Foster Care Licensing Specialist

Children and Family Services - Williston, ND - Foster Care Licensing Specialist

Help ensure all children who are receiving foster care services have a safe, secure environment until the child can return home or until a permanent home is found!

ND Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking a Foster Care Licensing Specialist for the Licensing Unit administered within the Children & Family Services Division. You will support the following counties Burke, McKenzie, Divide, Mountrail, Renville, Williams.

As the Foster Care Licensing Specialist, you will play a key role in the licensing process for individuals and families seeking to provide foster care to children. This position is responsible for conducting comprehensive initial and ongoing home study assessments through face-to-face, onsite visits. These assessments involve interviewing prospective foster families, completing visual inspections of the home environment, reviewing applicable policies, delivering required training, and ensuring all necessary documentation is coordinated and accurately entered into the statewide database.

In addition to the assessment duties, you will facilitate pre-service training for prospective foster parents and maintain strong, ongoing relationships with licensed families. Your role will also involve participating in local recruitment and retention efforts, identifying and providing ongoing support to foster families, and contributing to the quality assurance activities of the Child and Family Services (CFS) Licensing Unit.

To succeed in this position requires a well-rounded set of professional and interpersonal skills. Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving abilities are essential, along with empathy, resilience, and a firm commitment to child safety. You must be comfortable building rapport with families, communicating effectively across diverse populations, assessing individual and family needs, and managing multiple responsibilities under tight deadlines. Proficiency with various software programs and databases is necessary, along with a willingness to learn new systems and maintain a high level of attention to detail.

To be considered for this position, you must have a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, human services, child development and family science or criminal justice AND one (1) year of professional work experience as a foster care licenser, social worker, child protective service worker or professional case manager.

Applicants must have a valid driver's license, and ability to travel to their assigned areas using a state fleet vehicle when available.

Applicants must live in one of the following counties of North Dakota or willing to move to that area.

• Burke
• Divide
• McKenzie
• Mountrail
• Renville
• Williams

About HHS: ND HHS strives to make North Dakota the healthiest state in the nation by reinforcing the foundations of well-being: physical, economic, and behavioral. Those services are to be delivered as close to home as possible with a focus on dignity and respect. The keys to delivery of those services are the 2800 committed, compassionate ND HHS team members and more than $6 billion in funding from nearly 200 different federal, state, and special sources.

Location: ND HHS utilizes a blended workplace model. This position applicants can live in one of the following counites Burke, Divide, McKenzie, Mountrail, Renville, Williams. With a preference to applicants living in the Williston where the home base is located.

About Team ND

"Far and away the best prize life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt

More than 7,500 talented, hard-working people across sixty-three agencies have come together as Team North Dakota. At Team ND, we are driven to succeed through gratitude, humility, curiosity and courage. Our purpose is to empower people, improve lives, and inspire success. Join us in being legendary.

Total Rewards: The State of North Dakota is committed to providing team members with a strong and competitive rewards package that support you, your health and your family.

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Application Procedures

Your resume should include information to demonstrate how you meet the minimum qualifications as posted. If the Department's Human Resource Division is unable to determine that you meet the minimum qualifications credit will not be given. All application material must be received on or before the closing date by 11:59 PM Central Standard Time (CST).

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The Department of Health & Human Services does not offer or provide sponsorships.

This employer participates in E-Verify. Please visit the following website for additional information: https://www.hhs.nd.gov/careers/e-verify

A copy of your qualifying degrees transcript and any applicable certifications or licensures must be provided at the time of an interview.

For more information about the position or if you need an accommodation, please contact Monica Miller at mjmiller@nd.gov or at (701)298-4621.

Employing Unit: ND HHS - Children and Family Services

TTY Number: ND Relay Service 1-800-366-6888 (text); 1-800-366-6889 (voice)

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the Application Process or uploading attachments, please contact recruiter@nd.gov or (701)328-3290.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of North Dakota and this hiring agency do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), genetics, religion, age or disability in employment or the provisions of services and complies with the provisions of the North Dakota Human Rights Act.

As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. Sect. 23-12-10.