Case Manager- Benton Harbor Area

Description

Job Title: Foster Care Case Manager

Department & Division : Foster Care; Child Welfare Division

Reports To: Foster Care Supervisor

Beginning Pay Range: $43,888-$48,000

Classification: Full Time, Salaried, Exempt

While DABSJ is rooted in Grand Rapids, we have ties to many regions within Michigan. We offer our services to those who are experiencing disruption due to deep breaks in their relationships or life experiences. DABSJ is hoping to offer our trauma-informed continuum of care programming and services to those outside of the Grand Rapids area. Employees hired outside of the Grand Rapids region within certain positions would initially be work-from-home, and eventually DABSJ would expand our office presence to select regions.

D.A. Blodgett - St. John's is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening children and families through a comprehensive continuum of care, including, but not limited to; counseling, family preservation, foster care, adoption, and residential treatment. Guided by the belief that children thrive best with their families whenever safety can be ensured, the organization delivers compassionate, evidence-based services designed to promote healing, stability, and long-term success. Primarily serving children, youth, and families in the greater Grand Rapids area, with select programs reaching communities across Michigan, D.A. Blodgett - St. John's is committed to creating brighter futures through prevention, intervention, and lifelong support. Rooted in dignity, equity, and belonging, the organization is dedicated to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment where all children, all families, and all individuals are valued, supported, and empowered.

Mission Statement : To help children and empower families by providing safety, advocacy, and support.

Vision : A safe, nurturing home for every child, a supportive community for every family.

Values:

• Exceptional Service: Client-focused and teaming at the center of our work.
• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion: All are welcomed, valued, and belong.
• Excellence: Ongoing commitment to learning and improvement.
• Integrity: Responsibility and ownership of our actions and results.
• Creativity: Imagination, innovation, and intelligent risk taking.
• Passion: Relentless positive energy toward our mission and vision.

Culture Commitments:

• Nonviolence: Maintaining physical and emotional safety for everyone in our community.
• Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing and managing emotions in ways that support our well-being and that of others.
• Democracy: Everyone's voice, perspective, and lived experience are valued in our process, even when roles differ.
• Open Communication: We communicate how decisions are made and ensure transparency, consistency, and fairness in our processes.
• Social Responsibility: Communicate with honesty and kindness, speaking in ways that uphold dignity and respect- even when topics are challenging.
• Growth & Change: Creating opportunities to learn with and from one another for education, growth, healing, and self-reflection for ourselves and the people we support.
• Cultural Humility: We approach difference with openness, curiosity, and an ongoing commitment to learning.
• Trauma-Responsive Practices: We recognize the impact of trauma and work to minimize harm, promote agency and support healing.
• Identity Safety: We honor and respect the intersecting identities people hold, and we work to prevent identity-harm or discrimination.
• Anti-Racism: We work actively to recognize and interrupt bias, discrimination, and systemic inequities in our work and interactions.

Position Summary:

Foster Care Case Managers play a critical role in supporting children and families within the child welfare system. They begin working with children following a court order that removes the child from their home and continue providing support throughout the child's time in foster care.

In this role, case managers work directly with children, parents, and caregivers while also leading a collaborative, multidisciplinary team focused on ensuring the child's ongoing safety, well-being, and stability. Their ultimate goal is to help each child achieve permanency-whether through safe reunification with a parent, adoption, guardianship, or preparation for independent living.

This highly impactful position requires a unique combination of skills and personal strengths, including compassion, strong organizational abilities, effective communication, and perseverance. While foster care case managers receive regular supervisory support, they must also be confident in making independent decisions, conducting ongoing assessments, and adapting creatively to a wide range of complex and evolving situations.

Additionally, this role requires flexibility and a strong commitment to meeting the needs of children and families. Case managers often adjust their schedules to connect with clients in community settings at times that are most convenient and supportive for them.

Core Responsibilities of a Foster Care Case Manager include:

• Monthly home visits with foster children: while the frequency can vary by case situation, all foster children on your caseload must be visited at least monthly in their residence (e.g. foster home).
• Monthly visits with parents of foster children: since the goal for all foster children is reunification (until a judge will order otherwise), this requires monthly visits and additional communication with the child's parents. You will seek to engage them in treatment plans that help them succeed in reunification with their children.
• Timely report writing: About half of the case manager's job involves computer-based paperwork, most important of which is the quarterly report on each foster child and their family, written for several key readers including the judge and attorneys assigned to the case. So, it's critical that case managers can communicate effectively in writing and that they are able to do so in a timely manner.
• Court testimony: Since all foster children are in the foster care system as a result of a judge's order, that means that the court has an open Abuse/Neglect case on the children and their families; and that means that the court requires regular (normally quarterly) court appearances by the parents and the case manager to update the court on progress.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Commitment to learn and comply with MDHHS foster care policies and procedures as outlined in the Foster Care Online Manual (
• Commitment to learn and comply with applicable rules and regulations from
• Department of Child Welfare Licensing (DCWL).
• Timely completion of computer-based and paperwork reporting.
• The Foster Care Case Manager should expect a caseload of 13 children.
• Cooperate and assist other agency staff (i.e., licensing, medical and adoption personnel) as well as partner agencies with necessary paperwork requirements.
• Comply with agency expectations related to general forms (i.e., expense vouchers, service area reports, etc.).
• Coordinate and monitor community resources available to clients (i.e., school conferences, psychological/psychiatric evaluations, parenting classes, substance use disorder, sexual abuse and mental health therapy and medical services, etc.).
• Attend agency and team meetings, case conferences, adoption planning conferences and in- service training, etc.
• Develop and implement initial and updated service plans, parent-agency agreements, aftercare treatment plans, and counsel parents in the completion of these plans.
• Participate in required case-related activities such as testifying at court hearings, pre- hearing conferences and Family Team Meetings (FTM), and Foster Care Review Board meetings.
• Safely transport youth.
• Must be available at night and weekends, in addition to our on-call team.
• Other responsibilities shall include those set forth in agency personnel policies or as assigned by the supervisor, management, and leadership.
• The ability to work more than 40 hours per week to achieve Agency objectives on a timely basis.

Supervision Received: General Direction- Plans and arranges own work. Uses a wide range of procedures to accomplish assigned objectives.

Supervisory Responsibilities: No supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Educational requirements are a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work or a closely related Human Services field as approved by the Bureau of Children and Adult Licensing (BCAL). Master's degree is a bonus.
• Positive acceptance of supervision to learn and be trained in case management, assessment and treatment skills.
• Commitment to providing excellent child welfare services.
• Child welfare experience is a plus.
• Experience or training in working with children or adults within individual and family counseling, interviewing, family assessment and crisis intervention.
• Valid driver's license, good driving record and adequate insurance with a reliable vehicle always available.
• Possess an understanding and sensitivity to the client's cultural and socioeconomic characteristics with personal qualities of warmth, sensitivity, and the ability to establish meaningful relationships with people from various cultures.
  
  

Core Competencies:

• Working under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure and use healthy coping strategies when exposed to stress, while promoting a supportive environment that reduces unnecessary pressure and encourages collective problem-solving.
• Planning and Organizing: Ability to set priorities and allocate resources equitably, using inclusive planning methods to effectively achieve responsibilities and objectives while accommodating diverse work styles and needs.
• Detail Orientation: Ability to pay attention to detail, accuracy, and completeness by using inclusive, accessible processes that support focus and reduce cognitive overload.
• Customer Service: Ability to serve others by listening actively and empathetically, responding effectively to diverse needs, and ensuring services are accessible, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed.
• Adaptability: Ability to adjust to changing work environments, priorities, or organizational needs with openness and flexibility, while supporting others through change and considering the varied impacts on individuals.

Physical/Environmental Requirements:

• Mobility and Movement: Ability to frequently move between office, community locations, homes, and court settings; includes walking, standing, sitting for extended periods, and navigating varied environments.
• Lifting & Physical Handling: Occasional lifting or carrying of items such as case files, car seats, or supplies (typically 10-25 lbs), and assisting children with basic physical support when appropriate.
• Technology & Documentation: Frequent use of computers, mobile devices, and case management systems; ability to complete documentation in a timely manner across varied environments.
• Communication: Ability to engage frequently in clear verbal and written communication; ability to hear and respond to children, caregivers, and colleagues; ability to observe nonverbal cues and environmental safety indicators.
• Driving & Transportation: Regular travel using a personal or agency vehicle; ability to safely transport children and travel in varying weather and traffic conditions. Maintain a valid driver's license to meet agency driving eligibility requirements, including an acceptable driving record.
• Emotional and Psychological Resilience: Frequent exposure to sensitive, traumatic, or emotionally charged situations involving children and families; ability to maintain professionalism and emotional regulation.
• Safety Awareness & Crisis Response: Frequent ability to recognize safety risks, de-escalate situations, follow safety protocols, and respond appropriately during emergencies or high stress interactions.
• Environmental Conditions: Frequent ability to work in environments with varying levels of noise, activity, or interruptions, and to adapt to changing priorities or urgent situations. Entering diverse home environments that may include clutter, pets, smoke, allergens, or unpredictable conditions.
• Work Hours & Scheduling Flexibility: Frequent ability to respond to urgent program needs during on-call rotations, which may require flexible scheduling and occasional after-hours communication. Ability to have flexible scheduling required to meet family needs, which may include early mornings, evenings, or occasional weekends.
• Confidentiality & Professional Boundaries: Consistent adherence to confidentiality laws, ethical standards, and professional boundaries while working in homes, community settings, and agency offices.

DABSJ strives to be a fully inclusive organization as we support a diverse group of children and families. We are building a diverse team that represents our customers and our community and recognize that each of us brings a unique perspective to the organization. We welcome differing thoughts, faiths, beliefs, groups, and lived experiences. The diversity and differences of each team member, foster parent, adoptive parent, child, and family make us #DABSJstrongertogether for children and families.

DABSJ is an equal opportunity, at-will employer, and will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment. DABSJ does not discriminate on the basis of race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists; culture, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, socio-economic status, disability, or other legally-protected characteristics as required by law.

This job description does not list all duties of the job. Employees may be asked by management to perform other duties as needed. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment and does not infringe upon the Company's at will employment status.