Family Preservation Social Worker (Hybrid)

If you chose a career in human services because you care about people and communities, this is the kind of role you've been looking for. Wellspring is seeking a Family Preservation Social Worker to join our Families First Program, based in Gaylord and serving families across seven northern Michigan counties.

In Northern Michigan, families are deeply rooted in their communities. They are resilient, resourceful and proud — and when they hit a rough patch, they deserve support from someone who understands this region and its people. That's where you come in.

The Families First program is Michigan's intensive in-home family preservation model, contracted through the State of Michigan and designed to keep children safely in their homes by helping families build stability, strengthen relationships, and develop the skills they need for the long haul. This isn't a desk job. You'll be meeting families where they are — literally — in their homes across the small towns, back roads, and rural stretches of Emmet, Antrim, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Kalkaska, Otsego and Crawford counties.

What You'll Do

You'll work with families using a strength-based, non-deficit approach — starting from what families are already doing right and building from there. Your work will span practical, hands-on support and deeper skill building, including:

• Providing concrete assistance with housing, transportation, home cleaning, maintenance and repair
• Delivering skills training in parenting, communication, self-advocacy and self-sufficiency
• Offering short-term counseling and crisis intervention
• Coordinating with community providers to connect families to counseling, medical care, educational support, housing resources and utility assistance
• Preparing timely documentation including service plans, progress reports, termination summaries, goal sheets and weekly reports
• Presenting cases at termination conferences and recommending follow-up services
• Maintaining 24-hour availability for clients with a flexible schedule built around family needs
• Conducting face-to-face visits with families at the frequency required by contract and individual family need
• Maintaining weekly contact with referring workers and completing follow-up evaluations at 3, 6, and 12 months post-service
• Transporting clients in your own vehicle when needed

Who We're Looking For

Some of the best family preservation workers are people who grew up in communities like the ones they serve — who understand what it means to live 45 minutes from the nearest resource, to know your neighbors by name, and to recognize that trust takes time to earn in rural areas. We're looking for someone who is:

• Reliable, compassionate and deeply committed to quality service
• Comfortable with autonomy and working independently across a large geographic area
• Strong in organization, communication and creative problem-solving
• Energized by variety — no two days, and no two families, are the same

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in social work or a human services-related field
• Current and valid driver's license, vehicle registration and auto insurance
• Experience working with children and families preferred

Schedule & Compensation

• Employment Type: Full-time, Monday–Friday
• Schedule: Flexible; 24-hour availability for clients as needed
• Work Setting: Home-based with daily travel throughout your service counties
• In-Office Requirements: Weekly team meetings, trainings and clinical supervision in Gaylord
• Salary: $43,000 per year
• Mileage Reimbursement: Provided for all work-related travel

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• PTO and Paid Holidays
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching
• DailyPay — access your earned wages anytime
• Wellspring SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program
• Clinical supervision and ongoing professional development
• A collaborative, caring team that knows this region and is invested in your success
• Work that keeps Northern Michigan kids safe at home and families together

Where You'll Be Based

Gaylord sits at the heart of your service area — a practical, central home base for reaching families across seven counties of some of Michigan's most beautiful and tightly-knit communities. Whether you're heading toward Petoskey, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, or the forests of Crawford County, you'll be doing work that matters to the people who live and raise their kids here.

Wellspring is proud to be a mission-driven organization with deep roots in Michigan. If you're ready to bring your skills and compassion to families who need them — in the communities you know and care about — we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and become part of something that makes Northern Michigan stronger.