Job Title: Caseworker III - Prevention
Department: Human Services
Immediate Supervisor: Child & Adult Protection Program Manager
Supervises: N/A
Pay Grade: NE8 - $23.26 - $32.57
Hiring Range: $23.26 – $27.94
Status: Full-Time
Classification: Non-Exempt
Primary Place of Work: 15193 HWY 119 Black Hawk, CO 80422
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Primary Responsibility: The Prevention Caseworker position provides social casework services for a variety of program areas including child abuse and neglect cases, youth-in-conflict cases, and adults unable to protect their own interests. The goal of the prevention caseworker is to work with families in the community to increase support surrounding protective factors, decrease the risk associated with the likelihood of child abuse and neglect, and decrease the likelihood of entry or reentry in to the child welfare system, as well as to provide support to other caseworkers as needed.
Duties:
The duties listed below are representative of, but do not necessarily include, all the duties and responsibilities that an individual in this position may be called upon to perform.
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Carries a caseload of prevention cases, attempting to engage families who have child welfare concerns but do not meet criteria for formal child protection assessment.
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Coordinates and completes home visits with clients to assess individual and family needs to identify potential resources and/or services.
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Provides information on available services. Organizes services such as life skills, child care, financial assistance, physical and mental health services and legal services.
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Transports clients to services as appropriate.
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Prepares and maintains case records, reports and documents which comply with state and federal standards.
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Maintains and cultivates partnerships with other community-based agencies through outreach.
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Participates in regular child welfare meetings, supervision and training.
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Prepares and participates in the RED team process to direct referrals.
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Conducts or assists other caseworker to complete assessments of alleged abuse, neglect and parent conflicts, determines if situation warrants placing children outside the home, supervises placement of children in foster care and coordinates parenting time, and determines when and if to recommend that children return to the home.
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Provides or assists other caseworkers in providing intake assessments and evaluations, ongoing services and case planning to a variety of other cases including adults unable to protect their own interests, family conflicts and you in conflict cases.
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Develops or assists other caseworkers to develop effective case plans and provides services to families regarding parenting skills, family dynamics, parent-child relationships, and conflict with the community. Assesses any new child abuse allegations and provides crisis intervention in these situations.
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Answers hotline calls for child welfare and adult protection. Receives incoming calls of a possible crisis nature. Gathers all information needed utilizing screening questions and documents in the statewide databases.
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May be required to testify in court on a variety of cases; makes recommendations to the courts on abuse and neglect cases, placement of children and guardianship of adults.
Additional Job Duties:
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Performs other appropriate duties as assigned and any duties needed to stabilize an emergency situation in the county.
Hours:
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Must be available for on-call coverage; including nights and weekends.
Minimum job requirements:
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Must possess FEMA ICS 100 and 700 certifications within 6 months of employment (County supported after hired)
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Must have a valid Colorado Driver’s License without any restrictions due to driving record. Must also be able to drive a county vehicle.
Ability to:
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Maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.
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Accurately and effectively transmit and receive information that is necessary to the accomplishment of goals and objectives including effective written and oral
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Exercise independent judgment and critical thought.
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Maintain courteous and effective working relationships with the public, county departments, co-workers and other agencies.
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Must pass background check, including traffic and criminal and a pre-employment drug screening
Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
Experience and Work Ethic:
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Education: Bachelor’s Degree. Preference for Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Services Field; or current Volume 7 requirements.
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Must successfully complete the requirements of the Colorado Child Welfare Training Academy as a condition of their continued employment with the County. Must complete annual training to maintain child welfare and adult protection certifications.
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Two years of full-time professional social casework experience required with Bachelor’s Degree. Master’s Degree preferred. All other relevant experience considered by the Director of Human Services and Program Manager.
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Working knowledge of established theories, principles, and concepts of social casework practice related to the assigned program areas.
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Laws dealing with child abuse, neglect and other dependency conditions.
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Community resources, agency rules, regulations and procedures related to child and adult protection.
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Ability to learn regulations, laws and procedures and develop knowledge of casework techniques and methodologies.
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Maintain effective collaborative relationships with professionals and other members of the community to develop effective treatment plans for clients and to help clients solve problems and to educate the community about protections of clients and services available.
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Recognize, investigate and analyze a variety of complex problems and to make effective recommendations for solutions.
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Ability to adapt to and apply changing federal and state rules and regulations
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Ability to work with community partner agencies
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Ability to build a positive rapport with clients of all capacities, needs and backgrounds
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Willingness to work as a generalist caseworker in a small county which includes all child welfare and adult program areas and functions.
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Considerable travel is required in order to complete home visits with families, foster parents and clients in placement.
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Must be able to work with clients who may be angry, verbally abusive and hostile.
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Proficient use of Microsoft office and Google suites.
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Must have a valid Colorado Driver’s License without any restrictions due to driving record. Must also be able to drive a county vehicle.
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Must pass background check, including traffic and criminal.
Civic Minded
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Must possess strong community interest, while understanding the County government organization, function, policy rules and regulations.
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Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team member.
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Ability to review and evaluate operating procedures and recommend improvements.
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Use of professional and personal discretion to protect the County from any actual and/or perceived appearances of impropriety.
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Applicate Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations.
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Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Personal Responsiveness
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Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, elected and appointed officials, businesses, the general public and with the ability to communicate effectively.
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Self-directed and self-motivated in job-related tasks.
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Commitment that employment with the County is primary to all other forms of employment.
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Be punctual and prompt for work and meetings.
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Locate, organize, and retrieve department records and files in a timely fashion.
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Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Knowledge of
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Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation, and supervision of staff.
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Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures, and operational needs.
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Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
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Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, mentoring and training of staff.
Mental/Physical Demands:
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Some work is performed in a standard office environment. Work also involves a considerable period of time away from a standard office environment, much of which consists of driving to and from home visits, collateral contacts and transporting clients; including children, families and adults.
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Work may occur in situations in which incumbent is threatened with physical harm by hostile, angry clients.
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Physical demands are described as mainly sedentary. Occasionally required to lift and carry infants and small children in the care and custody of the county, as well as the ability to carry large case files.
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While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk or hear, walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, stand, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch.
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Lift and carry and install car seats correctly.
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Lift up to 50 pounds; in excess of 50 pounds with assistance.
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May come into contact with human fluids and waste (i.e. blood, sputum, urine).
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Extensive travel by automobile may be necessary.
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Work/drive in inclement weather.
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Work around dust, dirt and odors.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of requirements, duties and responsibilities. Gilpin County provides reasonable job-related accommodations for disabled persons. Must pass drug screen and pre-employment screening.
- Part-time and Temporary staff are ineligible for the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, 401A, Life Insurance, Short-term & Long-term Disability plans in additional to Long-term care. See the benefit details at the end of the job posting for part-time options.
Benefits for Full Time Employees:
Paid Holidays: Gilpin County provides 13 paid holidays per calendar year. An employee will be paid ten (10) hours per holiday.
Vacation: The first year of employment, (based on the anniversary of the hire date) full-time employees are given 40 hours of vacation and earn 3 hours of paid vacation leave bi-weekly. After that time, leave shall accrue as follows:
Lump Sum on Date of Hire (Hours)
Hourly Accrual Rate
(bi-weekly)
Full-Time employees are encouraged to take their earned vacation leave each year. Vacation time accrual shall cap at the maximum amount and shall not exceed the maximum accrual amount, based on total months of service.
Sick Leave: Full-Time employees shall accrue four (4) hours of sick leave each bi-weekly pay period. The maximum sick leave that may be accumulated by such an employee is 600 hours.
Medical Plans: Gilpin County offers two medical plans with Kaiser and United Health Care. Gilpin County offers a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) for all employees to cover co-pays, deductibles, and other medical expenses. Employees are eligible for benefits the first of the month following 30 days of service. This HRA card will have $3,000.00 on it for an individual or $6,000.00 for a family. Both plans have a max out of pocket for $1,000 individual or $2,000 per family after the use of the HRA card for in network expenses.
United Health Care Monthly Employee Cost:
Employee Only/Employee and Spouse/Employee and Child(ren)/Employee and Family
$80.85/$167.72/$149.40/$234.30
Kaiser Permanente Monthly Employee Cost:
Employee Only/Employee and Spouse/Employee and Child(ren)/Employee and Family
$72.60/$152.62/$134.47/$210.90
Dental Plan: Gilpin County offers dental coverage through Delta Dental with PPO and Premiere network coverages. Individual deductible at $50 and family deductible at $150. In network coverage for preventative and diagnostic services are covered 100%, basic services covered at 80%, major services at 50%, and ortho covered at 50% with a $2,000 max. The plan offers a “Right Start 4 Kids” plan that covers most children basic services up to their 13th birthday at 100% with no deductible (some exclusions apply). Annual max this plan pays for covered dental services is $2,000 per individual covered on the plan.
Delta Dental Monthly Employee Costs:
Employee Only/Employee and Spouse/Employee and Child(ren)/Employee and Family
$0.00/$28.71/$54.00/$72.50
Vision Plan: Gilpin County offers vision coverage through VSP. In network coverage includes copays at $10 copays with an allowance of $175 per pair of either one prescription eyeglasses or contacts yearly on a 12-month calendar basis and discounts on Lasik.
VSP Vision Monthly Employee Costs:
Employee Only/Employee and Spouse/Employee and Child(ren)/Employee and Family
$0.00/$3.20/$3.40/$5.60
Retirement: Two retirement savings plans are available through the Colorado Retirement Association: 401(a) and 457 Deferred Compensation Plans
- The 401(a) has a 5% required full match with a 4-year vesting period.
- The 457 Plan is optional and has Pre-tax and Roth Options available. After four years of service, this plan could also include a County match as described below.
Social Security, as required by law: 6.2% required full match.
Effective July 8, 2025, for all new employees hired on or after this date, the graduated vesting schedule for the 5% match on employees’ 401(a) plan is as follows:
1 year to less than 2 years
2 years to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 4 years
Starting January 1, 2026, two new voluntary retirement plan matches will be initiated, with one plan for POST (law enforcement officers) and a second for all other employees, based on years of service. The employee would need to make voluntary contributions into a 457 account at the minimum level in order to be eligible for the County match into the employee’s 401(a).
POST 401(a) eligible positions, 1:1 match
POST Employee Contribution to 457
All other 401(a) eligible positions, 1:2 match
Employee Contribution to 457
Short-Term Disability: Short-term disability pays 60% of your earnings with a max of $1,000 per week for up to 11 weeks. Benefits begin on day 15 and your first two weeks you will have to cover with sick, personal, or vacation time. Gilpin County covers 100% of the premium cost of this plan for the employee.
Long-Term Disability: Long-term disability kicks in after 90 consecutive calendar days of a qualified disability. The plan will pay 60% of your earnings with a max of $5,000 monthly. Gilpin County covers 100% of the premium cost of this plan for the employee.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): EAP is provided through Triad All one Health for employees and members of your household. Services are confidential and available 24/7. A wide variety of services including but not limited to: Emotion well-being support with up to 6 Counseling sessions per issue each year. Daily life assistance guidance on a variety of topics. Online resources with articles, assessments, search tools, webinars. Free 30-minute consultations on legal services and financial services. A discount center to find deals on products, services, travel and more!
Gilpin County Parks & Recreation: Employees receive free memberships, as well as 20% discounts on most services such as childcare, leagues, rentals, in house classes but does not include contract classes.
Benefits for Part Time and Temporary Employees:
Sick Leave: Leave accrues at the rate of 1 hours of sick leave per 30 hours worked to a maximum of 45 hours per year.
Retirement: As a part time or temporary employee, you may participate in the optional 457b or 457 Roth plan. These plans may be started, stopped, and changed anytime during your employment.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): EAP is provided through Triad All One Health for employees and members of your household. Services are confidential and available 24/7. A wide variety of services including but not limited to: Emotion well-being support with up to 6 Counseling sessions per issue each year. Daily life assistance guidance on a variety of topics. Online resources with articles, assessments, search tools, webinars. Free 30-minute consultations on legal services and financial services. A discount center to find deals on products, services, travel and more!
Retirement: Gilpin County offers optional 457b or 457 Roth plans. The optional 457b plans may be started, stopped, and changed anytime during your employment
Gilpin County Parks & Recreation: Employees receive free membership, as well as 20% discounts on most services such as childcare, leagues, rentals, in house classes but does not include contract classes.
