Child and Family Service Specialist Trainee-Hotline -Evening Shift​/Overnight

Child and Family Service Specialist Trainee – Hotline (Evening Shift/Overnight)
Job Summary

Join the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Hotline team to provide critical support to children, youth, and vulnerable adults in Nebraska. The role involves answering allegations of abuse and neglect, conducting assessments, coordinating with law enforcement and community agencies, and ensuring immediate safety actions.

• Answer and receive all abuse and neglect hotline calls and reports via mail, eFax, website, and email.
• Gather necessary information from callers using professional interviewing skills and seek collateral information from others.
• Provide customer service to callers, collateral contacts, professionals, law enforcement, and other stakeholders.
• Use critical analysis to determine the urgency of each call and ensure proper law enforcement and HHS response to protect children and vulnerable adults.
• Provide de‑escalation, assessment over the phone, and referrals to community agencies or resources as needed.
• Work non‑traditional hours, shifts, and holidays; maintain family unity while ensuring safety and permanency.
• Review all accessible information in NFOCUS and other data sources; assess history and risk factors associated with the report.
• Analyze gathered information, apply the SDM Intake tool, make screening decisions, and determine immediate safety action as required.
• Contact law enforcement when necessary and distribute intakes to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the local DHHS office.
• Ensure law enforcement is informed of community crime and immediate safety issues for priority 1 intakes.
• Provide technical assistance and support to stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, mental health care, education, criminal justice, or a closely related field.
• Applicants in the final semester of their bachelor’s may be considered.
• Promotion to the Child and Family Services Classification is contingent upon successful completion of degree requirements and required training.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least two years of child support experience.
• Experience with SDM Intake and knowledge of NFOCUS.
• At least one year working with children and families; case management or child welfare experience, internships, or other human‑services experience is a plus.
• Ability to handle high stress, emotionally volatile situations, strong problem‑solving skills, resilience, and excellent written and verbal communication.
• Experience with SDM (Structured Decision Making) and SOP (Safety Organized Practice) is a plus.
• Independent travel for training.

Proficiency in applying the principles and practices of social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, human development, mental health, education, and criminal justice. Ability to learn the importance of commitment to families, maintain confidentiality, communicate electronically or in person, work effectively with community service providers, law enforcement, courts, and vulnerable adults’ families. Organizational skills to maintain case records and direct case management including assessment and critical information analysis.

Competitive pay of $22.33 per hour, increasing to $26.18 after training. Comprehensive benefits package, paid time off, retirement, and professional development opportunities. Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency, and employment status. For more information on benefits, view the state benefit resources.

The State of Nebraska is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, or genetics.