DCS CASE MANAGER 4 - 12102024-63957

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES, CHILD AND FAMILY MANAGEMENT DIVISION, SUMNER COUNTY, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AND RUTHERFORD COUNTY

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in social work or a related behavioral science field with a child or family focus and experience equivalent to three years of full-time professional child welfare case work including, but not limited to, one or a combination of the following: social, psychological, or correctional counseling or case management; volunteer services coordination for a children's service program; and/or juvenile classification coordination.

OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to five years of full-time professional child welfare case work including, but not limited to, one or a combination of the following: social, psychological, or correctional counseling or case management; volunteer services coordination for a children's service program; and/or juvenile classification coordination.

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

1. Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority.
2. Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority.
3. Supply a fingerprint sample in a manner prescribed by the TBI for a fingerprint based criminal history records check.
4. Submit to a review of their status on the Department of Health's vulnerable persons registry.
5. Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment in some positions.
6. Upon appointment, successfully complete a prescribed course of training offered by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services.

Overview

Summary: Under general supervision, is responsible for professional case management supervisory work of average difficulty; and performs related work as required.

Responsibilities

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

1. Models a holistic approach to problem solving through exploring multiple sources and thinking outside the box to promote child welfare outcomes.
2. Determines if abuse or neglect has occurred, who the abuser is, the level of risk or harm to the child, and the need for a safety plan.
3. Compares child's needs to family capabilities to appropriately match child with family.
4. Reviews and assess cases for closure or transfer based on knowledge of policy requirements for case tasks to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being.
5. Utilizes data to make decisions and plans to address issues, trends, and concerns to choose the best solutions.
6. Makes recommendations for reunification or termination of parental rights to ensure permanency.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People:

1. Assesses the underlying needs and core family concerns in order to address key issues that will ensure safety.
2. Evaluates the quality of service providers and resources such as counseling, placements, and case management in order to ensure families receive high quality services.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others:

1. Interprets the meaning and intent of policies and procedures for staff, community partners, and clients.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiation with Others:

1. Addresses conflicts among co-workers and leadership using conflict resolution skills to provide a harmonious working environment.

Getting Information:

1. Oversees intake interviews with individuals reporting suspected child abuse or neglect to ensure interviews are correctly prioritized.
2. Discusses case information with subordinates to guide decision making process regarding case needs, resource allocation and outcomes.
3. Ensures subordinates locate and identify natural, formal and informal supports to ensure diligent searches are conducted and documented in order to promote permanency.
4. Reviews case information to assess appropriate case manager assignment in order to match the best fit for the case and rotation of schedule.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

1. Ensures that the rights of families are recognized and acknowledged to promote best practices.
2. Reviews new and updated laws and policies, disseminate to staff to ensure compliance.
3. Tracks, creates, and communicates reports on regional data to ensure State and Federal compliance.
4. Tracks assessments to ensure data elements are meeting required time frames.
5. Ensures information being submitted to outside entities (e.g. courts, service providers, law enforcement) are professional, accurate and consistent with DCS policies and procedures to provide high quality work.

Coaching and Developing Others:

1. Coaches subordinates on understanding the underlying needs and core family concerns in order to address key issues that will ensure safety.
2. Completes performance documents with subordinates using tools such as Performance Briefings, Performance Evaluations, Interims, Job Performance Plans, in order to ensure continuous professional development.
3. Coaches, directs, and demonstrates job duties of staff for continuous professional development.
4. Demonstrates tasks in computer programs for staff (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, departmental system for entering child welfare information (TFACTS), etc.).

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

1. Completes training and knowledge as required by the Department to be in compliance with policy.
2. Reviews departmental policies for revisions and updates to provide accurate supervision.
3. Communicates to field staff new policies, techniques, procedures, issues and systems.
4. Demonstrates training techniques and knowledge as implemented by the Department to stay up-to-date with current child welfare best practices.

Developing and Building Teams:

1. Develops corrective action plans with underperforming subordinates, addresses specific behaviors with action steps to meet performance goals.
2. Sets goals, establishes action steps, and addresses professional behavior of subordinates to meet desired outcomes.

Training and Teaching Other:

1. Utilizes a strength based approach to identify areas for professional growth and development of subordinates.
2. Identifies areas of deficiencies, develops training.

Performing Administrative Activities:

1. Maintains and update personnel files and supervisory notebooks for employees to document to support employee evaluation.

Staffing Organizational Units:

1. Interviews, selects, and hire in-coming staff in accordance with human resources guidelines.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates:

1. Develops and administers disciplinary actions as required to correct undesired outcomes.
2. Conducts case conferences with subordinates to provide guidance, feedback, direction and next steps to promote safety, permanency and well being.
3. Ensures subordinates accurately complete demographic information from the child and family (e.g. Genogram, Ecomap, Lexus Nexus, etc.).
4. Ensures subordinates enter all documentation regarding the child and family, to include case notes, legal petitions, adjudications, and assessments into child welfare information departmental systems (TFACTS).

Analyzing Data or Information:

1. Identifies, reviews, and compiles data from multiple sources to recognize trends in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
2. Reviews and monitors ongoing assessments of subordinates to ensure quality case management.
3. Analyzes data, response time, overdue reports, CFTM, placement reports, resource home reports, EPSDT and dental, face-to-face visits, review mega-report through use of Sharepoint and Excel to track child welfare outcomes.
4. Approves required assessments in a timely manner (e.g. Family Functional, CANS, YLS, FAST, etc.).

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

1. Engages with staff, children, and families to build a trustful relationship.
2. Responds timely to follow-up with action steps.
3. Encourages clients to be self-sufficient to overcome barriers and promote permanency.
4. Communicates issues effectively to build solutions.
5. Arrives prepared and on time to meetings.
6. Responds timely, appropriately, and respectfully with families, providers, and staff.

Communication with Supervisor, Peers or Subordinates:

1. Represents directives from regional management to subordinates in order to ensure a positive work environment and maintain professional relationships.
2. Identifies pertinent information about cases that require decisions and/or actions from leadership and DCS legal staff.
3. Responds to phone calls and all correspondences in a professional, timely manner to model this behavior for subordinates.

Developing and Building Teams:

1. Participates as an active member of a team; provide support and rely on team members for knowledge and assistance as needed.
2. Builds multi-disciplinary team to conduct peer reviews for cases to ensure quality case management services.
3. Assists with identifying team members for a Child and Family Team Meeting who will work collaboratively with the Case Manager to develop action steps and goals to be accomplished by the child and family.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

1. Participates in multi-disciplinary teams including Child Protective Investigative Team, Foster Care Review Board, Care Team, Community Advisory Board in order to gain a global perspective about case planning decisions.
2. Provides high quality customer service with clients and community partners to promote effective outcomes.
3. Follow-ups on complaints from community partners, legislative services, and others in a timely professional manner in order to build community teams.
4. Exhibits a self- presentation of respectful, professional conduct to gain respect from community partners.

Interacting with Computers:

1. Performs advanced tasks in computer programs (e.g. Microsoft Office and TFACTS).
2. Directs and assists staff with trouble shooting in computer programs (e.g. Microsoft Office, Excel, etc.).

Assisting and Caring for Others:

1. Provides subordinates with tools such as Employee Assistance Program, information about coping skills for secondary trauma, and other stress management supports.
2. Directs staff to appropriate services during times of medical leave, FMLA, and bereavement.
3. Directs staff to appropriate first aid-safety kits, and procedures during times of need to ensure safety and well-being of staff.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others:

1. Assigns cases and work assignments to DCS Case Managers through use of departmental systems for entering child welfare information (TFACTS) in order to meet work requirements.
2. Creates on-call schedules for DCS Case Managers to allocate personnel in a fair and consistent manner.

Processing Information:

1. Audits case files and departmental systems for entering child welfare information (TFACTS) to ensure State and Federal laws to remain in compliance.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

1. Ensures subordinate schedule home visits in a timely manner per policy requirements.
2. Works flexible hours including on-call, weekends, holidays and after hours.
3. Ensures on-call, after hours schedule is developed, posted and entered into TFACTS (when required).
4. Schedules case conferences, team meetings, performance briefings and other assignments as needed.
5. Schedules appointments as necessary to provide high quality services.

Documenting/Recording Information:

1. Documents case conferences, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions and other information as needed into TFACTS or Edison to ensure appropriate supervision.
2. Enters time, mileage, travel, files leave requests, into human resources web application to ensure accurate compensation.
3. Approves time, mileage, travel, files, leave requests, into Edison.

Performing General Physical Activities:

1. Administers drug screen analysis to support field staff in making safety assessments, when necessary.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

1. Maintains logs, documentation and oversees the use of child restraint devices by staff to ensure safety.
2. Supervises transportation processes to ensure safety and compliance with policy.
3. Operates office machinery.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies:

1. Decision Quality
2. Problem Solving
3. Directing Others
4. Organizing
5. Conflict Management
6. Sizing Up People
7. Drive For Results
8. Perseverance
9. Organizational Agility
10. Written Communications
11. Ethics and Values
12. Integrity and Trust

Knowledge:

1. Knowledge of computer program and office equipment, at an intermediate level, used on a daily basis
2. Knowledge of Human Resources policies and procedures that will be used on a daily basis with supervision
3. Knowledge of the Department of Children Services policies and procedures, at an intermediate level, used on a daily basis in the work environment

Skills:

1. The skill to manage one's own time
2. The skill to actively listen to others
3. The skill to organize work efficiently and effectively
4. The skill to use problem solving techniques, at an intermediate level, in daily work
5. The skill to understand written sentences and paragraphs, at an intermediate level, in work related documents
6. The skill to understand verbal communication, at an intermediate level, in work related situations on a daily basis
7. The skill to listen to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
8. The skill to make appropriate decisions, at an intermediate level, on a daily basis

Abilities:

1. The ability to be culturally sensitive in the work environment
2. The ability to demonstrate warmth and empathy when working with children and families
3. The ability to demonstrate self control in daily situations
4. The ability to demonstrate critical thinking, at an intermediate level, in the work environment
5. The ability to handle daily stressful situations in the work environment
6. The ability to demonstrate flexibility in the work environment
7. The ability to be a team player in the work environment
8. The ability to work with the general public in the work environment on a daily basis
9. The ability to manage multiple roles in the work environment on a daily basis
10. The ability to develop and maintain personal growth within the team assigned to in the work environment
11. The ability to coach and mentor best practices for the DCS Case Manager 1's, 2's and 3's in the work environment on a daily basis

Tools & Equipment

1. Electronic devices
2. Computers
3. Motor vehicle

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.