The job I chose to apply for upon graduation was a Family Services Specialist.

The
position of a Family Service Specialist is an entry level position that works under close
supervision while being trained in one of the following program areas: Adult Protective Services,
Child Protective Services, Foster Care/Adoption, Child Care and Employment Services. I would
be responsible for performing entry level casework activities and the casework would be
reviewed by a supervisor prior to implementing case action. I called the Department of Human
Services in Suffolk and explained to the receptionist that I needed to interview someone in the
Family Services department for an assignment in my course. I left a voicemail for Joice
Whitehorn, who oversees the unit, giving her details of what I needed. Ms. Whitehorn called me
back the next morning and advised me that she would pass my information on to one of her
workers and have them give me a call.
Monica Stokes gave me a call at the direction of Ms. Whitehorn. Ms. Stokes works in
Ongoing Child Protective Services. Her job is to try and prevent children from being taken from
their family as the goal is preventing the children from coming into foster care. Cases are
referred to her unit based on an allegation or complaint in regards to abuse and/or neglect. The
complaint must be investigated and assessed. Depending on the severity of the case, a
determination is made either to remove the child from the home or working with the family to
create a plan to prevent the child/children from being removed. The timeframe of the case being
open with her department depends on the success of the family and them becoming stable. Ms.
Stokes is also responsible for making them aware of possible programs available to assist them.
Ms. Stokes informed me that the educational requirements for this position would be a
Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, and any other human services field. I
would also need at least two years of working experience which could include my internship.

Ms. Stokes believes that life experiences can prepare you for this position as well as learning
from other Social Workers. She stated the skillsets needed for this position were good listening
skills, empathy (understanding the situation they are going through, being able to break down the
wall so that they can understand you are there to help them), sympathy (they want someone to
listen to them), understanding, and the power of persuasion. Upon beginning this position, there
is a four day training that familiarizes you with the ins and outs of the job and what needs to be
done. Training is also done on a continuous basis as the laws are always changing as well as the
terminology that is used.
Based on my conversation with Ms. Stokes I would need to look into an internship that
will allow me to gain experience in this field. My concentrations are in Psychology, Sociology,
and Health Services Management therefore from an educational perspective two of my
concentrations are considered Human Services. Also based on the feedback I received from Dr.
Miller, I would need to make sure I used terminology and policies from Sociology and
Psychology as well as referencing policies from my working experiences from Anthem. I believe
incorporating the suggestions from Dr. Miller and the experience I would gain from an internship
would align me with the qualifications needed in order for the Family Services Specialist
position.

Contact information:
Joice Whitehorn 514-7334
Monica Stokes 514-7342