Protective Services Intake Specialists are the first line of defense to helping children and adults, all across Texas, who are at risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. They experience human nature at its best and worst. Intake Specialists provide comfort and resources for those who need help. They also need to remain detached from very stressful situations.

Intake Specialists work from a central contact center called Statewide Intake (SWI). About 50% of SWI staff telework. SWI receives information from anyone across the entire State of Texas. Using specific guidelines, they process phone calls, internet reports, faxes, and mail, and refer each report to the correct program.

Sounds good, but what will I really be doing?

  • Receiving phone calls, internet reports, faxes, and mail from people regarding children, people who are elderly, and adults with disabilities in vulnerable situations.
  • Staying calm and professional during intense and emotional situations, such as receiving child death reports and reports describing graphic sexual abuse. 
  • Working with little or no down-time between calls.
  • Understanding all DFPS programs, and following all policies and procedures.
  • Quickly processing, assessing, and prioritizing reports as they come in.
  • Processing an acceptable number of calls each day while producing high-quality reports.
  • Completing all your reports before the end of the day. This is done no matter how long it takes. 
  • Providing callers with information about legal help, domestic violence shelters, food stamps, and other services.
  • Documenting all relevant information and completing all required forms in a short amount of time.
  • Working a flexible schedule, including being able to telework.
  • Attending trainings.

Do I need a college degree?

Yes, to be an Intake Specialist you must have a four-year bachelor's degree. Any 4-year degree from an accredited school is fine, but degrees in social work, psychology, sociology, or human services are preferred.

What would my salary be?

The starting salary for an Intake Specialist is $3160.21 to $4337.08 per month, and depends on your experience and qualifications. You can earn merit raises, and will be paid for overtime. As you advance to Intake Specialist II, III, or IV, you will earn an additional 10% of your salary with each advance.

Will I get specific training on what to do?

Yes! New Intake Specialists receive lots of good training. The training for new staff takes seven weeks, which includes classroom and on-the-job training.  Supervisors and peers also provide ongoing mentoring and help.

Are there opportunities for career advancement?

Yes!  You can advance your way up to Supervisor.  You can also advance to the training team, the program improvement team, and more. 

Intake Specialists have the unique opportunity to master information from all DFPS programs, as well as other social services agencies including Health & Human Services and State Health Services.

When you join the Statewide Intake team, the doors to your social services career are wide open!

Conditions of Employment

Like all DFPS employees, you will have a criminal background check and a DFPS history check. You also must be able to type and have basic computer skills.