Our Mission: Arapahoe County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) builds strong communities by promoting the safety, independence and stability of individuals and families.

Our Vision: To end the cycle of poverty and prevent abuse and neglect of children and vulnerable adults (using an integrated Two-Generation approach)

ACDHS uses an integrated Two-Generation (2Gen) approach to address all of the basic human services needs of the entire family unit. The 2Gen approach begins with a mindset focused on family-centered program design, continues with the alignment of services and resources within the department as well as across multiple organizations, resulting in coordinated services to children and adults together (family) in order to create long term stability and sustainability.

The 2Gen approach builds well-being for families by focusing equally and intentionally on high-quality services in five areas of focus: early childhood education, adult education and employment pathways, economic security, health and well-being and social capital. This approach will help us achieve our core mission of breaking the generational cycle of poverty, preventing neglect and abuse and building strong communities.

This Caseworker will provide operational support to the Permanency Caseworker for cases in which the child's primary permanency goal has become or is soon to become adoption. This position will help to develop, coordinate and facilitate the information exchange between the Department and the identified adoptive family as well as managing the entire adoption assistance process. This caseworker position will have a general knowledge of adoption topics and also ensure that Volume VII and Children's Code policies and practices for adoption are being followed and ensure all judiciary documentation is completed accurately for the legal finalization of the child's adoption. It is also critical that this caseworker works closely with families to help educate and support them around adoption issues and also about post-adoption support and services.

• Be familiar with Colorado Department of Human Services Policy and Procedures for Child Welfare Manual, Volume 7 (7.306.4) and the Children's Code as it relates to adoption policy and procedures.
• Attend LINKS, staffings, or other meetings as deemed necessary to ensure and assist in the permanency goal of adoption.
• Be an adoption and relative guardianship resource and consultant for agency staff as well as adoptive families, including assisting when adoptive placements are struggling or may be disrupting.
• Prepare foster and kin families for adoption/relative guardianship and connect them with post-adoption/guardianship resources and support.
• Utilize working knowledge of adoption specific documentation, such as the Child and Family Study, sustainability plan, adoption treatment plan and adoption specific language for court reports to assist the Permanency Caseworker in completion of these documents.
• Schedule, prepare and facilitate the Presentation Meeting/Information Sharing process with the identified adoptive family, which includes meeting with the permanency caseworker, reading extensive special needs information, helping to obtain third party documentation and redacting for confidentiality.
• Ensure that potential adoptive families are informed of the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services Adoption Assistance Program and Relative Guardianship Assistance Program (RGAP). Caseworker will negotiate an assistance package with the family, complete Adoption or Relative Guardianship Assistance Contracts, and participate in fair hearings as necessary.
• Create, monitor, and refer adoption home study files on kinship adoptive families.
• Prepare, present, and ensure the completion of all judicial documents for filing as well as schedule the adoption finalization hearing with the Court.
• Complete extensive Trails work including creating adoption/guardianship services, opening placements, completing TPR and adoption/guardianship pages and opening an adoption/guardianship case.
• Create sealed adoption/guardianship file and transfer all necessary documents to the Subsidy Liaison.
• Attend state or agency adoption meetings when needed.

Skills, Abilities and Competencies:

• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to analyze and interpret governmental and legal regulations.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and state and county computer systems.
• Ability to learn various applications.

Behavioral Competencies (these are required for all positions at ACG):

Education and Experience:

A bachelor's degree in social work or a human behavioral science field from an accredited institution with a minimum of thirty (30) semester credit hours or (45) quarter hours in a human behavior science field* and at least one (1) year of professional casework, case management, or human services experience in a public or private human services agency or (1) year of volunteer and or internship in child welfare or human services working at least 20 hours per week or a successfully completed 16 hour/week internship in a child welfare county department.

OR

A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in an unrelated field (such as biology, physics, geology, etc.) with a minimum of fifteen (15) semester credit hours or (25) quarter hours in a human behavior science field* and a minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in casework, case management, or human services in a public or private agency.

OR

A master's degree from an accredited institution in social work or a human behavioral science field* with no experience.

OR

A master's degree from an accredited institution in an unrelated field (such as biology, physics, geology, etc.) with a minimum of fifteen (15) semester credit hours or (25) quarter hours of coursework in a human behavior science field*, coursework taken during bachelor's degree will meet this education requirement *and a minimum of one (1) year of professional experience in casework, case management, or human services in a public or private agency.

* In order to meet the minimum educational requirements of a human behavioral science degree, the applicant must have a degree with major course work (equivalent to 15 semester credit hours or 25 quarter hours) in either development of human behavior, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures or therapeutic techniques such as social work, psychology, sociology, guidance and counseling, and child development.

Categorically Eligible Degrees:

For the purposes of meeting minimum educational requirements, the following degrees obtained from an accredited university will be considered "categorically eligible". Bachelor of Arts and/or Master of Arts degree in the following areas of study.

Areas of study that will be considered to meet the minimum educational requirements as outlined in Volume VII:
1. Psychology

2. Sociology

3. Social Work

4. Counseling

5. Child Development

6. Criminal Justice courses relevant to child welfare: This includes courses covering topics in juvenile justice, family law, family conflict, general court procedures, interviewing techniques, dispute resolution, and mediation.

7. Foreign language courses

8. Anthropology courses relevant to cultural development and history, linguistic development, and communications. Physical anthropology courses do not count toward minimum requirements.

9. History courses relevant to family and cultural development.

Examples of relevant work experience include, but are not limited to:

• Educator/Teacher and or Para-professional Work: Providing support to underserved children in communities where services are essential, including engaging with families of learners.
• Refugee/Migrant Support: Offering aid and advocacy to refugees and/or migrants facing unique challenges.
• Residential Care/PRTF: Experience with children, youth or adults in residential care, day treatment or detention centers, emphasizing hands-on engagement with families.
• Domestic Violence Case Manager: Direct experience in managing cases related to domestic violence and supporting clients.
• Clinical Experience: Experience working with vulnerable/underserved children and families utilizing therapeutic tools or interventions.
• Medical Professionals: Ex. Nurses who have worked in the field with underserved populations providing public health education to families who are vulnerable and need assistance accessing services.
• Victim's Advocate: Experience working with children and families in the community providing support and resources.
• Probation Officer: Experience providing case management services to individuals, both youth and adults.
• Law Enforcement: Experience working in underserved communities, being called in the field to mitigate risk/de-escalation of citizens struggling with mental health, working with adults/youth in the community. Connecting with families in the community experiencing traumatic life events.
• Internships and Volunteering: Experience gained through internships or volunteering in any of the categories with a commitment of 20 hours per week or more (or 16 hours if internship was within child welfare county department).

NOTE: Please attach your official (preferred) or unofficial transcripts of your completed undergraduate and/or graduate degree and list of professional references to your application in the required attachment section.

Pre-Employment Additional Requirements:

• Must successfully pass pre-employment testing which includes an acceptable motor vehicle record (MVR) and background check.
• Possession of a valid Class "R" Colorado Driver's License or the ability to obtain one within two weeks of appointment.

Post-Employment Requirements:

• Will require fingerprinting and a Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) background check.
• Position is deemed essential and casework staff must be available for winter storm and other emergency events.
• Caseworker staff may be asked to be available to work on-call on a rotational basis including evenings, holidays and weekends.
• Must have already successfully completed the Colorado Pre-Service Training Academy program or if hired must successfully complete and pass all required State of Colorado training in order to be certified as a caseworker. Maintain Child Welfare Certification through 40 or more hours of yearly training.
• Work locations and facilities are subject to change based on business need.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The following are some of the physical demands commonly associated with this position.

• Spends 50% of the time sitting and 50% of the time either upright or walking.
• Occasionally lifts, carries, pulls or pushes up to 20 lbs.
• Occasionally uses cart, dolly, or other equipment to carry in excess of 20 lbs.
• Occasionally climbs, stoops, kneels, balances, reaches, crawls and crouches while performing office or work duties.
• Verbal and auditory capacity enabling constant interpersonal communication through automated devices, such as telephones, radios, and similar; and in public meetings and personal interactions.
• Constant use of eye, hand and finger coordination enabling the use of automated office machinery or equipment.
• Visual capacity enabling constant use of computer or other work-related equipment.

Below, please list any special physical demands associated with this position. For instance, exposure to hazardous environments, blood borne pathogens, extreme heat/cold, use of power equipment or machinery, wearing of PPE (personal protective equipment).

Occasionally: Activity exists less than 1/3 of the time.

Frequently: Activity exists between 1/3 and 2/3 of the time.

Constantly: Activity exists more than 2/3 of the time.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to:

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