Social Services Program Analyst

Open Until Filled

The State of Wyoming's Department of Family Services is seeking a Social Services Lead Worker.

This role manages high and very high‑risk family caseloads, focusing on building family capacity to care for children within their homes safely. The Lead Worker facilitates safety interventions and community collaboration, supports foster care providers including relative caregivers, and serves as a coaching resource and mentor for newer workers. Responsibilities include conducting safety and risk assessments, developing and implementing safety plans, and providing ongoing and crisis case management.

• Competitive Compensation
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• State Retirement Plan
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• A potential hybrid remote work arrangement is available

Michelle Johnson – michelle.johnson

• Administers social services and juvenile services programs.
• Manages one or more statewide or agency‑wide social services or juvenile program(s).
• Determines program goals and objectives.
• Develops and coordinates program activities, services, and implementation with private providers, other governmental entities, program users, etc.
• Monitors and evaluates operations, programs, processes, and/or practices for quality and effectiveness; recommends improvements.
• Develops and coordinates plans and policies, resources, and mission as well as goals, vision, and expectations of the agency or program.
• Responds to questions from clients and the general public.
• Draws down and manages federal funds.
• Reviews and monitors determinations made by the field staff in protection cases regarding safety, permanency, and well‑being.
• Provides technical/functional supervision to line staff through training and consultation on program(s) related to policies, updated plans, priorities, processes, practices, etc.
• Analyzes, researches, develops, and implements statewide social services programs.
• Writes and revises program policy and procedures; trains and monitors policy implementation.
• Develops, maintains, and coordinates staff training for department personnel.
• Monitors the RFP process.
• Manages and/or provides consultation for high and very‑high‑risk cases, including investigations and assessments.
• Utilizes Motivational Interviewing (MI) in gathering information for reports and building rapport.
• Supports training and development of MI for the office.
• Conducts safety and risk assessments and family assessments with an emphasis on creating plans to maintain children safely in their homes.
• Conducts initial and ongoing face‑to‑face contact with children and adults involved in reports, assessing safety, risk, service needs, and strengths of all family members.
• Develops and implements safety plans and case service plans in collaboration with families and other professionals.
• Provides ongoing and crisis case management for voluntary and court‑ordered services.
• Addresses family dynamics such as safety, risk, poverty, housing, medical care, mental health, employment, education, financial concerns, and substance abuse.
• Provides families with appropriate referrals to satisfy needs and accomplish goals.
• Ensures clients are connected with community resources to support their safety and well‑being.
• Acts as a coaching resource for new workers by specifically providing best‑practice coaching and training on risk and safety, including accompanying new workers on visits where risk and safety are being assessed with a focus on maintaining children safely in the home whenever possible.
• Works with community members, providers, law enforcement, schools, and medical providers in training and developing services that will mitigate immediate risk and safety concerns.

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field and 2‑3 years of progressive work experience in Child Welfare.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, which may include evenings, nights, holidays, weekends, and on‑call hours.

• Advanced Casework Management:
  Proven ability to manage complex caseloads involving high and very high‑risk individuals and families.
• Crisis Intervention and De‑escalation:
  Demonstrat…