Department Information

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Informationsection below for details!

Division of Division of Child Welfare

The unit works to oversee child protection and prevention for the State of Colorado. This unit sets policy and procedures for the 64 counties served by 59 departments of social/human services to practice child protection including hotline, referral, assessment, institutional assessments, anti-human trafficking and sets policy and procedures for developing and building capacity to prevent involvement in the child welfare system including preventing out-of-home placement.
The unit coordinates and collaborates with other units to manage the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act grants and federal implementation and oversees the development and the implementation of the Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) cycle including: the Child and Family Services Plan, Annual Progress Service Review, the Statewide Assessment, the CFSR On-site review and the Statewide Progress Improvement Plan. Unit staff work with county departments to ensure regulatory and statutory compliance and to offer technical assistance, support and guidance when the practice is not in the line with policy, statute, and rule. Staff also researches promising and evidence-informed practices being utilized throughout the nation and makes recommendations for consideration or implementation in Colorado.

Description of Job

The purpose of this position is to serve as the CDHS staff authority in all aspects of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) and the federal review of the state's child welfare system, authorized under the 1994 Amendments to Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act. Duties include coordinating the four factors of the CFSR cycle, communicating and collaborating with CHDS’ Administrative Review Division, federal partners from the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, county departments of human/social services, state staff and child welfare stakeholders; planning and project management of the CFSR statewide assessment, and the on-site review; development and monitoring of the Program Improvement Plan (PIP) should any result from the review; and collecting Information, writing, editing and submitting and tracking progress associated federal reports throughout the federal reporting cycle. These reports include the Five-Year Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP), Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR), Program Improvement Plan (PIP), and progress reports, and other related reporting as required by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

• Program Services Review.
  • Oversees the coordination of the CFSR cycle (occurs approx. every five to seven years)
  • Facilitates regular communications with the Administration for Children and Families to plan for the implementation of the statewide assessment and onsite review and program improvement plan
  • Convene and lead a CFSR planning team consisting of internal Office of Children Youth and Families (OCYF), Division of Child Welfare (DCW), Division of Youth Services (DYS) and Administrative Review Division (ARD) as well as external county staff, Court Improvement Program (CIP) staff to plan for the CFSR cycle.

• Statewide Assessment Tasks/activities.
  • Develops a plan for collecting feedback from stakeholders including caregivers, youth and parents; county staff and supervisors; community partners and legal representatives
  • Oversees logistics for processes to gather feedback from all stakeholder groups utilizing surveys, focus groups, interviews and other means
  • Leads a team to analyze stakeholder feedback information and determine how to document and incorporate qualitative feedback into CFSR reporting
  • Review quantitative data received through AFCARS, NCANDS, and the CFSR data profiles
  • Collaborate with the Research, Analysis and Data (RAD) unit, ARD and others to review state level quantitative data.

• On-Site CFSR.
  • Identify strategy, systems and processes to plan direct and coordinate activities of the development and implementation of the CFSR.
  • Work with CFSR planning team to develop criteria for site selection
  • Collaborate with the (ARD) to plan and implement the CFSR case review processes
  • Recruit reviewers for the onsite review
  • Work with ACF and ARD to Coordinate training for case reviewers
  • Draft plans and determine time frames, staffing needs and procedures to meet project goals and objectives.
  • Manage available resources during the phases to develop project plan outlines to ensure that the project progresses on schedule and within budget.
  • Oversees and ensures collaboration with the State Court Administrator’s Office, the Administrative Review Division, and other relevant internal and external stakeholders throughout the on-site review process
  • Collaborates with internal and external staff to recruit and coordinate group stakeholder interview processes during the onsite review.

• Program Improvement Plan (PIP).
  • Responsible for the coordination and development of the Program Improvement Plan (PIP) including data analysis, continuous quality improvement processes and root cause analysis
  • Coordinates county and other stakeholder involvement in selecting and developing activities and action
  • Oversees and ensures collaboration with the State Court Administrator’s Office, the Administrative Review Division, and other relevant internal and external stakeholders throughout the program improvement planning process
  • Responsible for liaising with the children’s bureau and region office for the development, submission, and monitoring of the CFSR Program Improvement Plan
  • Coordinates with the ARD and the RAD team to obtain baselines and quarterly data to inform the CFSR PIP
  • Facilitates and monitors the CFSR PIP and submits all quarterly reports, including documentation of completion, and quarterly data submissions
  • Advises leadership team of potential federal fiscal sanctions related to timely completion of the CFSR PIP.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Experience Only: Seven (7) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned
to this position.

OR

Education and Experience: A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.

• Standard Background. ALL CDHS employees (non-direct contact): CBI name check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), and drug screen (commercial Driver’s license)
• Travel. The position is required to travel throughout the state to meet with stakeholders.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Supplemental Information

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations:CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~