Branch/Hillsdale County - CPS & Foster Care - Services Specialist 9-12

Salary : $2,071.20 - $3,408.00 Biweekly
Location : Coldwater, MI
Job Type: Permanent Full Time
Job Number: SS - Branch/Hillsdale - 2026
Department: Health and Human Services - Counties
Opening Date: 08/28/2026
Bargaining Unit: UNITED AUTO WORKERS (UAW)


Job Description


The Services Specialist will utilize child welfare practice skills to ensure children are protected from abuse and neglect. When child abuse or neglect is indicated, specialists work closely with families and the legal system toward a goal of reunification, independent living, or other permanent living situation.


This position is located either in Branch County, 388 Keith Wilhelm Drive, Coldwater, Michigan 49014 or Hillsdale County, 40 Care Drive, Hillsdale, MI 49242.

Review the position description at: (9-P11),
Review the job specification at:
Required Education and Experience
Alternate Education and Experience
Additional Requirements and Information
Pay negotiations within the classification pay range will only be considered based on your current employment earnings and/or relevant position specific experience.
The MDHHS mission is to provide opportunities, services, and programs that promote a healthy, safe, and stable environment for residents to be self-sufficient. We are committed to ensuring a diverse workforce and a work environment whereby all employees are treated with dignity, respect and fairness. For more information, please visit our


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MDHHS is proud to be a Michigan Veteran's Affairs Agency (MVAA) Gold Level Veteran-Friendly Employer.


Accommodations
If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or selection processes, please contact the for the agency that posted this position vacancy.
State employment also offers rewarding careers where you can help Michiganders enjoy better lives. Many State of Michigan jobs offer alternate work schedules and remote-work options that can help give the flexibility you need. The State of Michigan has been recognized as a leading U.S. employer by new graduates from 2021-2023 and a best large U.S. and state employer. Recognized on the international stage for fostering positive employee engagement, the State of Michigan is a past recipient of a North America Government Agency Employees Engagement Award.
More details on benefits for our new hires are below:

Rewarding Work: State of Michigan jobs allow you to serve Michiganders in many different ways depending on your interests and skills. Help preserve and protect our environment and the public health; enforce state laws and regulations; advocate for children, families, and victims of discrimination; support our state's military and veterans; rebuild our state's infrastructure; or support other state agencies through our fiscal, IT, and HR systems.


Insurance Benefits: The State of Michigan offers health, mental health, dental, and vision insurance to eligible career employees, their spouses, and their children. The state also covers a life-insurance benefit of two times employees' annual salary (up to $200,000). The state also offers long-term-disability insurance that can provide continuing benefits if an injury or illness prevents employees from working. More information is available at


Retirement Programs: The State of Michigan offers 401(k) and 457 plans for new hires to save for retirement. The state will automatically contribute an amount equal to 4% of your pay to a 401(k) account. The state will also match up to 5% of your pay if you contribute to your 401(k) account. Your contributions vest immediately, and the state's contributions fully vest after just 4 years. More information is available at


Vacation and Sick Leave: Eligible full-time employees receive between 15 and 35 personal days and 13 sick days per year that may be rolled over to the following year if not used. Eligible employees also receive an additional day each year for community service or school functions.


Paid Parental Leave: Eligible employees can take 12 weeks of paid leave immediately after a birth or adoption to allow needed time together at home with a new child.


Paid Holidays: Eligible employees receive 13 or 14 paid holidays each year including New Year's Eve and Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Election Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Friday, Christmas Eve and Day.


Bonus Programs: Eligible employees with five years of service also receive annual longevity bonuses that grow as seniority increases. Some positions also may qualify for recruitment, retention, and performance bonuses or other special pay premiums.


Military Pay Differential: Employees in the guard or reserves may also qualify for supplemental pay benefits if miliary pay during qualifying duty is less than normal state pay. Prior military service may also allow seniority credits to accelerate eligibility for longevity bonuses and additional personal leave accrual.


Tax-Advantaged Programs: In addition to 401(k) and 457 retirement accounts, the state also offers flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), and qualified transportation fringe benefit (QTFB) programs that can help you save money by reducing your taxable income.


Student Loan Forgiveness: Working for the State of Michigan may allow you to participate in programs that forgive the balance of qualifying student loans. Please view Student Loan Information to help determine if you could qualify is available from the U.S. Department of Education.


Tuition Reduction: Some colleges and universities offer savings to eligible employees and family members to further their education while working for the State of Michigan.


Professional Development: To help develop your career, programs are available to apply for reimbursement of up to $2,000 a year for education and training for college course credits and non-degree programs.


Alternative and Remote Work Schedules: Depending on the nature of their duties, many state jobs offer flexible work schedules and remote or hybrid telecommuting options that can help obtain the work-life balance that you seek.


Great Lakes and Great Times: Michigan boasts four Great Lakes, 11,000 inland lakes, 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, 20 million acres of forests, 100 state and national parks and recreation areas, 1,300 miles of bike trails, 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails, the second-most ski areas in the nation, 650 public golf courses, 600 campgrounds, and an international dark-sky park-just for starters. Our cities offer concerts and cultural events, storied sports teams, education hubs, vibrant downtowns, one-of-a-kind craft beverages, and renowned restaurants for every appetite. From urban centers to beach towns to the great outdoors, the opportunities are endless. With your state salary and benefits and Michigan's affordable cost of living, you can explore all that Michigan has to offer.


Updated: 2/28/24
01


Are you a current MDHHS employee classified as a Services Specialist 9-12 interested in moving to the same class and level at this location?

• Yes
• No

02


SOCSSPL - Do you possess one of the following?Possession of a bachelor's or master's degree with a major in one of the following human services areas: social work, sociology, psychology, forensic psychology, education, community development, law enforcement, behavioral science, gerontology, special education, education of the emotionally disturbed, education of the gifted, family ecology, community services, family studies, family and/or child development, counseling psychology, criminal justice, human services, a human services-related counseling major, or interdisciplinary studies in social science.ORPossession of a bachelor's degree in any major with at least 30 semester (45 term) credits in one or a combination of the following human services areas: social work, sociology, psychology, forensic psychology, education, community development, law enforcement, behavioral science, gerontology, special education, education of the emotionally disturbed, education of the gifted, family ecology, community services, family studies, family and/or child development, counseling psychology, criminal justice, human services, a human services-related counseling major, or interdisciplinary studies in social science. If yes, please attach ALL copies of your official college transcripts.

• Yes
• No

03


If you do not have a bachelor's degree and/or master's degree in any of the above, will you have your degree completed within 30 days of your application? (If not, please reapply when you are within 30 days of completing your degree)

• Yes
• No

04


Describe a time when you needed to work cooperatively with someone that did not share the same ideas as you.
05


Do you have any substantiated cases of abuse or neglect, as a perpetrator reported on the Department of Human Services Central Registry?

• Yes
• No

06


Have you ever been found responsible in a confirmed case of child abuse or neglect?

• Yes
• No

07


If yes, please explain in detail what changes you have made to mitigate your previous actions.
08


Do you have an Intentional Program Violation from the Department of Health and Human Services?

• Yes
• No

09


Have you lived outside the State of Michigan in the previous 5 years? (Selected applicants who have lived outside the State of Michigan within the previous 5 years will need to provide a Central Registry record for the State(s) in which they resided in for the previous 5 years prior to being hired.)

• Yes
• No

10


Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

• Yes
• No

11


Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor?

• Yes
• No

12


If you answered "yes" to the previous question, Please document all instances including date and disposition. If "no", please indicate N/A.
13


*Please select from the options below: (Please note, actions that have been expunged, formal counseling, and layoff actions, such as a reduction in force, need not be reported.) Please select all that apply.

• I have been dismissed within the last two years
• I have resigned in lieu of discipline or dismissal within the last two years
• I have been issued a disciplinary suspension in the last two years.
• I am currently suspended with or without pay pending the outcome of an investigation.
• I have received a written reprimand within the last two years
• I have received an unsatisfactory rating within the last two years
• I have signed a last chance agreement with MDHHS within the last two years
• I certify that none of the above circumstances apply to me

14


**If you selected that you have been dismissed within the last two years, resigned in lieu of dismissal within the last two years, were issued a disciplinary suspension within the last two years, are currently suspended with or without pay pending the outcome of an investigation, received a written reprimand within the last two years, received an unsatisfactory rating within the last two years, or signed a last chance agreement with MDHHS within the last two years, please provide an explanation below. If none of the above apply to you, please enter 'N/A'.
15


Do you possess a valid driver's license?(This is a requirement of this position)

• Yes
• No

16


If yes, please list the issuing State, License Number and Expiration Date. If you have a driver's license issued in any other State than Michigan, please attach a 2 year driving history from that State to your application.
17


Have you completed or are you currently enrolled in the Child Welfare Certificate Program from an endorsed Michigan School of Social Work? (Attach certificate if completed)

• Yes
• No

18


Are you in or have you participated in a Michigan Title IV-E Fellowship program?

• Yes
• No

19


If you answered yes to the previous question, please select the university below.

• Michigan State University
• University of Michigan
• Wayne State University
• Western Michigan University
• Central Michigan University (BSW)

20


Have you previously completed the new worker training institute provided by MDHHS for any of the following child welfare programs: Children's Protective Services, Adoption, Foster Care?

• Yes
• No

21


Which county do you prefer?

• Branch - Coldwater, MI
• Hillsdale - Hillsdale, MI
• Both

22


Are you willing to accept a Limited Term position? Limited Term Appointments have the potential to become permanent but it is not guaranteed.

• Yes
• No

Required Question