Job Details

Join to apply for the DSHS HCLA Adult Protective Services Lead role at Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

This is an internal DSHS employee opportunity.

Description

The Department of Social and Health Services is seeking a highly motivated and dedicated Adult Protective Services Lead to join our team in Spokane, WA. This is an ideal opportunity for advancement for a Social Service professional with excellent investigative skills and comprehensive case assessment experience.

In this role, you will lead and provide on-the-job training and assistance to Social Service Specialists. You will also respond to difficult, publicly scrutinized, and/or high-profile investigations of severe, high-risk, life-threatening allegations of abandonment, abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect involving vulnerable individuals.

Opportunities in this job classification that perform unannounced visits in unregulated environments, such as private residences, to conduct investigations for allegations of abuse and/or neglect of vulnerable adult individuals, may be eligible for an additional 10% assignment pay in addition to the advertised salary.

Some Of What You Will Do

• Provide on-the-job mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation to all levels of staff who complete intakes and conduct investigations in the community and in licensed and/or certified settings
• Provide guidance on case actions, assessment and intervention techniques, appropriate resources, and caseload/time management; identify training needs
• Provide guidance and direction on policy and procedure
• Detect work trends, identify training needs, review case actions for accuracy, and provide feedback to Supervisors and Investigators
• Complete intakes and perform advanced case management with complex investigations
• Respond to difficult and high-profile intakes and investigations involving vulnerable adults
• Provide coverage of assigned caseloads in the absence of a Social Service Specialist
• Serve as intake and investigative lead for the most complex cases by conducting face-to-face interviews with victims and perpetrators, in high-risk, volatile situations, including interviewing alleged perpetrators, training, monitoring, and conducting quality assurance on publicly exposed crisis cases
• Prepare and provide testimony at administrative hearings, court proceedings, criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings
• Review, compile, analyze and submit reports as requested by management
• Prepare written and oral reports, documentation, inter/intra-agency communications regarding program areas
• Travel throughout outlying counties, region, and state
• Perform other duties as assigned

Who should apply?

Applicants Who Meet One Of The Following Qualifications

• One year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 3 OR
• Three years of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2 OR
• A Bachelor's degree or higher in social services, criminal law/justice, or a related field AND four years of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2 OR
• A Master's degree in social services, criminal law/justice, or a related field AND two years of paid social service experience equivalent to a Social Service Specialist 2

Additional Notes

• A two-year Master's degree in one of the above fields that included a practicum may substitute for one year of paid social service experience
• Employees must successfully complete the formal training course sponsored by their division within one year of their appointment

What We're Looking For

• A passion for investigative tools and methods - confident enough to mentor others to become effective investigators
• Three years of paid experience assessing risk and safety to vulnerable adults
• Ability to identify and evaluate social dynamics affecting client choice and decision making
• Ability to work independently to complete investigations and assessments in the homes and residences of individuals
• Strong organizational skills to prioritize caseloads and meet time
• Understanding and ability to apply medical terminology specifically related to aging and long term clients
• Ability to evaluate crises and or complex case issues
• Excellent verbal and communication skills

Interested?

Along With Your Application, Please Include

• An updated resume
• Three professional references with contact information

Questions?

Please reach out to DSHS Recruiter Ricky Luna at ...@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number #04263.

The Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) vision that People find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency's vision that you bring an equity, anti-racism, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to create greater access and affirming representation of the communities we serve, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) ###-####. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-###-####.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Other

Industries

• Government Administration, Individual and Family Services, and Hospitals and Health Care