Abuse Intake Worker

Abuse Intake Worker

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Family Well-Being & Protection (FWB&P), Child Protective Services Operations Unit is seeking an Abuse Intake Worker to join our team!

The Centralized Service Intake Unit (CSIU) is a 24 hours per day, 7 days per week operation. This position will be "domiciled" for travel purposes at the nearest Iowa DHS Full Time Office; however it may work from home. Initial training may be Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, until ready to take on assigned duties. Training will consist of a combination of in-person training in Des Moines and virtual training.

The scheduled hours for this position will be Monday-Friday, 2:00-10:30PM. This position will be paid a shift differential of $0.90/hour for 2nd Shift. All paid overtime must be pre-approved by leadership.

This vital frontline position requires the skill to be able to multi-task and the ability to gather as well as analyze information and concerns in a fast-paced environment with accuracy and efficiency. This is an essential social work position that is gateway to assist in the protection of the most vulnerable Iowans.

Core Essential Functions: Performs Intake duties for protective referrals concerning children and dependent adults made to the Department of Human Services (DHS);
Responds to allegation of children or dependent adults in need of protection in a timely manner and ensures that critical information is accurate and complete about the subjects and the alleged incident;
Engages the Reporter (caller) using hotline interviewing techniques including open and closed ended questions, reflective listening, refocusing, and suppressing, probing, affirming, and summarizing to gather necessary information;
Determines if the alleged victim needs immediate protection and passes all appropriate information to the Intake Supervisor;
The Intake worker enters information onto the appropriate form;
Identifies the nature of the report and determines which general category of alleged abuse (physical, sexual or neglect);
Documents all safety concerns for the referred victim(s) and others in the home or entering the home and effectively communicate the information within applicable time frames to the Intake Supervisor;
Communicates with Reporter(s) of abuse within 24 hours if the intake will be accepted or rejected for assessment; discusses next steps and/or alternatives that may assist the children/family; and Completes and documents background checks for all household members and subjects.

The ideal candidate will: Demonstrate exceptional customer services skills and the ability to establish relationships;
Demonstrate excellent judgment and communication skills;
Demonstrate good written documentation in a timely manner;
Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and work under pressure;
Demonstrate integrity and a strong work ethic; and Demonstrate independent judgement to make sound decisions.

To ensure the Service Area is providing the best service to the residents of Iowa, applicants should demonstrate exceptional customer service skills, integrity, and a strong work ethic. Preference will be given to the ability to speak more than one language. Please list any additional languages you speak in your application. Preference will be given for education or experience which correlates directly with the requirements and duties of the position.

Benefits

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer…