Child Welfare Caseworker, Grade 23

Montgomery Co; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 79,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Montgomery County seeks a qualified professional for clinical case management within Child Welfare Services to serve children and families countywide. The role involves direct visits, report writing, and coordination with community resources.

Requirements include a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field, one year of casework experience, and a valid driver’s license. Pre-employment checks and background screening apply.

Qualifications

• One year of professional experience in casework management.
• Master's degree in counseling, psychology, social work or a related field.
• Equivalency: an equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
• License: Valid driver's license required upon appointment.

Responsibilities

• Conducting home, school, and community visits with children and families.
• Writing reports and case plans/service agreements.
• Implementing and monitoring service agreements.
• Supervising parent–child visits.
• Collaborating with hospitals, schools, and other providers.
• Preparing court reports and testifying; and, maintaining files and statistics.

Skills

Case management

Child welfare

Cultural competence

Driving

Education

Master's degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or related field

Job description

Please note: The salary range above represents the earning potential for this position. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $78,929 - $109,175 based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

WHO WE ARE

Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.

The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for delivery of the County’s public health and human services that meets the needs of our community’s most vulnerable children, adults and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.

As a department, we believe the health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Child Welfare Services (CWS) is committed to the safety, well-being, and permanency of children in Montgomery County. The agency works in collaboration with families and community partners to build, strengthen, and support stable family life. Child Welfare Services is currently recruiting for an enthusiastic, caring, knowledgeable, and experienced individual to provide clinical case management services to children and families served by the agency.

This position provides services to Child Welfare Services clients. The primary case workload will consist of one of the following:

• Family Preservation/In-Home Services
• Foster Care/Kinship/Adoption
• Resource/Foster Homes

Other caseload assignments may include screening abuse/neglect reports; completing home studies for and/or supporting foster/adoptive families; and/or handling other specialized projects and responsibilities.

Duties of this position will include, but is not limited to:

• Conducting home, school, and community visits with children and families
• Writing Reports and case plans/service agreements
• Implementing and monitoring service agreements
• Supervising parent-child visits
• Collaborating with professional and community resources such as hospitals, schools, and other providers
• Preparing court reports and testifying; and,
• Maintaining files and statistics, electronically and manually, as required

Work Schedule: Although the normal hours of operation for CWS are from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., staff providing direct services to children/families may be required/expected to work earlier or later (for example, home visits, an emergency removal, extended court hearings, etc.)

This position requires a valid driver’s license at all times as the employee will travel throughout the county to perform job duties, transport and supervise parent–child visits.

The selected candidate for this position will be subject to a pre-employment medical exam, drug screening, and criminal history records checked through the Maryland State Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Candidates will also be checked through the Maryland Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect and federal and state sex offender registries. Any applicant who fails the medical exam, background check, or whose name appears on either of the registries may be disqualified from employment for this position.

Experience: One (1) year of professional experience in casework management which included short-term counseling of individuals in the areas of family relationships and personal adjustments/development.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

License: Following appointment, successful completion of Maryland State mandated pre-service training and competency testing will be required for continuation in this class.

Driver’s License: Possession and maintenance at all times a valid driver's license from the candidate’s state of residence.

Preference for interview will be given you qualified candidates with experience in the following areas:

• Experience and knowledge in client case management.
• Experience working with children and family systems.
• Experience working with culturally diverse populations.
• Experience in, and knowledge of, community resources and services for children and families.

Relevant experience in these areas must be included in your resume.