Department Information

The position is located in the Division of Child Welfare, Provider Services Unit. The Division is responsible for the ongoing implementation of child welfare services in Colorado and supervises county departments of human/social services in the administration of Child Welfare programs, as well as privately operated 24-hour care facilities. The Provider Services Unit exists to license, manage, supervise and provide statewide oversight for privately operated 24-hour childcare facilities and agencies, to include Qualified Residential Treatment Facilities, Residential Child Care Facilities, Secure Residential Treatment Centers, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Centers, Homeless Youth Shelters, Specialized Group Homes and Centers, Child Placement Agencies, Adoption Agencies, Day Treatment Facilities, state-contracted residential programs, and family foster care homes across the State of Colorado. The goals of the unit are to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the youth served in those facilities, programs, and homes. The work unit is responsible for comprehensive integrated (Interagency) licensing and monitoring of the 24-hour childcare facilities and to audit and investigate reports/allegations involving licensing violations, facility, or agency culpability, and to ensure the safety of children in out-of-home placements.

Description of Job

This position serves as the Senior Authority of, and oversees, the Acute QRTP and Acute PRTF within the Division of Child Welfare; specifically, the position oversees admissions and discharges, oversees the quality of the programming in the facilities, collaborates with community partners to support the program, promulgates rule, and oversees financial contracts between the facilities, the county departments of social services, other referring entities, and the Colorado Department of Human Services. This position is 100% home based and travel will be required.

Quality Assurance of the Facilities and Technical Assistance. Serves as the Senior Authority for oversight of the Acute QRTP and PRTF. Provides ongoing and consistent oversight of the daily operations of the facilities in conjunction with the Facility Directors. Examines the quality of programming, practices and policies, and compliance with Volume 7 regulations and the contracts between the Acute QRTP and the Acute PRTF and the Colorado Department of Human Services. Conducts building and site inspections, ensures staff are supervised and trained according to their individual needs and the needs of the youth, assesses treatment planning, observes milieu, assesses behavioral interventions utilized by facilities, reviews staffing patterns, reviews therapy frequency, and conducts interviews with staff and youth to determine quality of care provided.

Provides or researches options for, and coordinates technical assistance to, the facilities in order to support the delivery of quality care to youth and to increase their compliance with State and Federal rules and the contract, with particular focus on child protection and safety. Position influences the facilities to improve programming for those practices not defined in rule in order to assure that programming meets the diverse needs of children in placement who have histories of abuse and neglect, mental illness, and behavioral needs. Facilitates training and regular communication between the facilities for consistency of care, program improvement, and collaborative planning. This position is a technical assistance expert for the Division of Child Welfare in the areas of licensing, child care/child welfare, children with mental illness and behavioral needs, Qualified Residential Treatment Facilities, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities, and treatment planning related to these populations.

Assesses facilities quality and reports outcomes to leadership. Advises the Department of changes in processes, oversight, or programming that need to be made in order to ensure program quality.

Billing and Payment Management . Oversees the payments from the Department to the facilities for occupied beds and the payments from the Department of Human Services to the facilities for held or open beds. Ensures invoices from the facilities are accurate, submits invoices for authorization and payment, and tracks payment process and receipt. Examines the financial documentation to ensure the stability of the facilities and that the needs of the youth are being met. Assists county departments of human or social services in establishing contracts with the facilities and accessing resources for support and stepdown.

Contract Renewal . Evaluates program through the analysis of policies and procedures, behavior management and discipline, utilization of restraint/seclusion, staff qualifications, medication administration, and plans for educational, community, and recreational activities, treatment, and services to be provided, and site compliance and quality via inspections and interviews. Ensures that the facilities meet mandatory requirements of external entities that also oversee facilities: CDPHE, zoning and planning, and fire departments. Oversees annual renewal of the Acute QRTP and the Acute PRTF contracts with the Department of Human Services. Incorporates legislative changes to statute into rule drafts to be submitted to the state board. Evaluates the contract content to ensure quality standards of service are enforced for the facilities and modifies the contract as needed.

Other duties as assigned. All other duties as assigned from leadership within the Division of Child Welfare.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum qualifications:

Eight years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position to include public or private Child Welfare practice, clinical psychology, and/or behavioral and mental health care.

Substitutions:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to the work assignment to include psychology, sociology, criminal justice, child development, social work, or public administration.

And

Four years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position to include public or private Child Welfare practice, clinical psychology, and/or behavior and mental health care.

*Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a pro-rated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.*

Preferred Qualifications:

• 
  Preferred candidate will have at least five years of public or private sector experience related to Child Welfare with a focus on case management, treatment planning, and service provision for children with complex and multi-systems needs.
• Graduate degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, child development, social work, or public administration, or a closely related field of study.
• Experience providing direct care and/ or providing counseling to youth in a child welfare setting, such as residential, educational, casework, and/or child placement agency entity.
• Demonstrates ability to establish collaborative partnerships and effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external customers and diverse public and private stakeholders.
• Demonstrates skills in managing complex operations with stakeholders of varying interests and demands.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the continuum of out of home placement for children and youth.
• Demonstrates skills in developing, overseeing, and managing contracts with service providers.

Conditions of Employment:

• Full Background. CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons):
  CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers).
• Colorado Driver’s License
• Travel - This position currently works 100% percent remotely from home address and will be required to use a personal vehicle for frequent travel to the CDHS office, assigned agencies/facilities, and other identified locations for the purpose of related primary job duties as assigned.
  This position may be required to complete overnight travel and infrequent extended travel within the State of Colorado. Automobile insurance is required.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Supplemental Information

For additional recruiting questions, please contact araceli.diaz @state.co.us

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program MotivateMe
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• 
  Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~