to work with minimal supervision

Benefits

• $0 premium employee health insurance option
• Eleven paid holidays
• Generous vacation and sick leave accrual
• Dental, vision, and other insurance options
• Retirement benefits (Class A retirement under SDRS)

Additional Requirements

• Attach your resume to be considered
• Eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08
• Successful applicants will undergo a background investigation and abuse/neglect screening (an arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment)
• National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) submission is optional but encouraged
• Must verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States (E-Verify used for employment eligibility verification)
• The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees