Foster Care Case Manager

Work for Indiana

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work‑life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

Join a group of passionate, dedicated public servants to support one of Indiana’s most critical missions! The Department of Child Services helps children who are victims of abuse or neglect and strengthens families through services that focus on family support and preservation. We pursue permanency for children and families through reunification, guardianship, and adoption. Our services also encompass foster care, child support, and transitional support for those adjusting to adulthood.

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The Foster Care Case Manager improves foster care services by licensing foster families and providing support to Family Case Managers in making placement determinations for children. Foster Care Case Managers use effective screening methods to understand and match the needs of children to foster families, enhancing appropriate placements. You will recruit, license, train, and support families to increase foster retention. You will also seek to decrease placement moves and increase local placements.

This includes expanding the number of foster caregivers and homes, expediting the training and licensure of relatives, providing excellent customer service, and using targeted recruitment strategies to meet regional needs. Please click the link for a realistic job preview video. This position is in Gary, Indiana, and will serve Lake County, and surrounding counties as needed.

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $47,320.00, but may be commensurate with education or work experience. Use our Compensation Calculator to view the total compensation package.

Responsibilities include:

• Investigate reported incidents of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, determine whether the incident is substantiated, and develop recommendations to a Juvenile Court or County Director for disposition.
• Assess the level of risk to the child for additional injury or harm, including whether the child is in imminent danger, and may remove the child from the family as the situation warrants, placing a child in a protected environment.
• Perform needs assessments to determine treatment options for families and children reported to be abused/neglected.
• Testify and prepare pre‑dispositional and progress reports, maintain case files, and develop briefing reports for the community child protection team. Develop “informal adjustment” plans with families and children to divert children from the juvenile justice system.
• Develop case plans to assist families and children to become more self‑sufficient in a safe and nurturing environment and to ensure a permanent home for the child.
• Develop discharge/transition programming to assist families and children to attain and maintain self‑sufficiency in a safe environment.
• Monitor and assess the service capability of treatment programs and providers to ensure consistency with the case plan.
• Accept on‑call responsibility as needed to receive and investigate allegations of child abuse/neglect.
• Conduct home studies and family histories and recommend placement for adoption to an adoption team.
• Visit children in out‑of‑home placements to coordinate family reunification, adoption, or independent living efforts.
• Maintain data to help management evaluate trends in family and child needs.

The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

• Bachelor’s degree, or
• Associate degree with a minimum of two (2) years of human services job experience, or
• Completion of thirty (30) college credit hours from…