Social Services Program Analyst

The State of Wyoming's Department of Family Services is seeking a Social Services Lead Worker. This position is crucial for managing high and very high-risk family caseloads, with a core focus on building family capacity to care for children within their homes safely. The Lead Worker will facilitate safety interventions and community collaboration, and support foster care providers, including relative caregivers.

Key responsibilities include conducting safety and risk assessments, developing and implementing safety plans, and providing ongoing and crisis case management. The role also involves serving as a coaching resource and mentor for newer workers, particularly in assessing risk and safety during home visits with an emphasis on maintaining children safely in the home. This position requires a Bachelor's degree plus 2-3 years of progressive work experience, typically in child protection.

Essential skills include the ability to assess risk and safety at a high level, effectively communicate conclusions, work with diverse populations in high-stress situations, and offer crisis mediation.

Working for the State of Wyoming offers more than a paycheck. Our total compensation package includes:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid vacation, sick leave, FMLA, and holidays
• Retirement - Pension and 457B plans that help you build a secure future
• Flexible schedules and work-life balance options
• Meaningful work that makes a difference for Wyoming communities and MUCH MORE!

Human Resources Contact:
Michelle Ramsey / michelle.ramsey

• Responsible for administering social services and juvenile services programs.
• Manages one or more statewide or agency-wide social services or juvenile program(s).
• Determines program goals and objectives and/or chairs committees established to support the program.
• Develops and coordinates program(s) activities, services, and/or implementation with private providers, other governmental entities, program users, etc.
• Monitors and evaluates operations, programs, processes and/or practices for quality and effectiveness; makes recommendations for improvement.
• Develops and coordinates plans and policies, resources, and mission as well as goals, vision, and expectations of agency or program.
• Responds to questions from clients and the general public.
• Draws down and manages federal funds.
• Reviews and monitors determinations made by the field staff in protection cases regarding safety, permanency, and well-being.
• Provides technical/functional supervision to line staff through training, consultation on program(s) related to policies, updated plans, priorities, processes, practices, etc.
• Responsible for analyzing, researching, developing and implementing statewide social services programs.
• Writes and revises program policy and procedures; trains and monitors policy implementation.
• Develops, maintains and coordinates staff training for department personnel.
• Monitors the RFP process.
• In addition to the duties of a Social Services Worker, the lead worker will manage and/or provide consultation for high- and very-high-risk cases, including investigations and assessments.
• Utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) in gathering information for reports and building rapport.
• Support training and development of Motivational Interviewing (MI) for the office.
• Conduct safety and risk assessments and family assessments with an emphasis on creating plans to maintain children safely in their homes.
• Conduct initial and ongoing face-to-face contact with children and adults involved in reports, assessing safety, risk, service needs, and strengths of all family members.
• Develop and implement safety plans and case service…