DCS PROGRAM SPECIALIST - COURT LIAISONS - 09292026-81409

Job Information

State of Tennessee Job Information

Opening Date/Time09/29/2026 12:00AM Central TimeClosing Date/Time10/05/2026 11:59PM Central TimeSalary (Monthly)$4,057.00 - $5,078.00Salary (Annually)$48,684.00 - $60,936.00Job TypeFull-TimeCity, State LocationChattanooga, TNDepartmentChildren's Services

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES, HAMILTON COUNTY

This is a DCS Program Specialist position with the Court Liaisons team that sits in Hamilton County.

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to three years of professional work in one or a combination of the following: counseling or case management services; program evaluation of counseling or case management services, two years of which must involve providing these services to children and/or juveniles.

Substitution of Education for Experience: Graduate course work credit received from an accredited college or university in social work, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, human services, and/or child development may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis to a maximum of one year, there being no substitution for the required two years of children's services work (e.g. 36 graduate quarter hours in one or a combination of the above listed fields may substitute for one year of the required experience).

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

• Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age on the date of application;
• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Possess a valid driver's license prior to and during employment;
• Have a good moral character, as determined by investigation;
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority;
• Have no conviction for a felony;
• Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointment authority;
• Supply a fingerprint sample in a manner prescribed by the TBI for a fingerprint based criminal history records check.
• Submit to and pass a pre-employment screening test for use of illegal drugs.

Overview

The Statewide Court Liaison program is designed to streamline communication and coordinate efforts between the court system, children and families, communities, and the Department of Children's Services. Court Liaisons can achieve this by building strong relationships with stakeholders, diverting youth from DCS custody, facilitating and developing goal-oriented prevention plans, connecting children/families to services & resources, and by possessing knowledge of Departmental Policy and State Statutes. Core goals for the Court Liaison Program are timely court ordered service program assignment, prevention efforts, and providing supportive assistance to internal and external partners.

Responsibilities

The position that you will be interviewing for will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following job responsibilities:

• Attend Court, represent DCS (daily, weekly, monthly, or as scheduled by court)
• Preparing Court Dockets, Packets, & Notifications
• Engage with Judge/Magistrate/Attorneys/Court Personnel, Community Partners, Children/Families, and other DCS Personnel
• Participate in Child and Family Team Meetings (CFTM)
• Connecting children and families to resources & services (to divert youth from DCS custody)
• Assess and Complete Orders of Reference (family home studies, non-CPS)
• Enter Custodial and Non-Custodial Intakes into DCS electronic database (FSS, FCIP, Probation, etc.)
• Data Tracking (tracking prevention efforts and tasks on spreadsheets)
• Additional Administrative Tasks (as designated by specific location)

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies:

• Being Resilient
• Drives Vision and Purpose
• Customer Focus
• Communicates Effectively
• Plans and Aligns

Knowledge:

• Customer and Personal Service
• Law and Government
• English Language
• Public Safety and Security

Skills:

• Critical Thinking
• Judgment and Decision Making
• Quality Control Analysis
• Monitoring
• Time Management

Abilities:

• Auditory Attention
• Speech Clarity
• Written Comprehension
• Speech Recognition

Tools & Equipment

• Personal Computer
• Telephone
• Fax Machine
• Printer
• Passenger Vehicle

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.