Key Takeaways
- Grove hires social workers and former frontline staff who understand caseworkers’ real challenges firsthand.
- New team members shadow peers and train on Traverse, the Grove app, and state systems.
- Northwoods invests in ongoing growth, giving Grove staff development goals and leadership opportunities.
- Agencies describe Grove support as a genuine extension of their own team.
- Grove pairs experienced, empathetic staff with purpose-built software to lift caseworkers’ burden.
At Northwoods, we talk a lot about how Grove (formerly Case Aide Services) helps caseworkers reclaim time, reduce burnout, and focus on what matters most: the families they serve.
But none of that is possible without the passionate, experienced humans behind the work.
Our Grove team is made up of social workers, former frontline staff, and professionals who’ve walked in your shoes. They understand handling heavy workloads and urgent demands and now use that experience to support others.
From hiring and training to day-to-day support, here’s how our Grove team is structured—and why their work means so much to the agencies and caseworkers counting on them.
People First: Hiring Who Understands the Work
According to Ryan Sherry, director of Grove, hiring the right people starts with understanding the real challenges of frontline work.
“For our specialist role, we look for people with a social work degree and child welfare experience—especially those who’ve worked with the initial case intake process or ongoing procedures so they can jump in with confidence,” Ryan shared.
Meanwhile, generalist roles go to people who are eager to grow in the health and human services field and passionate about supporting others.
The team brings a wide range of experience, including behavioral health, community support programs, and private provider work. This diverse background ensures they don’t just know the job—they understand the people behind it.
Grove also work closely with agency staff during onboarding to build strong, trust-based relationships from the start that continue to grow over time.
Training That Goes Deeper
Before taking on their own tickets, new Grove team members go through a comprehensive onboarding process:
- Shadow seasoned team members.
- Get hands-on with our Traverse platform, the Grove app, and the state child welfare system.
- Take time to learn each agency’s unique protocols.
“Every agency has their own workflow and needs,” Ryan said. “We create detailed guides for every ticket type and encourage collaboration across the team to make sure we’re delivering consistently.”
Grove team members also work closely with agency staff during onboarding to build strong, trust-based relationships from the start that continue to grow over time.
Interested in working at Northwoods? Read more about our careers.
A Culture of Support and Growth on the Grove Team
Professional development is a core part of the Grove model. Senior team members help onboard new staff and take on leadership opportunities beyond ticket work. They may support new pilots, refine processes, or work with product to provide feedback on the user experience for caseworkers.
Each Grove team member has growth goals and regular check-ins to help them expand their skills in ways that match their passions and strengths.
“Every member of the team truly cares,” Ryan said. “They go above and beyond, every day, to make a difference.”
Real People, Real Impact
What does all this look like in action? Here’s what some of our Grove team members had to say:
That support includes everything from semiannual reviews and placement coordination to document processing and case analysis, whatever it takes to keep cases moving.
Agencies Notice the Difference
Across the board, agencies tell us that Grove support feels like a true extension of their team:
- Supervisors appreciate the boost to morale and the ability to delegate with confidence.
- Caseworkers love the consistency, quality, and personalized support that our team provides.
- Leadership sees the results in retention, compliance, and staff satisfaction.
The Heart Behind the Help
We believe smart tools only work when paired with smart people. Our Grove team members prove that every day.
They don’t just support caseworkers—they uplift them. They don’t just complete tasks—they build trust.
And they don’t just make a difference—they are the difference
Bring Grove Support to Your Agency
We’re proud of our experienced, empathetic Grove team members. Paired with purpose-built Traverse software, they lift the operational and administrative weight off caseworkers’ shoulders.
Get in touch with us at Northwoods to see what that support could look like at your agency.
