Resource Family Specialist I/II/III - ASK KARE team

About the role

This position may be located in Poteau, Stigler, or Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Working in Child Welfare for Oklahoma's largest state agency means having the opportunity to positively impact the safety and well-being of children and families for generations to come. If you have a passion for social work and making a difference in your local community, OKDHS has a place for you! Join our team and create pathways to hope for all Oklahomans. Extensive training will be provided to new employees.

Responsibilities

• All new employees will complete the Child Welfare Core Academy Training Program.
• The KARE (Kinship Assessment Relative Engagement) team completes kinship resource family assessments for the purpose of placing children with kin (both foster and adoption), working in tandem with ASK units.
• Actively Seeking Kinnections (ASK) is a specialized regional unit that searches out, gathers, and informs family connections to ensure that a child stays connected to important people in their life.
• Position creates methods to expedite the identification, recruitment and retention of kinship families for a child who is in or at-risk of entering the child welfare system.
• These kinship resource families are relatives and persons who have a kinship relationship with the child, and who are found to be suitable, capable, and willing to serve as caretakers for the child.
• Conducts interviews with the parents, child, and all other known family, friends, and community members, including searches within case notes and in on-line searches, in order to identify additional family connections.

Requirements

Travel is EXTENSIVE. Must possess a valid driver's license and must maintain required car insurance. State vehicles will be available for use to carry out the duties of the position.

Qualifications

• Child Welfare Specialist, Level I: Completion of 90 hours from an accredited college or university OR 3 years of experience related to child welfare work OR a combination of education and experience.
• Child Welfare Specialist, Level II: A bachelor's degree (in any field) to qualify OR One year of experience as a Child Welfare Specialist.
• Child Welfare Specialist, Level III: A Master's degree OR a Bachelor's Degree plus one year of experience as a Child Welfare Specialist OR Two years of experience as a Child Welfare Specialist.

Skills

Applicants who possess a Master's Degree in Social Work will be entitled to a salary incentive of an additional 5%. On-call positions will receive an additional bonus ranging from $75 to $100 every two weeks, depending on responsibilities.

Benefits

Full State Employee Benefits.

Pay

• Level I H23A: $37,280.75 per year + Full State Employee Benefits
• Level II H23B: $40,077.79 per year + Full State Employee Benefits
• Level III H23C: $43,968.62 per year + Full State Employee Benefits