Social Services Analyst ; Lake Charles Child Support

Department MISSION

DCFS is working to keep children safe, helping individuals and families become self-sufficient, and providing safe refuge during disasters.

We care for the well‑being and safety of Louisiana's people.

Treating all people with dignity, compassion and respect, while providing services with integrity.

We’re looking for a Social Services Analyst (1/2/3) to work in our Child Support Enforcement office in Lake Charles, LA.

Child Support Enforcement is a program that works with parents to provide emotional, financial, and medical support for their child or children. DCFS offers parent locator and paternity establishment services, as well as assistance to establish and enforce child support orders and collection and distribution of child support payments. This position assists in ensuring non‑custodial parents fulfill their obligations to provide financial and medical support for their child/children.

• Selected Core Competencies
  • Focusing on Customers
    :
    The ability to serve the needs of those who support and/or rely on the services provided.
  • Following Policies and Procedures
    :
    The ability to comply with policies and procedures of the organization as well as State Civil Service rules, and all applicable federal and state laws.
  • Making Accurate Judgments
    :
    The ability to form an opinion objectively and decisively based on relevant information and in accordance with established standards.
• Selected Preferred Competencies
  • Accepting Direction
    :
    The ability to accept and follow directions from those higher in the chain of command.
  • Acting with Ethics and Integrity
    :
    The ability to be consistent, honest, and a trustworthy steward of State resources.
  • Communicating Effectively
    :
    The ability to relay information correctly and appropriately to connect people and ideas.
  • Displaying Professionalism
    :
    The ability to recognize how your actions impact the perceptions of both you and your organization.
  • Managing Time
    :
    The ability to control your time to increase effectiveness, efficiency, or productivity.
  • Solving Problems
    :
    The ability to discover solutions to problems.

• Three years of experience in social services; OR
• Six years of full‑time experience in any field; OR
• A bachelor's degree.
• Experience substitution:
  Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience toward the six years of full‑time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours, which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

• Initiates and executes legal processes including interviewing clients, relatives, landlords and other persons to gather information on location of absent parents.
• Research files, directories, Office of Motor Vehicle records, property records and other resources to find leads on whereabouts of parents.
• Explain legal requirements, calculate support payments, determine appropriate legal action and meet with parents to obtain paternity, child support and medical support.
• Prepare affidavits and financial audits and initiate legal actions such as subpoenas, petitions and orders.
• Attend court in one or more districts.
• Perform a high volume of case work for a demanding public in need of services.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Location: Calcasieu Parish Child Support Enforcement office in Lake Charles, LA.

Appointment Type: This position may be filled as a probationary appointment or a job appointment that may last up to 48 months. Job appointments may convert to probationary appointments. Also, it may be filled as a detail and promoted within 12 months or by promotion of a permanent classified employee.

Work Schedule: Typically, work hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday. Flexible work schedules are available after meeting certain criteria and are dependent upon the position you are applying for. Some positions require working shifts.

Career Progression: This position participates in a Career Progression Group (CPG) and may be filled as a Social Services Analyst 1, 2, or 3. The level…