Family Service Specialist

Summary Statement

The Family Service Specialist series comprises the Family Service Specialist, Senior Family Service Specialist, Master Family Service Specialist, and Family Crisis Therapist classifications. Incumbents provide and coordinate professional case‑management services to children, youth, adults, and families experiencing abuse, neglect, behavioral concerns, crisis situations, or family dysfunction. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, planning, facilitation, advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation in collaboration with clients and other professionals, as well as child‑abuse investigations and ongoing case management, including foster care and permanency planning.

Incumbents must work independently in the office, during home visits, or at community settings, and conduct statewide travel for home visits, court appearances, community‑based services, and urgent responses to ensure child safety and well‑being. The position may occasionally require working outside standard hours to meet the needs of families and children.

• Provide services to advocate for safety and welfare of clients and families and assist in obtaining needed services.
• Interview clients, family members, and professionals to gather personal, social, and background information, and collaborate to formulate a clear description of problems, identify key forces and resources, and discover barriers to resolution.
• Determine eligibility for social service programs offered by the agency or available in the community.
• Develop and implement service/treatment plans with goals, objectives, methods, and anticipated results; help clients obtain community, social, and therapeutic resources.
• Conduct individual and family counseling sessions to aid in satisfactory social development and adaptation.
• Assess progress toward goals and recommend adjustments to plans, reclassification, discharge, after‑care, emergency protective placement, guardianship, or petition counseling.
• Prepare social histories, client progress reports, evaluations, discharge summaries, court reports, and maintain client records.
• Enforce court orders and supervise conditions of community supervision; attend hearings and make recommendations.
• Implement crisis interventions such as potential suicides, assault or abuse, and sexual‑abuse cases; coordinate with law enforcement and emergency staff as needed.
• Isolate or restrain clients acting out, and perform emergency duties as required.

Applicants must possess a valid, non‑suspended driver’s license and be able to travel statewide, including nighttime and adverse weather conditions.

• One year of experience in professional health or human service work; OR two years in paraprofessional health or human service work with an Associate’s degree substituting one year; OR a Bachelor’s degree or higher (or anticipated graduation within three months) with coursework in Behavioral Science, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, or a related field.

All new hires are required to report to the Statewide New Employee Orientation on their first day. A pre‑employment drug test and satisfactory criminal background check are mandatory. Applicants must also be legally authorized to work in the United States and be enrolled in the state’s E‑Verify system.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout all phases of the application and employment process. The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values a diverse workforce. You may request additional accommodations or assistance by contacting the designated phone numbers or email addresses.

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