SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST 1- INTAKE

Purpose/Description

The Social Service Specialist 1/Intake is responsible for ensuring compliance with court proceedings, procedures, and regulatory requirements while supporting quality assurance, data tracking, and process oversight functions. This position plays a critical role in reviewing, monitoring, and coordinating juvenile case processes to ensure timely and accurate assignment and service initiation, adherence to established guidelines, and alignment with programmatic, operational, and legal standards.

The Social Service Specialist 1/Intake serves as the initial point of review for incoming juvenile cases and referrals and is responsible for conducting comprehensive intake functions, including verifying documentation completeness, confirming eligibility criteria, ensuring accuracy of data entry, and facilitating appropriate case assignments in accordance with established protocols. This role requires strong attention to detail, system navigation skills, and the ability to interpret court directives and agency policies. The Social Services Specialist 1/Intake is a hybrid position responsible for juvenile intake, assessment, registration, case coordination, service monitoring, procedural review, quality assurance, data tracking, and operational support across designated juvenile justice programs.

Required Tasks

• Conduct intake of incoming juvenile cases and referrals; review and verify documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance; and ensure appropriate case assignment in accordance with established protocol.
• Conduct standardized intake and needs assessments for youth referred by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office to the Right TRAC Diversion Program to identify appropriate interventions, service recommendations, and provider assignments.
• Monitor youth participation and service progress within designated programs; coordinate necessary follow-up with youth, families, providers, and system partners; and document outcomes through program completion, discharge, or formal transfer of responsibility
• Monitor court activity, hearing outcomes, dispositional orders, and case-status changes through Odyssey and other designated systems to support timely intake, registration, assignment, service coordination, and compliance with court directives and program timelines.
• Collaborate with Third Circuit Court personnel, Care Management Organizations (CMOs), service providers, and community partners to facilitate efficient case processing and service coordination.
• Maintain accurate and current records of youth and family contacts, intake and assessment activities, referrals, service coordination, case-processing actions, and program outcomes in designated information systems.
• Enter, review, and maintain accurate case information in JAIS and other designated systems for intake, registration, assessment, case assignment, service authorization, utilization review, tracking, reporting, and quality-assurance purposes.
• Review and analyze Writs, Petitions, detention releases, and related documentation submitted by Care Management Organizations (CMOs) to ensure accuracy, completeness, procedural compliance, and alignment with court orders, established court procedures, and departmental requirements.
• Analyze Writs and Petitions and Detention releases submitted by Care Management Organization (CMO) to ensure accuracy, compliance and alignment with court procedures.
• Review and analyze Writs, Petitions, detention releases, and related documentation submitted by CMOs to ensure accuracy, procedural compliance, and alignment with court policies.
• Identify discrepancies, omissions, or conflicting information within referrals, supporting documentation, and court orders; communicate required corrections to the appropriate parties; and escalate matters requiring supervisory, administrative, or court clarification.
• Utilize basic data analysis techniques to track trends, monitor performance metrics, and support informed, data-driven decision-making.
• Perform other related tasks assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate's degree in social work or a related human services field.
• At least three (3) years of professional experience in child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, or a related setting providing services to youth and families.

NOTE: Additional years of experience may be substituted for the required education.