Child and Adult Protective Services Caseworker

Job Title:  Child Welfare Intake Caseworker
Department: Department of Human Services
Reports To: Child and Adult Protective Services Supervisor
Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt 
Compensation Range: $60,000-$70,000 annually (additional compensation for on-call)
Benefits:   Employee Benefits | Lake County, CO

Why join our team?
Join a workplace where public service meets opportunity. At Lake County Government, employees are empowered to grow, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact every day. We offer a supportive environment that values innovation and connection, with reliable compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to helping you succeed both professionally and personally. 

Cultural Expectations 

• Assume Good Intent: Approach each interaction with a positive mindset and openness to understand others. 
• Model Professionalism: Maintain high standards in behavior and communication that reflect our values. 
• Apply County-Wide Lens: Consider the broader impact of decisions on our community and organization as a whole. 
• Be Solutions-Oriented: Focus on finding constructive solutions rather than dwelling on problems or challenges. 
• Practice Servant Leadership: Prioritize the needs of others, fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment. 
• Support Meaningful Work-Life Balance: Encourage boundaries that support personal well-being while achieving professional responsibilities.  

Position Summary
This position is primarily responsible for conducting intake assessments for Child Protective Services (CPS), with assistance in overflow casework tied to Adult Protective Services (APS). The positional duties include intake, screening, investigations, and ongoing services for families and vulnerable adults in Lake County. The caseworker is responsible for ensuring the safety and stability of families and at-risk adults through collaboration with community partners, advocacy, and intervention.

General Duties and Responsibilities  
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
Essential Functions

• Conduct investigations of CPS and APS referrals to determine whether abuse, neglect, or exploitation has occurred, including observation, interviews, and coordination with family members and community partners.
• Develop and implement effective, individualized case plans for families and at-risk adults by leveraging family, friends, and local support systems to promote client safety and well-being.
• Accurately document all case activities including assessments, contacts, and plans using the TRAILS electronic case management system for CPS and CAPS for APS.
• Advocate on behalf of clients and work collaboratively with law enforcement, legal entities, healthcare providers, the school system, and other professionals.
• Determine appropriate protective actions, which may include removal from unsafe environments. Provide court testimony when necessary.
• Participate in screening and evaluating incoming CPS and APS referrals with the Protective Services Supervisor and team to determine assignment eligibility.
• Maintain compliance with state and agency requirements, including successful completion of the Adult Protection Academy and Child Protection Academy with ongoing required annual training.
• Support APS in a caseworker capacity during overflow periods, assisting with intake, assessment, and follow-up as assigned .

Supervisory Responsibilities
Not Applicable

Requirements State Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a Social Science such as social work, counseling, psychology, or sociology.
• An applicant may be eligible if they have an adjacent degree to a social science, for instance, communication, political science, nursing, or public administration. The county is required to petition the state for acceptance of this degree. This will be evaluated with previous experience in casework.

Required to be On Call on a rotating basis. This is compensated at a flat rate per day.

• Difficulty of Work:
  • Work is performed in a variety of cases that will have similar and dissimilar problems. Each case is substantially different and often involves complex family relationships. The case worker independently evaluates the case and develops ongoing safety plans and case plans.
  • The case worker is expected to deal with unusual and/or difficult cases with appropriate supervisory assistance.
  • There are numerous guidelines and regulations covering the work, such as the Children’s Code, Volume VII of the Department of Human Services Rules and Regulations, which regulate procedures to be followed. There are a wide variety of recognized social casework techniques, and the caseworker must use judgment and situational evaluation to determine which are appropriate for each of the cases assigned.

Requirements

• Preferred Knowledge of:

• Theories, principles, and concepts of social casework practice (assessment and treatment oriented) related to all of the assigned program areas.
• Medical symptoms related to injuries or failure to thrive in children and adults.
• The laws dealing with child abuse, neglect, and other dependency conditions.
• Skill in interviewing techniques, crisis intervention methods, and relevant treatment modalities.
• Community resources, agency rules, regulations and procedures related to assigned program areas.

• Ability to:

• Establish rapport with clients.
• Independently analyze complex situations, formulate plans and make quick decisions as needed.
• Clearly and concisely express oneself both verbally and in written format.
• Establish and maintain harmonious professional relationships with other employees, outside agencies, and the public. 
• Testify effectively in court hearings.
• Travel in order to make home visits and to visit foster parents and children in placement.

• Experience and Training Guidelines:
  • Two (2) years of professional caseworker, case management, or human services experience in a public or private human services agency.
  • Preferred bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Training: Initial Certification Requirements

1. Complete the pre-service training for new social caseworkers
2. Complete all required transfer of learning exercises with the assistance of a supervisor, or supervisor’s designee
3. Demonstrate competence through pre- and post-tests, trainer observation, and verification by the county department as outlined in the request for certification.
4. Upon initial certification as a social case worker, be prepared to receive dual certification as a hotline worker.
5. If a newly hired social case worker has been certified as a social case worker in the state of Colorado within the previous four (4) years, pre-service training for new social case workers is not required.                             

• Equipment Utilized: Standard office equipment and vehicle for considerable travel.
• Contact with Others: Work requires contact with legal, medical, and psychiatric professionals; members of the judicial system; clients; community organizations and resources; foster parents and other members of the agency for the purpose of developing effective treatment plans for clients and helping clients solve problems; and educating the community about protection of clients and services available

Hazard Notice
Circumstances leading up to a referral may be graphic and challenging to process. This job requires coping mechanisms and emotional support tools to manage self-care while working through difficult situations with families and older adults. A caseworker will experience a heightened level of irritation from clients involved in our work. Note: Our department tackles tough cases and issues as a team, but there is a level of unrest we must manage in order to complete our work. 

Physical Activity & Work Environment 

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Ability to climb stairs, ladders, or work at heights. 
• Ability to operate motor vehicles and/or machinery. 
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 
• Prolonged periods of standing or walking. 
• Occasional pushing, pulling, or moving objects. 
• Use of hands for repetitive motions such as typing, writing, or operating equipment. 
• Operation of standard office equipment (computers, phones, copiers, etc.). 
• Visual acuity to read and produce accurate documents and materials. 
• Hearing ability sufficient to respond to spoken communication. 
• Standard office environment with controlled temperature and lighting. 
• Exposure to varying outdoor weather conditions. 
• Interaction with the public, sometimes in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations. 
• Occasional travel to offsite locations or satellite facilities. 
• Interaction with the public, sometimes in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations. 
• Will be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or be on-call. 

Applicant Notice 
Lake County Government posts all official employment opportunities on its  careers page linked here . Positions may also appear on external job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter through our applicant tracking system. 

Please be aware that unauthorized third parties may repost or imitate job listings. The most accurate and up-to-date information will always be available on our official website. Applicants are recommended to apply directly through our career page and should not provide personal information outside of the official application process. 

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Appl icants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately two (2) to four (4) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.