Initial Licensing Coordinator / 61057335

State of South Carolina; Spartanburg (SC); On-site; USD 46,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

15 days annual leave

15 days sick leave

13 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave

State Retirement Plan and DeferredComp

Job summary

South Carolina Department of Social Services in Spartanburg County seeks an Initial Licensing Coordinator to manage foster family applications, home studies, and licensing processes. You will work within the GPS Practice Model, conducting visits and coordinating with county staff to ensure timely licensure.

The role requires a relevant degree and experience in human services; involves case consultations, training, and collaboration with external partners to support families and protect children.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science with one year of professional experience in human services or social services.
• Bachelor's Degree in any other field with two years of professional experience in human services or social service programs.
• Master's Degree or higher in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science may be preferred for select positions.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accountability of foster family applications and home studies by participating in case consultations, coaching, training, and providing support in accordance with DSS Policy, Agency Mission, and GPS Practice Model.
• Process all initial license applications for assigned regions in a timely manner and track performances and outcomes for reporting purposes.
• Promote safety, permanency, and well-being by ensuring fidelity to policy and procedures and participating in case consultation and case reviews, reviewing data reports, monitoring policy changes, and ensuring attendance in mandatory trainings.
• Perform licensing duties, including ICPC referrals, kinship licensing, and foster home licensing referrals; conduct home visits and prepare foster home assessments for licensure.
• Participate in after-hour FFLS recruitment and retention events as requested.
• Provide support to families through the licensing process, including referrals to outside agencies and kinship communications with county staff.
• Enter complete and accurate licensing information in CAPSS and uplink documents for issuance of foster home licenses.
• Participate in case consultations with supervisors and state office staff; engage in work groups and trainings as appropriate.
• Engage providers and external partners with empathy and respect; facilitate child and family team meetings and respond promptly to inquiries.
• Maintain self-care to minimize secondary trauma and understand its impact on families and staff.
• Ensure personal identifying information is protected and agency networks and data are safeguarded.
• Perform Red Cross shelter or other emergency shelter duties as directed.
• Obtain Certified Investigator certification within 6 months and complete 10 hours of annual training on adoption/child topics.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science

Bachelor's Degree in any other field and two years of professional experience in human services or social service programs

Master's Degree or higher in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science

Job description

Job Responsibilities

Do you have a passion to provide meaningful work in the community? Would you like to be part of an organization whose central mission is helping to protect, stabilize and strengthen the lives of children, families, and vulnerable adults? Then the South Carolina Department of Social Services has the right job opportunity for you.

Job Duties

• The Initial Licensing Coordinator ensures accountability of foster family applications and home studies by participating in case consultations, coaching, training, and providing support in accordance with DSS Policy, Agency Mission, and GPS Practice Model. Will be responsible for processing all initial license applications for assigned regions in a timely manner and will track performances and outcomes for reporting purposes.
• Promotes safety, permanency, and well-being by ensuring fidelity to policy and procedures and participating in case consultation and case reviews, reviewing data reports, monitoring policy changes, and ensuring attendance in mandatory trainings.
• Performs licensing duties, to include but not limited to, ICPC referrals, kinship licensing and foster home licensing referrals. Completes initial licensing activities to include conducting home visits, assessing their appropriateness for foster home licensure, processing and reviewing family licensing paperwork, scheduling fire inspections, and preparing foster family home assessments to have a foster home license issued within the established time frame.
• Participates in after hour FFLS recruitment and retention events as requested.
• Provides support to families throughout the licensing process to include referrals to outside agencies when needed and facilitates communication between the applicant family and county staff with kinship applications.
• Enters complete and accurate licensing information within the agency's database (CAPSS), to include uplinking documents for issuance of foster home license.
• Participates in case consultations with supervisors, county staff and/or state office staff as well as work groups and training as appropriate.
• Authentically engage providers, other professionals within the agency, and external partners (i.e. CPA's, fire marshal's) with empathy and respect; to include timely responses to telephone calls, emails, and texts. Participates in and/or facilitates child and family team meetings as requested. Responds timely and professionally to constituent inquiries.
• Maintains an active routine of self-care and pursues support when necessary to minimize the threat of secondary trauma to physical and mental health. Understands the impact of trauma on families and secondary trauma on child welfare staff and applies principles to support families and staff.
• Ensures personal identifying information (PII) is properly used, accessed, gathered, shared and disposed. Protects the agency networks and applications by safeguarding systems, equipment, and data.
• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duties/services as directed.
• Within 6 months from date of hire obtain Certified Investigator certification. Then yearly must complete 10 hours of training (focused on adoption/child related topics).
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum And Additional Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science and one (1) year of professional experience in human services or social services program.

Bachelor's Degree in any other field and two (2) years of professional experience in human services or social service programs.

Master's Degree or higher in Social Work, Social Welfare or Behavioral Science may be preferred for select positions.

Additional Comments

This application for employment with the SC Department of Social Services must be completed in its entirety. A resume may be included; but shall not be substituted in lieu of the completion of this application in part or in whole. 'See Resume' is not acceptable information for the completion of any part of the requirements of this application. If such is submitted, this employment application will be considered incomplete and may not be forwarded as eligible for consideration to hiring managers.

Must possess a valid driver's license and have access to and be able to operate a motor vehicle. Individuals must comply with necessary field work assignments.

If you certify, by completion and submission of this application, that you possess educational credentials that qualify you for the available DSS positions, you will be required to provide a certified official transcript, if you are selected for job offer.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services offers an exceptional benefits package that includes:

• Health, Dental, Vision, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Programs

DIVISION: Child Welfare Services / Spartanburg County

Important Salary Information*

With the recent implementation of the Child Welfare salary plan funded by the General Assembly beginning in July 2021, front line case managers and team leaders (supervisors) will not only earn higher starting salaries when joining DSS than in previous years, but will also enjoy supplements to their starting salaries upon completion of training and competencies, attainment of BSW/MSW degrees for front line case managers, annual increases for years of continuous service, and salary increases upon attainment of established competencies/certifications for moving into Level 2 and Level 3 salaries. New Child Welfare case managers will earn a starting salary of at least $46,635 during initial certification, depending on education level and degree type, with up-front starting salary supplements of 2.5% ($47,802) and 5% ($48,966) for candidates holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, and 10% ($51,298) for team leaders (supervisors), respectively. Following completion of training certification, assignment of caseloads with one year of completed experience, quarterly adjustments will be made to move successful trainees into the Level 1 salary bracket and will receive at least a 15% salary increase (adjusting their salary to $53,899, $55,248 or $56,508 depending on degree type), and $59,287 for team leaders (supervisors) at that time. Annual salary increases of up to 0.50% per year will be awarded on a quarterly basis for each consecutive year a Level 1 case manager remains in his/her class/position. In January of 2022, DSS rolled out additional opportunities for case managers to progress from Level 1 to Levels 2 and 3, with increases in salary averaging 2.5% for each increase in the case manager’s level of expertise under the salary plan. Level 2 and 3 child welfare staff will also see accelerated annual increases of 1% to 1.5% per year awarded for each continuous year served in his/her class/position. Progression from Level 1 to Levels 2 and 3 requires completion of specified requirements in the Advancement Pathway which include additional training, skill development, and practice model aligned competencies that increase in complexity as the career path progresses. Case reviews, data compliance reviews, field observations and employee self-assessments are used by supervisors to evaluate eligible employees’ demonstration of competencies and skills prior to approval to advance to the subsequent level.

Benefits For State Employees

The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note:

The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.