Ongoing Caseworker

Fairfield County Ohio; Lancaster (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairfield County Ohio seeks an Ongoing Caseworker (Social Services Worker 3) to investigate abuse and neglect of children, prepare cases for court, meet deadlines, and maintain thorough documentation in SACWIS and EDMS.

The role involves interviewing families, providing crisis intervention, testifying at hearings, supervising visits, arranging placements, and participating in on-call coverage. Travel across Ohio and occasionally nationwide is required; a valid driver's license is necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human services-related studies or equivalent.
• Bachelor's degree in any field and at least two years in a human services occupation.
• Associate's degree in human services-related studies.
• Five years in a human service-related occupation.

Responsibilities

• Investigate abuse and neglect claims and prepare cases for court.
• Maintain a caseload, assess complaints, interview adults and children.
• Record data in SACWIS and EDMS; gather evidence and coordinate with partners.
• Attend court hearings, supervise visits, and arrange placements.
• Travel across Ohio (and occasionally the United States) for mandates; on-call coverage.

Education

Bachelor's degree in human services-related studies

Bachelor's degree in any field and 2 years in a human services occupation

Associate's degree in human services-related studies

Five years in a human service-related occupation

Job description

The primary purpose of the Ongoing Caseworker (Social Services Worker 3) position is to investigate claims of abuse and neglect of children. In addition, the classification prepares child cases for court, meets procedural deadlines governing the management of social services cases set by the State of Ohio and ensures that this documentation is complete, and could serve as on-call social service worker (e.g., on weekends, holidays, after business hours).

45% Provides services to families by maintaining a caseload of abuse, neglect, and dependency cases. Works to assess the validity of complaints accepted according to the Department of Children and Youth (DCY) rules and agency policy of abuse, neglect, and dependency by conducting interviews of adults and children at various locations, completing assessments in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), gathering evidence, and working with community partners and/or collateral sources. Provides interventions to alleviate crises and reduce risks to children by engaging the family, community partners, and referring for service linkage. Establishes a family case plan with individualized goals and assesses progress on a routine basis; maintains contact with client, out of home placement, and interested parties and assesses progress of case plan; determines alternative treatment plans as necessary; provides crisis intervention case management as established by DCY Rule and Agency Policy. Attends/testifies at court hearings; attends and actively participates in administrative case reviews; performs planned and unplanned emergency removals and emergency placements; supervises visits with parents and transports children/adults. Is responsible for handling difficult and emergency cases and/or situations, during and after work hours, and makes referrals within Protective Services or to community partners for additional services to support the family. Required to travel throughout the state of Ohio and at times, throughout the United States, to complete mandates established by DCY. The duties of this position are considered high risk, high demand, and have significant unpredictability in daily tasks and require the need for flexibility.

30% Maintains case record documentation in SACWIS and the Electronic Data Management System (EDMS) (e.g., photos, audio/video recordings, activity logs, forms, written summaries, assessments, case plans, social history, and court documents) for supervisory approvals and agency record retention.

15% Assesses need for placement of children in substitute care when needed. Secure out-of- home care placement which best meets the child’s individual needs in a least restrictive and most home-like/appropriate setting.

10% Participate in ongoing training, supervisory/staff meetings, staff consultations and other related management support tasks. Participates in weekend and after hours on call coverage on a rotating basis. Assist with overflow case assignments by assessing the validity of complaints accepted according to DCY rules and agency policy of abuse, neglect, and dependency by conducting interviews of adults and children at various locations, completing assessments in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), gathering evidence, and working with community partners and/or collateral sources. Provides interventions to alleviate crises and reduce risks to children by engaging the family, community partners and referring for service linkage. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Per Section 5153.112 of the Ohio Revised Code, applicants of a Public Children Services unit must have one of the following:

1. 1. A bachelor’s degree in human services-related studies, or
2. 2. A bachelor’s degree in any field and have been employed for at least two years in a human services occupation, or
3. 3. An associate’s degree in human services-related studies, or
4. 4. Been employed for at least five years in a human service-related occupation.

For employment to continue, a person described in Option 2, 3, or 4 above must obtain a job-related bachelor’s degree not later than five years after the date employment with the agency commences.

Per Section 5153.122 of the Ohio Revised Code, each caseworker shall complete at least ninety hours of in-service training during the first year of the caseworker’s continuous employment, consisting of courses in recognizing and preventing child abuse and neglect, assessing risks, interviewing persons, investigating cases, intervening, providing services to children and their families, and other topics relevant to child abuse and neglect. After the first year of continuous employment, each caseworker annually shall complete thirty-six hours of training in areas relevant to the caseworker’s assigned duties.

In addition, applicant must have a valid driver’s license.

Unusual Working Conditions/Hazards

The position possesses responsibility for the safety of children or adults by requiring the incumbent to make determinations as to whether these children or adults are in an “imminent risk of harm.” These children and adults are incapable of protecting themselves from physical, mental, and/or sexual abuse. Injuries, if they do occur are likely to involve temporary disabilities such as bruises or cuts. Serious mistakes in terms of failing to remove children or adults from homes could conceivably, although extremely infrequent, cause death (e.g., suicide) or a permanent disability. Additionally, the position involves performing duties which require taking some special safety precautions, such as when contacting and negotiating with a family suspected of child abuse or neglect. However, performing this duty does not require the use of protective clothing. Exposure to these situations is likely to result in threats of injury, which are rarely acted upon. However, the position involves regular exposure to environmental factors (e.g., cold, excessive heat, noise, fumes, vibration, dirt) during interviews and meetings conducted outside of the office. The position may involve lifting or carrying children, and exposure to contagious diseases.