Central Intake Specialist

State of Montana; East Helena (MT); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is seeking candidates for the Central Intake role within the Child and Family Services Division. The CI hotline operates 24/7 to intake and assess child abuse or neglect reports to protect children, directing cases to local offices as needed.

Responsibilities include gathering caller information, prioritizing responses, and verifying details from multiple sources, including escalated safety factors; the role supports public

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field.
• One year of human services experience working with children and families.
• Other combinations of directly related education and experience may be considered; however, a bachelor’s degree is required.
• A six-month completed internship with Child Protective Services will be accepted in lieu of the one year required experience.

Responsibilities

• Gathers information from callers to determine whether statutory criteria for investigation are present.
• Assigns priority response time and routes to applicable reports to ensure safety.
• Checks and verifies information from multiple data sources to determine additional requirements, including escalated safety factors.

Skills

Knowledge of social work practices and

Strong verbal and written comms, CS &

Problem solving and decision-making

Ability to handle sensitive and

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field

One year of human services experience working with children and families

Other combinations of directly related education and experience may be considered; however, a bachelor’s degree is required

A six-month completed internship with Child Protective Services will be accepted in lieu of the one year required experience

Job description

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has a career opportunity within the Child and Family Services Division.

Central Intake (CI) is a child abuse and neglect hotline staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure that allegations of child abuse and neglect received are accurately assessed to ensure the safety of children. The hotline serves as the central reporting for all allegations of child abuse or neglect in Montana.

Responsibilities of this position include, but not limited to: gathers information from callers to determine whether statutory criteria for investigation are present, assigns priority response time and routes to applicable reports directly to local offices to ensure identified safety threats are responded to in a timely manner to ensure child safety, and checks and verifies information from multiple data sources to determine additional requirements, including escalated safety factors of the alleged victim and field staff.

Why Join DPHHS

Our mission at DPHHS is serving Montanans in their communities to improve health, safety, well-being, and empower independence. By joining our department, you will have the opportunity to perform meaningful work in public service to our state and its residents.

The State of Montana’s comprehensive benefits package includes healthcare coverage, retirement plans, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, work/life balance, and eligibility to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. In addition, DPHHS is the largest state agency with a wide range of advancement opportunities whether you are joining the workforce or have several years of experience.

Qualifications for this Career Opportunity

• Knowledge of social work practices and principles.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as customer service and interpersonal skills.

• Problem solving and decision-making skills.

• Ability to handle sensitive and stressful situations.

• Meet minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or related human services field.

• One year of human services experience working with children and families.

• Other combinations of directly related education and experience may be considered on a case-by‑case basis; however, a bachelor’s degree is required.

• A six-month completed internship with Child Protective Services will be accepted in lieu of the one year required experience.

Successful applicants will be subject to background checks relevant to the position and must pass reference checks before an offer will be extended. DPHHS is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For a copy of the full job description or if you need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, contact DPHHS Human Resources listed below.

Additional Information

This position is open until filled with frequent screening of applicants.

This position requires in person training for the first month of employment in the Helena office.

The hotline requires continuous 24/7 staffing. Employees are assigned to a day, evening, or overnight shift. Assignment to a day shift is not assured.