Government Jobs is hiring: Social Worker IV-C in Ukiah

Social Worker IV

Current vacancies:

Ukiah - Family & Children's Services in Child Welfare Services Continuing and Emergency Response/Family Maintenance units

Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements:

• Social Worker Assistants, Social Workers and Social Worker Supervisors whose regular full-time assignment is Family and Children's Services in the Social Services Department shall receive a ten percent (10%) premium.
• Employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium.

Under general direction the Social Worker IV carries a complex caseload of the most complex cases determining the services required by County applicants or clients for social services; performs difficult studies and develops comprehensive client service plans.

Earn your AA, BSW, or MSW with Title IV-E fundingMCDSS employees may qualify for educational assistance. Learn more here.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications:

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Conducts interviews with clients, family members, and others in their home/field, in the office, or via telephone to assess the basic social, physical and mental needs of clients and obtain health information in order to identify and provide social services.
• Carries a caseload of more difficult types of social services cases requiring a high degree of technical competence.
• Receives reports of suspected abuse/neglect; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations and recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement.
• Maintains confidential information and client confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
• Develops and carries out culturally sensitive service plans for an assigned caseload in conformance with agency, state and federal requirements.
• Assess and evaluate client problems and determine service plans with a high degree of independence.
• Refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary.
• Advocates on clients' behalf for appropriate services.
• Interprets policies, rules and regulations of the agency to clients, applicants and others in the scope of responsibility.
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
• Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations, and service plans to clients, families and service providers.
• Develops and prepares court reports, service plans, case narratives and safety plans in computer systems.
• Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the case plan goals.
• Participates in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of social work practices and achieve technical proficiency.
• Develops, coordinates, and may facilitate a team of professionals and natural supports working with clients to achieve client goals.
• Provides community outreach for various agency programs.
• Counsels or provides guidance and support to individuals and/or families with more complex or specialized needs including protective services, crisis intervention, special medical or legal needs, and other social services.
• Provides self-help information, education, and services; works with client and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
• Obtains and evaluates law enforcement, medical, and psychological reports.
• Enters and retrieves data and narratives from computer systems.
• May counsel client/family regarding marital, family inter-relationship, abuse/neglect and life skill issues.
• May be assigned to specialized functions within the agency.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Education and Experience:

Social Worker IVs shall be appointed to this range upon meeting the criteria for SW IV-B; AND upon possession of a valid associate registration number issued by the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW), or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). Social Workers in this range must obtain an appropriate license to practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in the State of California within six (6) years following registration as an associate.

Licenses and Certifications:

Valid Driver's License

Valid associate registration number as stated above.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of organization, workload management and time management.
• Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
• Local socio-economic conditions and trends.
• Principles of individual and group behavior.
• Current issues in the field of social welfare.
• Public welfare programs on the federal, state, and local level.
• General principles of public assistance policies and programs.
• Principles and techniques of interviewing and recording social casework.
• Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
• Community organizations and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
• Medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease, drug dependency, the medically fragile child, Alzheimer's, and the terminally ill.
• Strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide.
• Psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients.
• Signs, stages and dynamics of abuse/neglect, and the effects of abuse/neglect on child/adult development and behavior.
• Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use abuse/neglect in adults and children and the effects on families.
• Standards for maintaining clients safely in home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations.

Skill to:

• Evaluate psychological factors in the child and/or family's situation.
• Recognize signs of abuse/neglect of children, the elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
• Organize and maintain work detail.
• Apply existing laws, rules and regulations to welfare department operations.
• Interpret and explain to the applicant, recipient, or others public social services programs, policies, rules and regulations.
• Write clear and concise narrative reports, correspondence and other materials.
• Interviewing, case recording, and interpretation.
• Work constructively within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients.
• Respect cultural differences.
• Analyze data from multiple sources, interpret and apply complex directions, rules, policies, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.

Mental and Physical Abilities:

• Analyze and problem solve.
• Establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with agency staff, clients and others.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines and follow up on assignments with a minimal direction.
• Recognize the relevance and significance of obtained facts.
• Work with difficult or complex cases/clients including clients with dual diagnosis, potentially dangerous clients or legally complex cases.
• Work effectively in emotionally charged or stressful setting/emergencies.
• Accept and use consultative supervision and constructive criticism.
• Learn, understand and apply the agency program, policy and procedures.
• Use a computer to accurately and rapidly enter and retrieve data and information.
• Assess, evaluate and determine situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Effectively speak and make presentations before public groups and respond to questions.
• Effectively handle problems involving several