Social Worker - Elko

Overview

The Division of Child and Family Services is recruiting a Social Worker III in Elko to provide child welfare services. The role includes assessment, safety planning, case management, permanency services, and coordination of medical, mental health, and educational services for children and families. A current Nevada Social Work license is required.

• Assess and manage ongoing safety threats throughout the life of a case.
• Deliver strength‑based, family‑centered case management that promotes safety, well‑being, and permanency.
• Ensure children’s medical, mental health, and educational needs are met.
• Develop, review, and document case plans in accordance with policy and practice guidelines.
• Maintain documentation of assessments, CFTs, monthly visits, court reports, social summaries, diligent search efforts, TPR packets, and other necessary paperwork.
• Conduct home visits and monitor delivery of services to evaluate case plan effectiveness.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings to assess and plan protective services.
• Provide crisis intervention and respond to emergency calls.
• Train, supervise, and evaluate non‑professional staff such as Family Support Workers.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Current Nevada Social Work license.
• Minimum of one year professional experience in child protective services, foster care, and/or adoption services equal to Social Worker I in Nevada State service.
• Working knowledge of:
  • Federal regulations and state laws applicable to child or vulnerable adult welfare.
  • Dynamics of families, caregivers, and/or guardians who deprive, abuse, neglect, or exploit.
  • Indicators of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
  • Family‑centered assessment processes, principles, and practices.
  • Effects of cognitive impairment on vulnerable adults and their families.
  • Court procedures related to abuse, neglect, removal of parental rights, guardianship, and adoption.
  • Law enforcement, mental capacity evaluations, civil rights, and guardianship referral procedures.
  • Emergency relocation procedures for children and vulnerable adults at risk.
• General knowledge of:
  • Collaborative and concurrent case planning.
  • Medical and pharmaceutical terminology sufficient for health surveys and medical report evaluation.
  • Characteristics of intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities and mental illness.
  • Court processes and protocols related to program assignment.
• Ability to:
  • Respond to emergency calls after normal working hours.
  • Conduct safety and risk assessments and determine appropriate action.
  • Exercise authority to remove children from the home or relocate vulnerable adults when at risk of serious harm.
  • Screen for emotionally disturbed children or cognitively impaired vulnerable adults and coordinate appropriate placement.
  • Prepare periodic and permanency reports and comprehensive recommendations to the court.
  • Respond to subpoenas, prepare case documents for litigation.
  • Investigate complaints of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and prepare law enforcement reports.
  • Complete mental capacity evaluations and guardianship referrals.
  • Prepare petitions and court orders, testify in court.
  • Supervise child/parent visits.
  • Present cases to advisory boards, community councils, MDTs, and other agencies.
  • Make state and interstate placement decisions and monitor compliance with court orders.
  • Coordinate and implement case plans, negotiate, persuade, counsel, and intervene appropriately.
  • Compute costs and hours of service.
  • Develop and present training programs for clients and staff.
  • Organize and facilitate meetings.
  • Navigate and enter data into the agency’s computer system.
  • Oversee work of paid and volunteer social service providers.