• The Child Welfare Services Case Manager who performs case management and concurrent planning in the Child Welfare area of Adoptions in accordance with DSS Policy, Mission and GPS Practice Model. Makes contact with children and families to achieve the permanency goal of adoption. Utilizes critical thinking skills to monitor safety, risk, and well-being. Performs on-call duties as assigned.

• Performs case management (ie, contacts, visitation, case planning) to a caseload of legally free children and families to ensure safety, permanency and well-being. Makes referrals to adoption recruitment resources, coordinates the selection of adoptive individuals or families, prepares children and adoptive applicants for adoptive placement.

• Completes, reviews, and updates the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) according to time frames established by DSS Policy. Utilizes the CANS to collaboratively updates the Family Permanency Plan within the Child and Family Team (CFT) Meeting.

• Authentically engages families, other professionals within the agency, and external partners (i.e. GAL, Foster Care Review Board, DJJ) with empathy and respect; to include timely responses to telephone calls, emails, and texts. Participates in and facilitates child and family team meetings.

• Collaborates closely with legal to promote timely permanency. Adheres to court orders, submits court packets timely and participates in legal proceedings.

• Maintains physical and electronic case record by composing clear, objective, and thorough documentation covering pertinent details of case activities per DSS policy and the GPS Practice Model. Ensures all case management activities are documented in CAPSS system according to time frames established by DSS policy. Ensures documentation meets quality standards and captures necessary elements pertinent to safety, permanency, well-being and case planning.

• Maintains child welfare certification. Completes 20 hours of training yearly to include certifications that are required yearly.

• 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.

• Performs Red Cross duty or other emergency shelter duties/services as directed.

*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 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 $41,200 during initial certification, depending on education level and degree type, with up-front starting salary supplements of 2.5% ($42,230) and 5% ($43,260) for candidates holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, respectfully. 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 $47,380, $48,564 or $49,749 depending on degree type) 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 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.