Child Protective Services Casework Supervisor

State-of-Maine; Houlton (ME); On-site; USD 78,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance Coverage

Retirement Plan

Gym Membership Reimbursement

Flexible Spending Accounts

Parental leave

Job summary

State of Maine in Maine is seeking a supervisory social services professional to lead casework teams in the DHHS. The role involves ensuring service standards, coordinating with agencies, and guiding staff performance to improve outcomes for clients.

The position requires eight years of social work experience with licensed practice and a master's degree preferred, plus strong knowledge of MACWIS/Katahdin. The role is based in Houlton with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Eight years of education and/or professional experience in social work, including at least two years as a fully licensed social worker (LSW).
• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Recent experience in professional child welfare casework.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring established quality service standards are maintained.
• Counseling workers regarding casework to assist with difficult cases and caseload problems.
• Reviewing and comparing staff performance to assess productivity and training needs.
• Coordinating with other agencies and community resources to deliver services.
• Evaluating and recommending program-wide changes to upgrade quality of services.
• Coordinating activities between unit and service providers to deliver social services.
• Authorizing service provision and client expenditures.
• Negotiating contracts with service providers to ensure appropriate services.
• Analyzing cases to ensure compliance with laws and initiate court hearings.
• Directing after-hours coverage to ensure staffing.

Skills

Child welfare

MACWIS/Katahdin

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Education

Eight years of education/experience in social work

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Opening Date: September 1, 2026 Closing Date: September 15, 2026 Job Class Code: 5078 Grade: 27 (Supervisory Svcs) Salary: $77,542.40 – $103,064.00 per year* *This is inclusive of a $7.50/hr. stipend. This position is eligible for an additional $1.00/hr. stipend for employees possessing a related Master’s Degree.

Location: We have an anticipated vacancy in our Houlton office.

Core Responsibilities

• 1. Ensuring established quality service standards are maintained.
• 2. Conferring with and counseling workers regarding casework in order to assist with difficult cases and caseload problems.
• 3. Reviewing and comparing work performance and/or products of staff with established standards to assess employee productivity levels and training needs.
• 4. Connecting with other agencies and community resources to coordinate services, promote necessary community resources, and monitor cooperative agreements.
• 5. Evaluating and recommending program-wide changes and establishing unit procedures and goals in order to upgrade the quality and continuity of services.
• 6. Coordinating activities between unit and service providers to effectively deliver social services to agency clients.
• 7. Authorizing service provision and client/caseworker expenditures.
• 8. Negotiating various contracts and agreements with service providers and others to ensure appropriate services are provided.
• 9. Analyzing and reviewing cases to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, standards, and requirements, and initiate and participate in court hearings.
• 10. Directing, coordinating, and/or participating in after-hours coverage to ensure appropriate staffing.

Minimum Qualifications

To qualify, your background must include eight (8) years of education and/or professional experience in social work which includes at least two (2) years experience as a fully licensed social worker* (LSW). A Master’s degree is preferred.

• 1. Recent experience in professional child welfare casework.
• 2. A thorough knowledge of and recent experience working with MACWIS/Katahdin.
• 3. Four years of experience as a fully-licensed social worker.

LICENSING/REGISTRATION/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Licensed Social Worker (LSW).

• 1. Recent experience in professional child welfare casework.
• 2. A thorough knowledge of and recent experience working with MACWIS/Katahdin.
• 3. Four years of experience as a fully-licensed social worker.

Application Information

For additional information about this position please contact Vickie Brayall, Program Administrator at 207-532-5102.

Benefits of working for the State of Maine

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. When you or immediate members of your family are ill, utilize 12 days of sick leave per year.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60 - $13,650.48 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 14.06% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including non-birthing and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.
• State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.
• Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Please visit: Application Process About Us Join Maine State Government and Make a Difference in Your Community If you're looking for a fulfilling career that allows you to serve the public and make a difference, consider working with Maine State Government! Our departments boast an array of professions, including attorneys, biologists, correctional officers, equipment operators, engineers, human resources professionals, information technology experts, law enforcement officers, nurses, park rangers, social workers, and transportation workers. With more than 100 agencies, boards, and offices, Maine State Government is the perfect place to explore various industries and interests. Whether you're interested in finance or forestry, there's an opportunity for you to help make Maine an even better place to live.