Benefits and Eligibility Specialist Social Services Support: Family Discovery Specialist

Salary: $22.63 Hourly
Location : Statewide, WY
Job Type: Permanent Full-time
Job Number: 2026-01167
Department: Department Of Family Services
Division: Social Services Division
Opening Date: 04/22/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Job Classification: BEBP06


Description and Functions
Open Until Filled
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
As a Family Discovery Specialist, you'll take on an exciting and challenging role as a dedicated "social services support specialist," focused on uncovering and strengthening family and supportive connections for youth in congregate care. While social services workers manage day-to-day needs, your mission is clear-lead the Discovery and Engagement process to find meaningful connections and open doors to permanency.

In this role, you'll use curiosity, persistence, and strong investigative skills to identify relatives and supportive individuals, break down barriers, and help ensure every child has the opportunity to return to their community and connect with people they know and trust.

You'll be part of a passionate team tackling one of the most important and complex challenges in child welfare: ensuring no child remains in a group setting without a path to family connection. This is a powerful opportunity to make a lasting impact-changing the trajectory of a child's life by helping them find belonging, stability, and support.
The Wyoming Department of Family Services' work centers around three values

• Safe at home;
• Giving families opportunities for success; and
• Supporting the people who support the families.

Join the DFS family and support Wyoming families!
Working for the State of Wyoming offers more than a paycheck. Our total compensation package includes:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid vacation, sick leave, FMLA, and holidays
• Retirement - Pension and 457B plans that help you build a secure future
• Flexible schedules and work-life balance options
• Meaningful work that makes a difference for Wyoming communities and MUCH MORE !

Click here for detailed information , or you can watch this short video to learn about our benefit package!

Want to see the full value of your compensation beyond salary?

Explore our Total Compensation Calculator:

Human Resource Contact: Michelle Johnson /
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS : The listed functions are illustrative only and are not intended to describe every function that may be performed in the job level.

• Conduct deep-dive reviews of physical and electronic historical records to identify kinship, maternity and paternity links, and past connections.
• Utilize specialized tools (e.g., LexisNexis, Accurint, WhitePages) and social media platforms to locate current contact information and known associates for identified kin.
• Create visual family trees and "Connectedness Maps" to identify a minimum of 40 potential kinship connections for each youth.
• Maintain "Diligent Search" documentation to meet legal requirements and provide primary caseworkers with actionable contact lists.
• Assist the Department of Family Services in efforts to keep youth in their homes or return them to community-based placements.

Qualifications
PREFERENCES:
Associate's Degree and 1-2 years of progressive experience in Child and Family Services.
Training in Kinship Care Practice regarding the use of genograms and eco-maps.
KNOWLEDGE:

• Customer Service and Communication:
  
  • Verbal communication and empathy skills, necessary for engagement with a wide variety of individuals.
  • Proficiency in professional, succinct written communication for drafting comprehensive "Diligent Search" documentation and presenting clear, actionable contact lists to primary caseworkers.
• Judgement and Decision Making:
  
  • Sound judgment and discretion when discerning viable leads from complex, massive historical records and while utilizing specialized search tools and platforms.
  • Ethical decision-making capacity regarding the appropriate handling and sharing of confidential and legally sensitive case file information.
• Cross Agency Collaboration:
  
  • Ability to coordinate and align specialized search efforts with the objectives of primary caseworkers and multi-disciplinary teams to support community-based placements and permanency goals.
• Leadership:
  
  • Strong capacity for self-directed work and initiative to autonomously manage the full scope of discovery and engagement of family and connections finding for a caseload of youth in congregate care.
• Accountability:
  
  • Demonstrated commitment to meticulous, accurate record-keeping required for maintaining legally compliant diligent search documentation.
• Professionalism:
  
  • Steady and professional composure when navigating sensitive family histories, dealing with complex emotional dynamics, and facing setbacks in the search for connections.
• Technical Proficiency:
  
  • Skill in using databases like WYOSAFE .
  • Skills in Google Suite and Microsoft.
  • Experience in creating Genograms, Eco-maps, and Connectedness maps for identifying family structures and connections.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:

Associate's Degree


Experience:

0-2 years of progressive work experience (typically in Benefits and Eligibility)


OR

Education & Experience Substitution:

2-4 years of progressive work experience (typically in Benefits and Eligibility)


Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

None
Necessary Special Requirements
PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying light items,driving an automobile, etc.
• Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.
• Occasional in-state travel may be required

NOTES :

• FLSA: Non-Exempt
• All positions within the Department of Family Services will require a background information check, including the taking of fingerprints, which will be completed through the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Family Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for every successful applicant.

Supplemental Information
049-Department of Family Services-Social Services Division


Click to view the State of Wyoming Classification and Pay Structure.

Click to view the State of Wyoming Total Compensation Calculator.

URL:


The State of Wyoming is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively supports the ADA and reasonably accommodates qualified applicants with disabilities.

Class Specifications are subject to change, please refer to the A & I HRD Website to ensure that you have the most recent version.
Working for the State of Wyoming means more than a job - it's a stable, rewarding career that lets you make a difference while enjoying a great quality of life.

Employees enjoy:

• Comprehensive health coverage - medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your family
• Voluntary Benefits - including life insurance for you and family members, ambulance, pet insurance, short/long-term disability, flex spending and health savings accounts
• Multiple retirement options - including the Wyoming Retirement System and a 457B account, helping you plan for long-term financial security
• Generous paid leave and flexible schedules - vacation, sick leave, paid FMLA and 11 paid holidays each year
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility - for those with qualifying student loans
• Training and professional development - to support your career growth and advancement
• Employee Assistance Program - Includes paid short-term counseling, legal, financial and work-life benefits and select employee discounts
• Wellness Program - Earn paid time off and incentives by focusing on your personal health

Know your full value.
Your paycheck is only part of the picture. The State of Wyoming offers a Total Compensation Calculator that shows the full value of your salary plus benefits, so you can clearly see what your complete compensation package looks like.

Explore your total compensation:

WORKING FOR THE GREATEST STATE IN THE NATION - Wyoming offers a lifestyle you can't find anywhere else - wide-open spaces, clean air, friendly communities, year-round recreation, and no state income tax .
Click here for detailed information or you can watch this short video to learn about our benefit package!.
01


(AA) Which of the following best describes your highest completed level of education to date or within the next three (3) months? (Transcripts may be required.)

• High School Diploma/GED/or Equivalent
• Some college Coursework, No Degree Received
• Associate's Degree
• Associate's Degree and additional coursework
• Bachelor's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree and additional coursework
• Master's Degree
• Master's Degree and additional coursework
• Doctorate Degree
• Doctorate Degree and additional coursework
• None of the Above

02


(AA) Which of the following Quarter/Semester credit hours best describes your completed college education to date or within the next three (3) months? (Transcripts may be required.)

• 45+ Quarter hours/30+ Semester hours
• 90+ Quarter hours/60+ Semester hours
• 136+ Quarter hours/91+ Semester hours
• 180+ Quarter hours/120+ Semester hours
• 225+ Quarter hours/150+Semester hours
• N/A

03


(BEBP06) How many years of relevant work experience or transferable skills do you have related to the job description?

• No relevant experience, but willing to learn.
• Less than one (1) year of relevant experience.
• One (1) to less than two (2) years of relevant experience.
• Two (2) or more years of relevant experience.

04


(AA) Describe your relevant experience below.
05


Do you have an Associate's Degree and 1-2 years of progressive experience in Child and Family Services?

• Yes
• No

06


Do you have?

• Yes
• No

07


(A1) Where did you hear about this opportunity?

• Government Jobs @
• Indeed
• LinkedIn
• Zip Recruiter
• Wyoming Workforce Center
• Other job sites (Wyoming at Work, Monster, etc.)
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
• Newspaper/Newsletter Advertisement
• Career Fair
• Human Resources Division
• Friend or Acquaintance (Not State Employee)
• Current State Employee
• Other

08


(A1) If you selected "Current State Employee" please provide the employee's first and last name, and include the department they work for, if known. Please limit this response to only one employee. This employee may be eligible for a Referral Bonus.
09


(A1) If you selected Other, please tell us where you heard about this opportunity.
10


(AA) VETERANS' PREFERENCE DISCLOSURE: PER WYOMING STATUTE, current employees of the State of Wyoming are not eligible for veterans' preference. If you are not a current employee of the State of Wyoming, to be eligible to receive veterans' preference you MUST have been a resident of the State of Wyoming for a period of one (1) year or more at any time prior to submitting this application. I have read and understand the veterans' preference disclosure.

• Yes
• No
• I am not a veteran

11


(AA) VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are a war veteran as defined in section 101, Title 38, United States Code or are the surviving spouse of a war veteran who receives survivor benefits from the federal government based on the veteran's military service, and wish to claim veterans' preference, please attach the appropriate documentation substantiating your claim. Indicate below your appropriate veterans' preference status. By requesting veterans' preference, you are certifying that you meet the statutory requirements as described in the above disclosure.

• Current State Employee
• Veteran - DD214 Attached
• Disabled Veteran (10% or more) - DD214 and Veteran's Disability Determination Attached
• Surviving Spouse of a Deceased Veteran - DD214 and proof of Survivor Benefit Attached
• None of the above

12


(A2) Please be advised that an incomplete application WILL NOT be considered for employment. An attached resume' is not required and is not an acceptable substitution for a completed application. Some State of Wyoming agencies use E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at have read and understand the above statement.

• Yes
• No

Required Question