Catawba County Employee Spotlight

Justin Hicks-Social Worker Supervisor/Training Supervisor

Title:  Social Work Supervisor/Training Supervisor
Department:  Social Services - Child Welfare/Child Protective Services
 
How long have you worked with the county? 
2 years 3 months
 
What does your job involve? Please describe what you do. 
As a supervisor I oversee frontline social workers who investigate child abuse, neglect and dependency. In addition, as a training supervisor I onboard new staff when they begin with the agency until around 6-9 months. I work closely with them for their first 6 months by accompanying them in the field and demonstrating how to gather the needed information from our families, collaterals and others. I continue to help them in their learning process of our policies and procedures so that a clear picture is given on how to assess for risk and safety in all aspects of the families we serve. After this time period they transition to their home teams. 

What do you like most about what you do, and why?
It’s the most typical answer, but I love helping children and families. It’s a humbling feeling to know that I help families in their worst of times and can provide them with resources, services, and even a boost of confidence to show them that they have the strength as a family to overcome these obstacles. This reason alone makes me feel like we are making a real difference in the community and in people’s lives. What I like most about training is that I can equip those with the knowledge and skills to succeed while showing them what I love to do. 

Which of the county’s core values (doing what’s right, doing what matters, doing it together, doing it well) resonates most with you in the work you do, and why? 
The core value that resonates the most with me is “Doing it Together.” There is definitely no “I” in Team (cliché, I know). I wouldn’t be able to do this job on my own without the support of my peers, program manager and the frontline social workers. We come together at the worst of times and have seen some of the worst moments, but at the end of the day, with the support we all give to each other it makes it easier to do what we love and do it well.