Cws Case Manager - Placement Services / 61083062

• The CWS Case Manager has the role of receiving information from DSS staff regarding children who are in need of a foster care placement and facilitating matching of children with available DSS foster homes, partner agency fosters homes or group care facilities (when appropriate) with the goal of finding "Best Fit First".
• Receives, records and assesses referral information from DSS staff regarding children and youth who require a foster care placement. Placement Coordinator will use critical thinking to explore options within the DSS foster families, partner foster care licensing agencies, or group care settings (when appropriate), and will interface with potential families or partner agencies to explore placement options using phone or email, while always demonstrating excellent communication, client/customer service and professionalism.

• Reviews and update CAPSS as needed concerning a placement search for a child.

• Participates in staffing's, workgroups and trainings as appropriate.

• Updates database of families as needed and prepare and maintain monthly placement statistics as requested by supervisor.

• Participates in hours/holiday on call duties as assigned.

• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duty/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 team leaders (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 $43,700 during initial certification, depending on education level and degree type, with up-front starting salary supplements of 2.5% ($44,792) and 5% ($45,885) for candidates holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, and 10% ($48,070) for team leaders (supervisors), respectively. 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 $50,225, $51,510 or $52,769 depending on degree type), and $55,280 for team leaders (supervisors) 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 2.5% 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.