SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST IV – Denver – Hybrid – State of Colorado

Title of the Job: SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST IV – Denver – Hybrid

Location: Denver, CO

Job Description: This position is open to current Colorado residents onlyPlease note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.Hybrid, two days a week in the office (Wednesdays and Thursdays) – subject to change based on business needs.Division of Child Welfare: Permanency Unit.
The Division of Child Welfare Services provides a range of leadership, management and supervisory functions related to the delivery of public child welfare services to children, youth and families. The Division provides administrative supervision for all child welfare programs in Colorado’s 64 counties, and delivers technical assistance and support, monitoring, program improvement, regulatory oversight and other quality assurance functions.
The purpose of the Permanency Unit is to supervise and monitor 64 county departments of human/social services in the operation and delivery of child welfare programs for the safety, permanency and well-being of children and youth in a county administered state supervised system. The Permanency Unit consists of one manager, five program administrators, and one Program Assistant. Each program administrator is responsible for providing program parameters, program data, training and technical assistance to other divisions within CDHS, county departments and other states. The program administrators are state and national speakers for programs they administer. Program administrators write legislation and develop rules and procedures to implement statute. The Permanency unit utilizes currently accepted theory, expertise and judgment to design strategies, processes and guidelines critical to the Department’s mission.Opt in below to receive text message updates on CDHS recruiting events!The purpose of this position includes:
This position is responsible for assisting in the development of program, practice and policy as they relate to the implementation and delivery of case planning activities within a child welfare case and to provide technical assistance and support to county departments. This position is responsible for case consultation and recommendations to county departments of social/human services and ongoing oversight of county performance within the Child Family Service Review (CFSR) measures. This position facilitates the rule writing process and disseminates changes to Rule and practice in memos to county partners and other stakeholders.Practice Monitoring and program development. This position is responsible for the monitoring and guidance to county departments of social/human services in the delivery of ongoing child welfare practice (in home). The incumbent will research and investigate national best practices in child welfare and the Practices researched will focus on positive child safety outcomes and will engage communities in working with counties to effectively treat children who are victims of child abuse. Position will be responsible for the design, programming and policies for implementation by county departments. The programming selected will build on Colorado strengths and will be operationalized within existing resources.Rule, Policy and Procedure Development Develops rules, policies, procedures and guides related to improving ongoing case practices. Develops, supports and assists with implementation of these rules, policies and procedures. Maintains full knowledge of rules and statutes at the State and Federal level. Remains informed and prepared to discuss such information with the Ongoing Administrator and county departments. Coordinates within Child Welfare and other experts to provide a consistent scope of practice and to implement promising practices in the case phase of child protection.Inter-department Collaboration. Participates with the Administrative Review Division (ARD) assessment and in-home review process with counties on an as needed basis to identify best practices and opportunities for improvement. Implements any recommendations following the ARD reviews and collaborates with ARD and county departments to develop new rules, policies, procedures and guidelines related to the reviews. Works closely with the Child Welfare Training System (CWTS) to develop curriculum and ensure training is aligned with current best practice.Technical Assistance. Provides ongoing technical assistance to the county departments regarding ongoing child welfare case practice including case planning, case decision-making, in-home services, case closure and permanency planning.
Provides technical assistance on difficult child protection issues and provides onsite coaching and supervision to counties struggling with implementing best practices according to rules, policies, procedures and statutes, both state and federal. Provides oversight and supervision to county departments regarding these rules, policies, and procedures.
This position influences the practice of in-home casework in Colorado’s child welfare system, including writing regulations to adopt this practice. This position will recommend how the practice should evolve to leadership and will be up-to-date on research and recommendations for child welfare practice. This position is responsible for assuring the training is up to date in the child welfare training system. This position will involve participating in and being a site leader in federal audits and audit findings for practice in Colorado as they relate to services.Other duties as assigned.Minimum qualificationsExperience Only:Seven (7) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.OR Education and Experience:A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in development of human behavior, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, therapeutic techniques or field of study related to the work assigned to this position.
• Certification as a caseworker in the state of Colorado or ability to certify within 6 months of hire.
• Experience within the state of Colorado child welfare system at the county level.

Conditions of Employment

• Full Background. CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons):

CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers). * Travel. This position will be expected to occasionally travel offsite for meetings or county visits this includes overnight travel.

• Requires the ability to work with the difficult, sensitive, adult content involved in child fatality cases.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS..

Appeal Rights:If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email ([email protected]), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to ; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director’s Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at under Rules.For additional recruiting questions, please contact [email protected]About Us:If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a plus 401(k) and 457 plansEmployer supplementedPaid life insuranceShort- and long-term disability coverage11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leavestate employee discount programExcellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and moreRemote work arrangements for eligible positions*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For moreinformation, go to .Our Values:We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at [email protected] or call 1-800-929-0791.

Company Name: State of Colorado

Salary: $70140 – 91188 per year

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