Case Aide (Social Service Assistant) | Bilingual English/Spanish required!

The Oregon Department of Human Services is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are guided by our Equity North Star and our vision for a positive RiSE organizational culture that advances equity and diversity. We encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQIA2S+ community members, and others to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. 

Opportunity awaits! Join the service delivery team and make a meaningful impact across all child welfare program areas. As a Case Aide, you will play a vital role in supporting caseworkers, enhancing their ability to engage with clients more effectively. 

Your contributions will include assisting in risk and safety assessments, providing key information for informed decisions and planning, and supporting comprehensive child and family evaluations. You will help develop case plans in collaboration with families and actively participate in casework decision-making. 

This position is essential in facilitating change through hands-on support of core casework activities and plays a critical role in reviewing and evaluating client progress. 

We are hiring a Case Aide (Social Service Assistant) (Bilingual English/Spanish skills are required.) to join our Child Welfare team in Beaverton.  

Bilingual English/Spanish required:  

• This position is bilingual and requires duties to be carried out in both English and Spanish.  

• The job offer will be contingent upon passing test(s) evaluating your proficiency in the bilingual requirements of the position.  

• This position may receive a 5% differential pay based on passing the required language test.  

Together, we can create lasting change!  

Summary of Duties 

As an employee working within the Child Welfare Program, you will have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Oregon’s most vulnerable children and families. Your dedication will help us achieve the Child Welfare Vision for Transformation that will support children and young adults to be safer, healthier, experience less trauma and achieve a greater well-being.   

As a Case Aide, you will:   

• Caseworker Support: Assisting caseworkers with tasks like transporting children, supervising family time, and conducting research. 

• Court Testimony: Offering testimony in court on visitation observations and other relevant experiences.  

• Family Time Arrangement: Organizing family time and facilitating communication ("comfort calls") between parents and resource parents.  

• Visitation Supervision: Providing supervision during initial visitations between children and their parents after placement.  

• Health and Wellness Monitoring: Ensuring children stay current with medical, dental, and mental health appointments.  

• Emotional Support: Offering emotional support to children dealing with trauma.  

• Resource and Service Information: Informing family members about available services and resources.  

• Review case histories and develop detailed timelines to track progress and identify needs.  

• Schedule appointments for children and adults with appropriate professional service providers. 

• Coordinate with community partners to ensure access to essential services and resources.  

• Create documents and care plans that support youth in substitute care. 

Minimum Qualifications  

• One year experience assisting professionals in one or more specialized social programs such as family services, children services, senior services, mental or developmental disability services, substance abuse programs, juvenile corrections programs, or occupational skills programs; OR 

• Possession of a current certification in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Addiction Counseling Preparation, or Juvenile Corrections; OR 

• 45 quarter hours, or 30 semester hours of college course work in sociology, psychology, early childhood education, criminal justice, human services, juvenile corrections, or occupational skills training; OR 

• An associate's degree in a field not closely related to Social Work/Human Services & six months of human services related experience (i.e., work providing assistance to individuals and groups with issues such as economically disadvantaged, employment, abuse and neglect, substance abuse, aging, mental or physical disabilities, juvenile prevention, health, cultural competencies, and/or inadequate housing). 

Essential Attributes 

We are looking for candidates with:  

• Demonstrated ability to connect with children and families in crisis with sensitivity and care. 

• Experience working in fast-paced, emotionally charged environments. 

• Experience with clear verbal and written communication with clients, caseworkers, and external partners. 

• Experience managing real time documentation, schedules, and follow-ups efficiently. 

• Experience working closely with social workers, supervisors, and other support staff. 

• Demonstrates sound judgment by recognizing when to escalate concerns to supervisors and when to act independently within the scope of the role. 

Attention all candidates!  

• A cover letter is required! In your cover letter, please address the Essential Attributes listed in the job posting and explain how your experience, skills, and background meet each of them. Your application materials will determine if you are selected to move forward in the selection process. Please include detailed work and education history. 

• Please make sure your application materials, including your resume and job history are clearly outlined as this information will be used to determine your starting salary range. If you are selected as the final candidate and a degree is listed as a minimum qualification for the position, please be prepared to provide verification of your completed education before moving forward in the hiring process. Note: Your resume and cover letter may be uploaded in the Resume/CV field on the online application. 

• The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process. 

• The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) software during applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in disqualification. 

• Important: Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment. You may be asked to submit additional information after initial application. 

•  The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT/PST) on the close date.  Immediately after you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans’ preference. These questions are necessary to complete the application process.  

Working Conditions  

• Work Locations: Offices, homes of participants, and community sites. 

• Hours: You will work a professional work week where the hours of work fluctuate on a daily and weekly basis to meet service needs.; occasional overtime may be needed, including evenings and weekends. 

• Travel: Occasional travel for meetings, trainings, and other case related activities. This includes required occasional overnight travel. 

• Physical Requirements: Frequent physical activity, including lifting up to 50 pounds and assisting children with car seats. 

• The person in the position must have the ability and discretion to handle sensitive and confidential situations and information and the ability to make difficult, controversial decisions. 

• This role involves handling sensitive topics related to trauma, abuse, and crises, requiring a trauma-informed approach that is essential to ensure a safe environment. 

• You may interact with individuals who have experienced trauma and may have difficulty managing their emotions. 

• Be prepared for stressful situations that require quick decision-making to ensure safety for yourself and others. 

Background Checks and Requirements   

• If selected as a finalist, we will conduct a criminal history and background check. Adverse criminal history or background check may lead to disqualification. Additional background check information.  

• The Oregon Department of Human Services does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. ODHS will use E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. 

•  Finalists must be cleared by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) through a fingerprint-based criminal records check.  

• A valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record are required for this position.    

Benefits 

• ODHS Employee Resource Group communities that promote shared learning. 

• Cost of Living Adjustments. 

• Annual salary increases (until you reach the top of the listed salary range). 

• Amazing benefits package.  

• Possible eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.  

Employment Preference  

Veterans’ preference: 

• Veterans’ preference information. 

• How to submit your Veteran documents for preference. Please do not attach your Veterans’ preference documentation in the Resume/CV field of your application. 

General Information  

• This is a ​permanent​, ​full-time​ position and is ​represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). ​  

• This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in the same classification.  

Contact Information  

We invite you to contact the recruiter for accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), application questions or job-specific questions.  

• The recruiter for this position is ​Nadja Rue​. If you contact the recruiter, please include the job requisition number: REQ-181516.