Social Caseworker II - LCDHS - Fort Collins, Colorado
(2018-11)
- Executed comprehensive High-Risk Assessments (HRA) and Family Assessment Response (FAR) child protection assessments in strict compliance with Volume VII Regulations and the Colorado Children's Code
- Identified immediate safety concerns at the initial point of contact and continuously assessed risk throughout the life of a case, rapidly initiating crisis interventions, legally sound safety plans, or executing emergency removal proceedings when necessary
- Managed a high-volume, complex caseload of out-of-home and in-home services cases, utilizing concurrent planning strategies to actively pursue reunification goals while simultaneously developing fallback permanency tracks (kinship/adoption) to eliminate foster care drift
- Monitored family service plans, coordinated localized service referrals, tracked client progress, and managed diverse placement trajectories to prioritize placement stabilization and child well-being
- Assumed a prominent administrative leadership role within the intake division by managing the master Intake Team calendar, running multi-disciplinary intake meetings, and providing technical coaching to new caseworkers
- Actively participated in county-level policy and continuous Quality Improvement (QI) committees to review systemic practice trends and implement process improvements
- Demonstrated expert-level technical proficiency within Colorado Trails (SACWIS) to monitor case progress, completing mandatory 90-day case reviews, entering detailed family treatment plans, and updating health passports and placement tabs
- Maintained compliance with state-mandated documentation timeliness guidelines, ensuring court orders and files rigorously preserved the county's Title IV-E federal revenue eligibility
CWTS Intern - Kempe Center - Aurora, Colorado
(2022-10 - 2024-12)
- Directly contributed to the macro-level systemic improvement of Colorado child welfare by developing curriculum for the Child Welfare Training System (CWTS), including the state-wide Preservice Caseworker Academy
- Applied adult learning theory and progressive training methodologies to co-facilitate foundational state courses, including Caseworker Fundamentals, Media Circles, and Safety Assessment Refreshers, ensuring incoming staff mastered the legal mechanics of Volume VII Regulations and the Colorado Children's Code
- Partnered with state stakeholders in both qualitative and quantitative data collection initiatives to evaluate training efficacy and practice trends
- Specialized in the tracking, extraction, and qualitative data coding of metrics to evaluate the systemic, equity-based impact of the Race Intelligence Coaching Program (RQ) across Colorado's child welfare landscape, aligning directly with the ARD mission of gathering, analyzing, and publishing research to improve state practice
- Participated actively in state-level Training Steering Committees, Truth Telling Circles, and Large County Connection meetings to bridge communication between county departments and state leadership
- Evaluated macro-level caseworker needs and systemic policy implementation barriers, providing strategic recommendations for continuous Quality Improvement (QI) loops and state-wide technical assistance design
Social Caseworker I - WCDHS - Greeley, Colorado
(2018-08 - 2018-11)
Completed Colorado Child Welfare Fundamentals certification.
Child Protection Social Caseworker - Polk County Social Services - Crookston, Minnesota
(2015-11 - 2018-08)
- Conducted high-volume child protection investigations, family assessments, and specialized forensic interviewing utilizing evidence-based, neutral interviewing techniques
- Expertly identified acute and long-term safety concerns to execute legally defensible safety plans and coordinate out-of-home placement logistics when necessary
- Guided families through intensive, case-specific reunification efforts while simultaneously managing concurrent planning tracks (including kinship and adoption alternatives) to prevent foster care drift and secure timely permanency
- Monitored service compliance, updated treatment plans, and evaluated behavioral changes against statutory wellness markers to ensure the agency met federal 'reasonable efforts' criteria
- Formed and led robust Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) consisting of law enforcement, county attorneys, mental health professionals, educators, and foster parents to ensure holistic child safety and cross-system alignment
- Maintained meticulous, legally audit-ready case files within the SSIS (Social Service Information System) database, ensuring strict data integrity, confidentiality, and timeliness
