Ingham County Services Specialist; CPS​/Foster Care

Job Summary

The Services Specialist will utilize child welfare practice skills to ensure children are protected from abuse and neglect. When child abuse or neglect is indicated, specialists work closely with families and the legal system toward a goal of reunification, independent living, or other permanent living situation.

Posting expires July 1, 2026.

Work collaboratively with families and the legal system to protect children from abuse and neglect, and to achieve outcomes including reunification, independent living, or other permanent living situations.

• Educational Requirements: Possession of a bachelor’s or master’s degree with a major in one of the following human services areas: social work, sociology, psychology, forensic psychology, interdisciplinary studies in social science, education, community development, law enforcement, behavioral science, gerontology, special education, education of the emotionally disturbed, education of the gifted, family ecology, community services, family studies, family and/or child development, counseling psychology, criminal justice, human services, or a human services-related counseling major.
  
  OR possession of a bachelor’s degree in any major with at least 30 semester (45 term) credits in one or a combination of the above areas.
• Experience: Services Specialist 9:
  No specific type or amount is required. Services Specialist 10:
  One year of professional experience providing casework services to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals equivalent to a Services Specialist
  9. Services Specialist 11:
  Two years of professional experience providing casework services to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals equivalent to a Services Specialist, including one year equivalent to a Services Specialist 10.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Successful completion of a background investigation including fingerprinting and a criminal records check.
• Completion of a 12‑week pre‑service training program and a minimum number of hours of in‑service training annually.

• Ingham County, Department of Health and Human Services, 5303 S. Cedar St., Lansing, MI 48911.

MDHHS reserves the right to close this posting at any time if a sufficient number of applications have been received.