County of Monterey is hiring: Social Worker III in Sacramento

Overview

Join to apply for the Social Worker III role at County of Monterey.

Position Information: Under general direction, the Social Worker III carries a difficult caseload involving the determination of need for basic social services functions for applicants or clients; performs social studies and assignments involving individualized treatment and specialized application of casework methods and skills; provides comprehensive casework services of a tangible nature; and performs other related work as assigned. The Social Worker III is the advanced journey level in the Social Worker series. Incumbents are normally assigned a selected caseload of the more difficult cases and may receive supervisory consultation in development of treatment plans. They may be assigned to specialized functions requiring a high degree of perception such as a special problem caseload or to a specific geographic or functional area (e.g., Court Investigations, Family Maintenance/Reunification, Emergency Response, Child/Adult Protection, or Foster Care). A Social Worker III may act as a lead worker to other social service workers and is expected to work independently.

Compared to Social Worker II, the Social Worker III handles more difficult assignments requiring greater skill and depth of knowledge. Incumbents typically work with a high degree of independence in administering services and using agency or community resources. The Social Worker IV-A/B is more experienced and requires additional education and experience.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED Incumbents in the Social Worker III classification receive general direction from a Social Worker Supervisor or other higher-level manager and may act as lead worker to lower classifications in the same program area.

Responsibilities

• Carries a caseload of more difficult types of social services cases requiring a high degree of technical competence, including situations where environmental forces affect family life
• Receives and responds to reports of suspected abuse; investigates and assesses situations to protect vulnerable adults and children; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may be required to work on-call and testify in court
• Performs case studies and evaluates individual and family information to assess child and adult safety; determines appropriate treatment methods
• Develops and carries out social treatment plans for an assigned caseload; ensures services are delivered respectfully and culturally appropriately
• Counsels or provides guidance to individuals and/or families with more complex or specialized needs (e.g., Adult Protective Services, crisis intervention, medical or legal needs)
• Refers clients to other staff members; acts as a lead worker to a small group of social service workers or service employees
• Makes home visits as part of casework assignments; develops and prepares court reports, case plans, case narratives, and safety plans in automated systems
• Enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems; maintains case records
• Participates in in-service training and staff development; receives casework consultation from professionally trained staff
• Works with community organizations and makes referrals to outside resources; provides self-help information and education; assists clients and caregivers to develop caregiving and independent living skills
• Obtains and evaluates police, medical, and psychological reports; maintains client confidentiality in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics
• Performs related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Pattern 1: One (1) year of full-time experience performing journey level social work case management in the Social Worker II classification in an Interagency Merit System (IMS) county.

OR Two (2) years of full-time social work case management experience in a public or private agency; thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units from an accredited college or university, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and a half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science.

OR Pattern 3: Bachelor’s degree and successful completion of twenty-four (24) semester or thirty-six (36) quarter units of a master’s degree program in Social Work, or a Counseling program emphasizing Marriage, Family and Child Counseling or Therapy, Gerontology, or Clinical Psychology; twelve (12) months of social work case management experience.

Qualifying experience details: Qualifying social work case management includes direct case work management such as assessment, evaluation, investigations of abuse/neglect, court reports, long-term caseload management, home visits, collaboration with other agencies, development and modification of case plans, and authority to influence services. Examples of acceptable courses include anthropology, criminal justice, education, ethnic studies, psychology, public health, sociology, and related fields.

Additional Information

• A valid driver’s license may be required at the time of appointment; may require driving own vehicle with proof of insurance and DMV clearance. Disability accommodations reviewed case-by-case.
• Position may require pre-employment drug testing, physical and fingerprinting for a background investigation.
• Background investigation requirements relate to access to federal tax information, including fingerprinting and verification processes. Local reinvestigation may be required every 10 years for employees with access to FTI.

Veterans Preference If you would like to request Veteran’s preference points as part of the application, attach a copy of your DD-214 form to your application.

Examination Information

Training & Experience Examination Weighted 100%. Responses will be rated against predetermined criteria. A minimum of 70% is required to be placed on the eligible list. The list remains active for 12 months unless changed.

Special Testing Arrangements Available for disability, military, or religious accommodations. Contact CalHR for details.

Application Documents Attach transcripts if using education to meet qualifications. Foreign transcripts require evaluation. Redact birthdates and SSNs.

General Information MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan as needed. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee placement on the eligible list. A background check may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity The Merit System Services program is committed to equal opportunity for all applicants regardless of age, race, color, disability, gender, religion, national origin, or other protected statuses.

About Monterey County Monterey County encompasses diverse communities and landscapes. For more information about benefits or salaries, please visit the respective county HR website.