CHILD WELFARE CONSULTANT

SS418 $58,510 - $105,456
Creation Date: 03/03/2003
Change Date: 12/11/2025

FUNCTION OF WORK:
To provide consultation and program guidance to managers and other child welfare staff

LEVEL OF WORK:
Advanced

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Broad from a Child Welfare Manager or equivalent/higher level personnel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
May have functional supervision over staff in assigned program areas.

JOB DISTINCTIONS:
Differs from Child Welfare Supervisor by the absence of direct supervisory responsibility.

Differs from Child Welfare Manager 1 by the absence of responsibility for managing a field operations unit or a state office section responsible for the administration of child welfare programs.

CORE COMPETENCIES:
CORE COMPETENCIES HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED BY STATE CIVIL SERVICE FOR THIS JOB TITLE. MORE INFORMATION ON THE SCS COMPETENCY MODEL CAN BE FOUND HERE.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:
EXAMPLES BELOW ARE A BRIEF SAMPLE OF COMMON DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS JOB TITLE. NOT ALL POSSIBLE TASKS ARE INCLUDED.

STATE OFFICE CONSULTANT FUNCTION
Develops and recommends goals and objectives for specific program area on a statewide basis.

Participates in statewide organizational goal setting and monitoring.

Develops and/or interprets policy issues related to specific major program areas, and participates in program data collection and analysis.

Provides technical assistance and consultation to all staff statewide.

Coordinates programmatic and client services needs with other state and private agencies.

Proposes and analyzes legislation for assessment of operational or programmatic impact, assures implementation of enacted legislation to assure agency compliance, and may testify before legislative committees.

Maintains responsibility for budget planning and monitoring in specific program areas, which may include the coordination of Federal funding, grant applications and management, etc.

Manages professional service contracts on a statewide basis; contracts with multidisciplinary team consultants and assists with problem resolution statewide.

Represents assigned area(s) in department meetings to give input and share in decision-making.

Reviews local office compliance with policy through on-site visits and case record review.

Identifies and reviews training needs of service delivery and staff; participates in training sessions.

Makes presentations to the public about service program and assists with public awareness.

Assures agency compliance with prevention of removal and family preservation effort requirements as mandated by Federal legislation.

Provides ongoing monitoring of program payments and expenditures by reviewing computer and monitoring reports or by collecting and analyzing raw data.

Responsible for developing additional placement resources for children including foster family homes, residential facilities, and adoptive homes.

Responsible for addressing programmatic, operational, and/or client-specific legal issues with staff attorneys, Attorney General, and private attorneys.

May serve as agency representative/liaison to support groups, community, and organizations.

REGIONAL CONSULTANT FUNCTION
Provides case consultation for problem areas/difficult cases and assumes the role of consultant at staffings involving development of case plans designed to maximize the chances of achieving permanency plan goals.

Conducts case reviews and staffings by developing, monitoring, and assessing report findings.

Responsible for program development including identification of policy needs, clarification and/or revisions.

Identifies training needs of local office staff and works in conjunction with the regional trainer in provision of training.

Provides case consultation of local and regional staff when written policy is not available.

REGIONAL PLACEMENT SPECIALIST FUNCTION
Assists staff with hard to place children needing restrictive placement through coordination of service delivery with public and private agencies and other offices.

Monitors bed-caps at residential facilities and approves emergency placements that exceed limitation.

Attends preservation staffings on children who have experienced at least three failed placements.

Provides consultation to restrictive facility staff and therapeutic foster care providers.

Serves as community liaison to community resources in development of programs to meet client needs.

Provides supervision of the Therapeutic Family Care Programs and Restrictive Care facilities.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Seven years of experience in child welfare; OR

Six years of full-time work experience in any field plus four years of experience in social services, health services, law enforcement, or investigatory work; OR

A bachelor's degree plus four years of experience in social services, health services, law enforcement, or investigatory work; OR

An advanced degree in a social science or behavioral health field, nursing, or a juris doctorate plus three years of experience in social services, health services, law enforcement, or investigatory work.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION:
Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent.

A current driver's license and access to a personal vehicle.

NOTE:
The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S. 15.587.1 (c).