Resource Family Specialist I/II/III - KARE

About the role

This position may be located in Antlers, Hugo, or Idabel, 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. Extensive training will be provided to new employees.

Pay

• Level I (H23A): $37,280.75 annual salary + Full State Employee Benefits
• Level II (H23B): $40,077.79 annual salary + Full State Employee Benefits
• Level III (H23C): $43,968.62 annual salary + Full State Employee Benefits
• Master's Degree in Social Work: additional 5% salary incentive
• On-call positions: additional bonus of $75–$100 every two weeks, depending on responsibilities

Benefits

Full State Employee Benefits included at all levels.

Schedule & travel

• Travel is EXTENSIVE
• Must possess a valid driver's license and maintain required car insurance
• State vehicles available for use to carry out duties

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)
• 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

Responsibilities

• All new employees 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
• Create 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
• Conduct interviews with the parents, child, and all other known family, friends, and community members, including searches within case notes and online searches, in order to identify additional family connections

This is a position in the Oklahoma Civil Service. OKDHS is a Fair Chance Employer. Announcement Number: 26-BC258. For questions, contact DHS.Careers@okdhs.org.