What makes you feel qualified to work in CPS? Did you get a BSW/MSW? If not, how did you get this type of job? Do you feel behind compared to your other coworkers because you didnât get a SW degree? Very interested in your path to social work bc it doesnât seem traditional! Congratulations on your job â¤ď¸
I feel qualified because I met the job requirements upon application and they made the decision to hire me for one available position out of a large pool of applicants (they told me over 200!) The interview process was extensive and contained multiple components, and it took over five months from time of application to hire date. That in itself makes me qualified lol.
People in CPS come from a diverse range of backgrounds, which is invaluable because each case is multifaceted and requires unique skill sets. If you have a team of CPS workers consisting entirely of recent MSW grads, your staffâs scope of experience and skills will be limited, which will inevitably limit the nature and quality of services that can be delivered. We have hospital cases, and our people whom worked in the medical field do a fantastic job with them. We have high profile legal cases, and our people with experience in law are top notch fits. We have cases with parents whom have substance use disorders that affect their ability to parent, and our people with lived experience know how to connect with the parents better than anyone. We have cases with teens whom are being sex trafficked, and our people with experience in social services programs for teens nail it. I have colleagues that used to be police officers, teachers, case managers, nurses, legal assistants, and more. All of them either have a qualifying degree, relevant experience, or a combination of the two. A CPS worker does not need a specific degree to be absolutely spectacular at their job. In fact, one of the best CPS caseworkers I have met has a degree in Marketing/Merchandising.Â
So the specifics as to why I am qualified beyond clearly being identified as qualified by experienced workers in the field?
1. I have four years of experience working as a case manager with some of the most vulnerable individuals in the state. I served as one of two case managers on a pilot program called FUSE that has since secured ongoing funding for years to come, and the FUSE program itself has grown tremendously (both staff and service-capacity wise) over the last four years. I participated in budget planning, program development, new employee hiring processes, and I singlehandedly staffed client cases at large case coordination meetings with community partners. I was the coordinated entry lead for my entire agency and I served on the Human Resources committee.
2. I have a bachelors degree in English, and CPS workers must have strong professional writing skills. Nearly half of my job is preparing documents for court, and the writing load is very heavy. Just one assessment can be 20+ pages long and they need to be professional, objective/factual, comprehensive, and grammatically sound. This is something I am naturally very good at.Â
3. While working as a case manager, I primarily worked with individuals with Substance Use Disorders, Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI), Traumatic Brain Injury/Acquired Brain Injury, and a variety of other disabilities. An estimated 80% of families involved with child welfare in Oregon have a substance use disorder present in one or both parents/caretakers. Having as much experience and knowledge that I have about SUDs is invaluable in my role as a CPS Caseworker.Â
4. I have well established relationships with a variety of community partners. I can walk in to almost any social service agency in Eugene, and someone will say âoh hey, Melissa!â and I am thoroughly aware of service availability and the streamlined processes to access those resources. Also invaluable in CPS.Â
5. I am good with people. This is the most simple of the answers, but it is true. I know how to talk to people and I am incredibly patient, understanding, and receptive. The most âchallengingâ clients were naturally given to me because I am good at working with people that are very escalated, experiencing psychosis, etc. I am comfortable having difficult conversations with people and I am even more comfortable showing up with an open heart regardless of the circumstances. I am consistent in my interactions, which is one of the most important things I can be.
6. I have had more training than I can even list out. Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Mental Health First Aid (both youth and adult classes), Advanced Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care X10, etc.Â
I am a Notary Public, I am SOAR certified to complete SSI/SSDI applications for disability payment assistance, I held a license for the HMIS (Homeless Management Information System, I was a certified Front Door Assessor for the countyâs Centralized Housing Wait-List for Homeless Individuals, and I completed ten weeks of training to be a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate...also frequently called a Guardian Ad Litem) prior to being hired for my current position (I cannot service as a CASA and CPS Caseworker because it is a conflict of interest).Â
7. I have worked at a Head Start Preschool, I have volunteered at the local Juvenile Detention Center and worked with teens, and I have experience as a nanny/babysitter (certified to care for children in foster care, children with autism/developmental disabilities, and every age from newborn to teen).Â
8. I have taken college level courses in Couples and Family Therapy, Psychology and Counseling Psychology, Family and Human Services, Child Development, Child Language/Speech, Family and Child Intervention, Substance Use Prevention, Substance Use Treatment Engagement and Organization, Foundations of Disability, LGBTQUI+ Identity, and more.Â
9. I HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE.Â
10. I AM AWESOME.Â