DEPARTMENTT OF CHILD SAFETY

SERVICE APPROVAL UNIT
3003 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85012

Salary: $18.7000 HRLY/$38,896.00 Salary 

Grade: 16

Closing Date: October 5, 2025

Under the general supervision of the Department of Child Safety (DCS) Service Approval Program Manager, processes service approvals for out-of-home placements for children in DCS care. This position works with Placement Administration, field staff and community providers for matching and ending service approvals in Guardian and is responsible for verifying and ensuring the accuracy of service approval request information and records

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.

The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

• Receives and processes Service Approvals for out of home placements, including, but not limited to, Kinship, Foster Home, Therapeutic Foster Home, Group Home, and Shelter. Manages and responds to email inquiries about Service Approvals and verifies the information has been correctly entered on a Service Request, ensuring the Service Approval can be processed and matched to a Caregiver and/or Contracted Provider.
  
• Researches end date prior to out of home Placement Service Approval, or Non Paid Placement Tracker, so that the Placement record is accurate. Create placement packet for each service approval. Gather demographic information and build Kinship Providers, set up portal access for Kinship Providers, and update Kinship Provider records when notified of changes.
  
• Review all expiring Service Approvals for out of home placement. Research in Guardian to determine if the child is still in that placement, including the case, case notes, documents, legal status, and removal details. Work with field staff to confirm placement if the reviewed documentation is unclear. Once confirmed, extend or end the service approval. Follow up with field staff to ensure a new service request is entered if the child has moved to a new placement.
  
• Maintain, enter, update and track Service Approvals, to ensure timely processing and follow up.
  
• Provide assistance either in person, by phone or email, to field staff or caregivers.
  
• Other duties as assigned as related to the position.

Knowledge of:

• Federal and state laws, regulations and directives governing child protective services
  
• Conflict resolution techniques
  
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) - Guardian
  
• Knowledge of business processes as it relates to Services and Payments

Skills in:

• Eliciting and gathering information
  
• De-escalating situations
  
• Managing own time and arranging work
  
• Verbal and written communication
  
• Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
  
• Performing general clerical functions such as, reception, filing, mailing, data entry
  

Ability to:

• Sit for long periods of time
  
• Maintain professional boundaries
  
• Work independently and collectively with colleagues and team members
  
• Maintain a tracking system to ensure follow up and timely resolution of tasks
  
• Accept responsibility for work product and outcomes

The preferred candidate will have DCS experience including customer service and service approval processes.

This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, then the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11)

The ability to secure and maintain an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card and the ability to secure and maintain clearance from the DCS Central Registry.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package including:
● Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
● Top-ranked retirement and long-term disability plans
● 10 paid holidays per year
● Vacation time accrued at 4.00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
● Sick time accrued at 3.42 hours bi-weekly
● Deferred compensation plan
● Wellness plans

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting 602-255-3141 or by email at ADA@AZDCS.GOV. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.