Family Preservation Social Worker

Keeping Families Together in Northern Michigan

Some of the most important work happening in Northern Michigan right now takes place not in offices or clinics, but in living rooms, kitchen tables and front porches — in the everyday spaces where families live their lives. Wellspring is currently seeking a Family Preservation Social Worker to join our team that reports to our regional office in Gaylord, based on work done in homes across Emmet, Antrim, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Kalkaska, Otsego, Crawford, Iosco, Alcona, Ogemaw, Roscommon and Oscoda counties

Family preservation is exactly what it sounds like: working alongside families to help them stay together, grow stronger, and build a stable home where children can thrive. When a family is under stress — whether from housing instability, financial hardship, relationship strain or other challenges — the goal of family preservation work is to provide the right support at the right time, so that children can remain safely at home with the people who love them.

This is in-home, relationship-driven work carried out under contracts with the State of Michigan. Wellspring operates multiple family preservation programs across Northern Michigan, each designed to meet families where they are and provide intensive, individualized support. Depending on your background and experience, one of these three programs may be right for you:

• Families First (FF) — Michigan's long-standing intensive family preservation program, focused on families at imminent risk of child removal
• Family Together Building Solutions (FTBS) — A strength-based program supporting families involved with or at risk of involvement with the child welfare system
• Family Reunification Program (FRP) — Supporting families working toward reunification after a child has been removed from the home

What You'll Do

Across all three programs, the work is grounded in a strength-based, non-deficit approach — one that starts with what families are already doing right and builds from there. Responsibilities include:

• Providing concrete services including assistance with housing, transportation, home cleaning, maintenance and repair
• Delivering skills training in parenting, communication, self-advocacy and self-sufficiency
• Offering short-term counseling and crisis intervention as needed
• Coordinating with community providers to connect families with counseling, medical care, educational support, housing resources and utility assistance
• Completing timely documentation including service plans, progress notes, termination summaries, goal sheets and weekly reports
• Presenting cases at termination conferences and recommending appropriate follow-up services
• Maintaining 24-hour availability and a flexible schedule based on family needs
• Conducting face-to-face visits with families at the frequency required by contract and individual family need
• Maintaining weekly communication with referring workers and completing follow-up evaluations at 6 and 12 months post-service
• Transporting clients in your personal vehicle as required

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in social work or a related human services field, required
• Valid driver's license, vehicle registration, and auto insurance, required
• Experience working with children and families, preferred
• Reliable, compassionate and committed to high-quality service
• Strong organizational, communication and problem-solving skills

Schedule & Compensation

• Employment Type: Full-time
• Schedule: Flexible; 24-hour availability for families as needed
• Work Setting: Home-based with daily travel throughout the service area
• In-Office Requirements: Weekly team meetings and clinical supervision in Gaylord
• Salary: $42,000–$43,000 annually, based on the family preservation program
• Travel: Mileage reimbursement provided for all work-related travel

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching
• DailyPay — access your earned wages anytime
• SupportLinc employee assistance program
• Clinical supervision and professional development opportunities
• A collaborative, supportive team environment
• Meaningful work that strengthens families and promotes long-term stability
• Nonprofit employer = PSLF-eligible. If you have federal student loans, working here counts toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. For many BSW grads, that’s worth a lot.

Location

While our regional office is located at 1260 S. Otsego Ave., in Gaylord, MI, the work is done mainly in families’ homes throughout the region. Travel to the office is limited and supervision can vary according to your location.

If you're ready to bring your skills and compassion to families across Northern Michigan, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today to be part of a mission-driven team doing work that truly matters — right here in the communities we all call home.

Full job description provided during the interview.

Pay: $42,000.00 - $43,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• This position requires driving on behalf of the organization. If hired for this role, you will be required to provide proof of automobile insurance meeting the agency’s minimum coverage requirements, which currently include:

Bodily Injury Liability: $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident
Property Damage Liability: $100,000 per accident
Will you be able to meet and provide proof of these insurance requirements if selected for this position?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Gaylord, MI 49735 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Gaylord, MI 49735

Salary : $42,000 - $43,000