Human Services Coordinator III (DSS)

Child Welfare experience required.

I.  Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The Nash County Department of Social Services exists to alleviate emotional and economic distress among the citizens of Nash County. Through the delivery of a large number of specialized and complex preventative and restorative programs the agency seeks to assist the county in coping with a variety of social and economic conditions. Employee in this position reports Child Welfare Social Work Supervisor III.

A.The Primary Purpose of Position

The primary purpose of this position is to provide staff assistance and consultation in evaluating child welfare programs in a variety of program areas. Work involves identifying and/or designing data collection and using analytical techniques to prepare necessary reports.  Employee will also conduct training and use quality assurance analysis and case reviews to assure compliance with federal, state, and agency policies. This position has the responsibility of reviewing records and conducting service audits. Results will be compiled and presented to demonstrate trends and areas needing further improvement. This will be achieved by analyzing cases, compiling individual and team data, developing, and analyzing agency wide reports, and implementing standardized work methods.

B. Work Schedule:

Adheres to assigned work schedule as outlined in County attendance policies and procedures.   Regular work hours for this position are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Subject to occasional overtime as required.  Regular, predictable attendance is essential.

C.  Change in Responsibilities or Organizational Relationships:

Effective May 1, 2023, the Staff Development Specialist I was created to provide quality assurance analysis and program review which is essential to assure quality social work services are provided.  This position was reclassified, effective December 1, 2023 to Human Services Evaluator III to encompass a more thorough and detailed approach to reviewing, analyzing and compiling data to improve work performance and outcomes to the population served.

A.Quality Assurance

Work at this level involves assisting managers and supervisors in identifying needs, objectives and strategies for programs within the assigned area of human services through the results of evaluation studies.  Employees work with multiple projects/studies in one or more areas.   Employees are responsible for presentation of reports to management, boards, and/or committees.  

This position is responsible for performing internal quality assurance activities to ensure program outcomes are being met to achieve and sustain improvements in programs and services, and positively impact client outcomes and organizational culture.   This employee's primary responsibility is to identify appropriate tools and monitor performance, using case reviews, to evaluate adherence to State and Agency policy guidelines and to assess the quality of work performed by the case manager.  Employee will conduct a quality assurance review of a representative sample of cases in Child Welfare programs on a monthly basis using state monitoring tools.  Some working knowledge of each Child Welfare program (Foster Care, Adoptions, CPS Investigations, CPS In-Home Services, Family Support Services) is necessary to properly review cases. Log of quality assurance reviews will be maintained.   Employee will provide technical assistance and consultation to management and staff on the interpretation and application of federal and state law, policy, and mandates.

Work in this area requires analysis of data from the evaluation tools, data warehouse, NCFAST, and other State systems.  Data collection will be prepared and used for reports and presentations. Employee will assist in the formulation of recommendations based on the analysis and are expected to determine other program areas where results could be reasonably applied.  

B.  Staff Development

This employee will develop regular training and onboarding for Child Welfare staff, which reduces error rates, improves program integrity, and enhances services provided.  Work involves a thorough understanding of state and federal policies, NC Fast, and the federal CFSR process.  The Human Services Evaluator III will complete targeted training based on errors found from quality assurance file reviews, updated program policy and NC Fast usage.  Training must always incorporate state and federal requirements to ensure program compliance. Employee in this position will need to identify trends across casework and collaborate with the Child Welfare Supervisors, Child Welfare and State Program Consultants to incorporate ongoing policy changes in training and recommendations for training that may be needed.  At the end of a training, participants may evaluate teaching and course content.

C.  Agency Audits

Employee will serve as the agency liaison with external reviewers/auditors. Employee will also be responsible to complete thorough Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes, complete monthly reports on cases reviewed, and participate in Quality Assurance meetings within the agency and State. Problematic findings, errors, and recommendations for improved practice will be reported to the unit supervisor in a timely manner.

D.  Other Duties

Perform other duties as assigned.  This position has been identified as an emergency essential position and, as such, employees in this position may be needed to work, including after-hours, weekends and during a public emergency (to include but not limited to: shelter duty, floods, ice storms, disease outbreak, terrorist attack, etc.).

III.  Other Work Characteristics

A.Consequence for Error  

Work requires knowledge of appropriate techniques and methods to achieve desired results for agency and program specific projects; a thorough understanding of program evaluation processes and a thorough understanding of the programs and service delivery mechanisms in the assigned areas are necessary.

Work and decisions may affect groups and/or individuals involved in career and skills development and training. An error may curtail a phase of training or result in erroneous, irrelevant, or ineffective training to individuals, and cost of time and money to the agency.  Quality assurance errors may impact agency funds, staff performance and family safety.

B.  Machines, Tools Used

Telephone, Fax, computer, copier, scanner, TV monitor, adding machine.

C.  Precision Exactness and/or Accuracy Required  

Exactness and accuracy are required at all times in record reviews, disseminating policy and other training. Individual must be detail oriented.  Feedback from employees must be carefully evaluated and understood to maintain continuous improvement in training delivery and resources.

B.Physical Efforts

The work is primarily sedentary work requiring exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: feeling, grasping, handling, hearing, mental acuity, reaching, speaking, standing, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

C.  Supervision Received

Employee plans work and performs with considerable independence within guidelines and policies of the department. General oral or written instructions are received from the supervisor or areas of responsibility. Objectives and work plans are discussed with the supervisor on a regular basis. Supervisor occasionally monitors training functions.

1.Knowledge of quality assurance program practices, tools, and techniques.

2.Knowledge of the methods and principles of programs, training, and administration.

3.Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, groupwork, and community problems.

4.Considerable knowledge of the methods and techniques of social research and evaluation processes of programs under study and the ability to apply statistics concepts for evaluation of programs.

5.Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or  psychosocial problems and their treatment theory.

6.Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, and resources in the community, laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.  

7.Interact with other employees, customers and partners in an effective manner, with professionalism and cultural competency; work effectively and efficiently as a team contributor including interacting and communicating clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.

8.Ability to concentrate and perform inspections with great attention to detail.

9.Ability to analyze and comprehend a variety of technical and administrative regulation, records, and reports.

10.Conduct business in an ethical manner at all times, while maintaining a high level of professionalism and confidentiality; coordinate work efforts with other employees and organizations to accomplish a common task.

11.Ability to make recommendations, as well as presentations, to management concerning the direction/impact of the program on the target population.

A master's degree in the field of psychology, sociology, or social work and two years of

experience Foster Care, Adoptions and Child Protective Services; or graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in one of the above fields of study and four years of experience in Foster Care, Adoptions and Child Protective Services; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation

1. NC Child Welfare Pre-Service Training