Child & Family Services Case Manager

Child & Family Services Case Manager

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Family Well-Being and Protection, Bureau of Child Protective Services, is seeking a Child & Family Services Case Manager (Job Classification: Social Worker
2) to join our team! The position is located in Dubuque. This is a full‑time opportunity, Monday – Friday with typical hours 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM with paid overtime as needed including after‑hours and weekend on‑call rotation. All paid overtime must be pre‑approved by leadership.

The primary purpose of this position is to work with families in which child abuse and/or neglect has occurred. The focus is to decrease the likelihood of continued abuse while preserving families. We do our best to keep families together, however, there are times in which this is not possible. In these circumstances, children may have to be removed from parental custody and placed in another home, preferably still with family.

• Assess the ongoing risk to children, develop safety plans, assess strengths and needs of the child and family, and make recommendations to county attorneys and courts.
• Frequent interaction with law enforcement, medical/mental health community partners, schools, etc.
• Apply Iowa Code, agency policy, and sound professional judgment to highly complex situations involving crises and/or chronic abuse or neglect.
• Conduct home visits, detailed interviews, and thorough narrative documentation for all cases.
• Troubleshoot problematic situations to find innovative solutions to present to administration and the supervisor. Confront crises and high‑stress situations calmly and orderly, maintaining confidentiality and ensuring safety.
• Obtain information from a wide variety of sources, including written materials and telephone conversations, and interpret data.
• Analyze information and draw accurate conclusions based on rules, principles, or relationships.
• Work in a team environment to manage group processes, facilitate and encourage cooperation and trust.
• Collaborate with others to achieve goals in a supportive customer‑service manner.
• Provide Division support to a large segment of the agency through managing internal and external requests, legislative reviews, and timely response communication.
• Work or be on standby during nights and weekends on a rotational basis.

• Successful management of a full case load.
• Strong observational, analytical and respectful engagement skills to partner with families for safety planning.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and timely written documentation.
• Ability to develop case plans, use critical thinking, prioritize work and work under pressure.
• Independent judgment, sound decision making, integrity, confidentiality, and strong work ethic.

To ensure the Service Area is providing the best service to the residents of Iowa, applicants should demonstrate exceptional customer service skills, integrity, and a strong work ethic. Preference will be given for education or experience that directly correlates with the position requirements.

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well‑being and professional growth:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages at low cost with outstanding coverage.
• Paid Time Off: Vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) and the Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: For medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Life insurance and free long‑term disability insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Discounts on a variety of goods and services.

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