Child Protective Services; Social Services Specialist Bilingual ; Spanish & English

The Oregon Department of Human Services is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are guided by our Equity North Star and our vision for a positive RiSE organizational culture that advances equity and diversity. We encourage applications from historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQIA2S+ community members, and others to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.

Bilingual requirement:
Spanish & English. This position requires duties to be completed in both languages and may receive a 5% differential pay based on passing the required language test.

Salary Range: $4,954 – $7,592 per month.

• Respond to assigned referrals of alleged child abuse/neglect in which children are alleged to be unsafe.
• Conduct child interviews.
• Conduct parent interviews.
• Gather collateral interviews, including review of pertinent documents.
• Make and document observations of the home environment.
• Make determination whether abuse or neglect has occurred and take children into protection when appropriate.
• Identify and develop services plan for individual client needs.
• Arrange medical evaluation for the children involved in the assessment to document relevant medical findings.
• Arrange substitute care placement of children who are taken into care.
• Attend court hearings (Permanency hearing, criminal charges and Juvenile court) related to CPS assessments.
• Enter assessment information in the OR-Kids system.
• Complete referral information for assessment evaluations (Forensic, Mental and Behavioral).
• Complete necessary court related information including petition worksheets, court reports, affidavits, etc.

• Bilingual in Spanish and English.
• Academic or experience pathways:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field.
  • Bachelor’s degree unrelated to Human Services AND either one year of Human Services related experience or completion of coursework equivalent to certification consistent with Oregon Caseworker Competency.
  • Associate degree AND either two years of Human Services related experience or one year of Human Services related experience plus related training, coursework, or certification consistent with Oregon Caseworker Competency.
• Compliance with ORS 419B.021 educational requirements for child protective investigations and/or custody determinations.

• Experience building collaborative relationships with community partners, agency staff, clients, and impacted communities.
• Experience prioritizing work while managing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Experience engaging with children and families under time-sensitive and challenging circumstances.
• Experience writing reports such as case plans, court reports, and investigative reports with conclusions and recommended action.
• Experience defining and explaining complex rules and guidelines in a variety of settings.
• Experience inputting and retrieving data efficiently and effectively.

• Cost of living adjustments.
• Annual salary increases until reaching the top of the listed salary range.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility.
• Employee Resource Group communities that promote shared learning.
• Veterans’ and Oregon National Guard preference for eligible service members.