Nash County
Social Worker III - Adult Services/Guardianship
Nash County, Nashville, North Carolina, United States, 27856
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
This social worker position is assigned to the Adult Service Unit, which is part of the Service Division of a local department of social services which provides crisis assistance and on-going supportive services to eligible individuals and their families.
Primary Purpose The social worker in this position has the responsibility of assisting aged, disabled, and other adults experiencing medical, social, and community problems to identify their problems. The worker strives to enhance the client’s problem‑solving and coping capacities with the purpose of providing services to enable the individual to live independently in his or her community.
Work Schedule The normal work hours are from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. The worker may have to work overtime on some occasions for which he/she will receive compensatory time.
Change in Responsibilities or Organizational Relationship This position now has the added responsibility to investigate Adult Protective Service reports, assess competency of adults and make recommendations regarding the need for a guardian.
Protective Services for Adults is a multi‑factored service based on an awareness of the vulnerability of some adults to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Abuse means willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish or unreasonable confinement, or the willful deprivation by a caretaker of services which are necessary to maintain mental and physical health. Neglect refers to a disabled adult who is either living alone or not able to provide for himself or herself the services which are necessary to maintain mental or physical health or is not receiving services from his caretaker. Exploitation means the illegal or improper use of a disabled adult or his resources for another’s profit or advantage. The protective service component consists of provisions in the state law for intervention in crisis situations in which adults are reported to be in need of protection. It is the role of the social worker to ensure that the agency’s actions are consistent with statutory and state requirements. Adults who are in need of this protection are persons 18 years of age or older with disabilities or handicaps such as age, physical, mental or socioeconomic, which have incapacitated them to such a degree that they are unable to take care of themselves and who have no one able or willing to assist them with the care of their needs.
Guardianship involves the provision of services to individuals who are alleged to be incompetent and their families. It includes legal proceedings in which an adult is declared incompetent by the court and another party is given the responsibility for duties relative to the adult’s personal affairs and/or property. The nature and scope of a guardian’s responsibility are determined by the court, based on applicable provisions of the law and the circumstances of the individual case. Guardianship ends with the death of the incompetent adult or with a judicial restoration of the adult’s competency.
The legal determination that an adult is incompetent means that the adult is considered incapable of making important decisions concerning his/her personal welfare and/or financial resources. The authority in this position is given to a guardian to make decisions such as where the adult will live, including the geographical area and type of living arrangement; how the adult’s income will be spent; and whether the adult will have recommended medical treatment or surgery. To the extent that the guardian is given authority over these and other areas of the adult’s life, the adult no longer has the right to make decisions in those areas. Because of the effect of declaring an adult legally incompetent and giving his/her authority to make decisions to guardian, guardianship should be considered only when other less drastic methods of assisting adults are not sufficient.
Responsibilities and Duties Denotes essential function. This worker will have the case management responsibility to provide supportive services to individuals and families residing in the county. The social worker receives case assignments through intake as assigned by supervisor and from applications taken in the field, or as referrals from current service recipients. Clients served by this worker represent a cross‑section of the adult population from age 18 until death and come from varied socio‑economic backgrounds. Common characteristics include inability to maintain an independent lifestyle due to physical health problems, limited economic resources, and an immediate change in household composition or breakdown of the family’s support system. The social worker networks services to assist the client in maintaining or improving quality of life and continuing an independent lifestyle.
30%
Assessment and Reassessment
(To include APS responsibilities) – The Adult Service Social Worker makes the initial interview, assists the client in identifying problems, and uses extensive interviewing skills to enable the client to verbalize feelings. A thorough assessment is completed evaluating social, environmental, mental, emotional, physical health, ADL, IADL, and economic status. Services include At‑Risk Case Management, In‑Home Aid, Special Assistance In‑Home services, Individual and Family Adjustment, Health Support, Housing and Home Improvement, Representative Payee, and medical transportation programs. Ongoing assessment monitors needs and adjusts services as needed. The worker must remain aware of neglect, abuse, and exploitation definitions to make referrals to protective services when necessary.
10%
Adult Protective Services Screening
– Works as a backup to the APS Worker, screening referrals and gathering information to assess need, competence, and protection requirements. Makes recommendations for guardianship and testifies in court if required.
5%
Consultation
– Provides client‑related counsel to family, informal support systems, and other professionals, advocating for the client, promoting service plan goals, and addressing client needs.
3%
Community Liaison
– Acts as liaison to agencies and community programs such as Medicaid, Food & Nutrition, Crisis Programs, churches, medical providers, civic organizations, mental health, law enforcement, public housing, and other resources to help clients remain independent.
5%
Administrative Duties
– Maintains statistical reports, documentation, record‑keeping, supervises reporting, and attends training sessions.
2%
Teaching and Training
– May present educational sessions on supportive services offered by the agency.
Other Position Characteristics Accuracy Required in Worker
– Accuracy must prevail due to determining and documenting clients’ eligibility for required service programs. The worker must be accurate when managing client finances as a representative payee and must accurately assess APS and guardianship issues.
Consequences of Error
– Incorrect eligibility determination can deny needed services or provide services to non‑eligible clients, potentially resulting in state sanctions and monetary penalties. Errors in APS or guardianship can cause irreparable harm.
Instruction Provided to Employee
– Instructions are delivered in written and oral form. Bi‑monthly meetings and scheduled conferences provide policy and procedure updates. The worker attends workshops and training on policies, procedures, and social work trends.
Guides, Regulations, Policies, and References Used by Employee
Volume V, VI, VII – Family and Children’s Service Manual
Service Information System Manual
Division of Aging Policy Manual
A Model for Excellence in Adult Services
A Guide to Record Keeping for Adult Services Social Worker
Medicaid Manual for Transportation
North Carolina Personnel Regulations
Agency Personnel Handbook
Instruction from Director, Assistant Director, Program Administrator, and Regional Consultant
Medicaid At‑Risk Manual
Supervision Received by Employee The employee receives supervision through scheduled conferences, meetings, informal interaction, reports, and annual performance appraisals. Quality is reviewed through random case reviews, assessments, and reassessments by supervisor, and by State DSS and Medicaid consultants.
Variety and Purpose of Personal Contacts The employee contacts unit, staff, and other agency personnel. Majority of work is field. Contacts occur with clients in private homes and in the office. The worker also contacts local and out‑of‑county health care providers, mental health professionals, crisis organizations, churches, civic organizations, state office personnel, division of aging personnel, regional council of governments staff, law enforcement, doctors, nurses, hospital social workers, environmental health personnel, and the general public. These contacts support assessment, service planning, and committee participation.
Physical Effort Physical effort requires stamina. The worker may assist clients with mobility and may need to move within the agency, climb stairs, and use office equipment such as copier, calculator, computer, and automobile.
Work Environment and Conditions Field work and private office. The worker may encounter hostile clients and occasional exposure to infectious diseases such as scabies, head lice, influenza, AIDS, TB, and others.
Machines, Tools, Instruments, Equipment, and Materials Used Employee uses copier, calculator, computer, automobile, telephone, cell phone, manuals, camera, and paper shredder to perform duties.
Visual Attention, Mental Concentration, and Manipulative Skills Close visual attention, intense mental concentration, and physical dexterity are required for client trust, problem solving, goal planning, and interpreting policy and mandates.
Safety for Others See section “Work Environment and Conditions” for safety concerns.
Dynamics of Work Programs are periodically affected by changes in methodology, guidelines, legislation, laws, and shifting program emphasis. The worker receives guidance as these changes occur.
The worker should have considerable knowledge of basic social work techniques and practices, government and private organizations and resources in the community, human behavior, socio‑economic problems, client advocacy, laws and regulations, developmental stages, and coping strategies.
Ability to recognize and cope with hostility, anger, loss, and pain among dysfunctional individuals and families. Ability to establish effective relationships with supervisor, administrative staff, clients and their families, community resources, civic, medical, religious organizations, and state consultants.
The worker must possess a valid NC driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
BSW or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Service Field or Gerontology preferred.
Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master’s degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree in human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience.
Additional Training/Experience: None
Equivalent Training and Experience: None
License or Certificate Required by Statute of Regulation: None
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Primary Purpose The social worker in this position has the responsibility of assisting aged, disabled, and other adults experiencing medical, social, and community problems to identify their problems. The worker strives to enhance the client’s problem‑solving and coping capacities with the purpose of providing services to enable the individual to live independently in his or her community.
Work Schedule The normal work hours are from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm. The worker may have to work overtime on some occasions for which he/she will receive compensatory time.
Change in Responsibilities or Organizational Relationship This position now has the added responsibility to investigate Adult Protective Service reports, assess competency of adults and make recommendations regarding the need for a guardian.
Protective Services for Adults is a multi‑factored service based on an awareness of the vulnerability of some adults to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Abuse means willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish or unreasonable confinement, or the willful deprivation by a caretaker of services which are necessary to maintain mental and physical health. Neglect refers to a disabled adult who is either living alone or not able to provide for himself or herself the services which are necessary to maintain mental or physical health or is not receiving services from his caretaker. Exploitation means the illegal or improper use of a disabled adult or his resources for another’s profit or advantage. The protective service component consists of provisions in the state law for intervention in crisis situations in which adults are reported to be in need of protection. It is the role of the social worker to ensure that the agency’s actions are consistent with statutory and state requirements. Adults who are in need of this protection are persons 18 years of age or older with disabilities or handicaps such as age, physical, mental or socioeconomic, which have incapacitated them to such a degree that they are unable to take care of themselves and who have no one able or willing to assist them with the care of their needs.
Guardianship involves the provision of services to individuals who are alleged to be incompetent and their families. It includes legal proceedings in which an adult is declared incompetent by the court and another party is given the responsibility for duties relative to the adult’s personal affairs and/or property. The nature and scope of a guardian’s responsibility are determined by the court, based on applicable provisions of the law and the circumstances of the individual case. Guardianship ends with the death of the incompetent adult or with a judicial restoration of the adult’s competency.
The legal determination that an adult is incompetent means that the adult is considered incapable of making important decisions concerning his/her personal welfare and/or financial resources. The authority in this position is given to a guardian to make decisions such as where the adult will live, including the geographical area and type of living arrangement; how the adult’s income will be spent; and whether the adult will have recommended medical treatment or surgery. To the extent that the guardian is given authority over these and other areas of the adult’s life, the adult no longer has the right to make decisions in those areas. Because of the effect of declaring an adult legally incompetent and giving his/her authority to make decisions to guardian, guardianship should be considered only when other less drastic methods of assisting adults are not sufficient.
Responsibilities and Duties Denotes essential function. This worker will have the case management responsibility to provide supportive services to individuals and families residing in the county. The social worker receives case assignments through intake as assigned by supervisor and from applications taken in the field, or as referrals from current service recipients. Clients served by this worker represent a cross‑section of the adult population from age 18 until death and come from varied socio‑economic backgrounds. Common characteristics include inability to maintain an independent lifestyle due to physical health problems, limited economic resources, and an immediate change in household composition or breakdown of the family’s support system. The social worker networks services to assist the client in maintaining or improving quality of life and continuing an independent lifestyle.
30%
Assessment and Reassessment
(To include APS responsibilities) – The Adult Service Social Worker makes the initial interview, assists the client in identifying problems, and uses extensive interviewing skills to enable the client to verbalize feelings. A thorough assessment is completed evaluating social, environmental, mental, emotional, physical health, ADL, IADL, and economic status. Services include At‑Risk Case Management, In‑Home Aid, Special Assistance In‑Home services, Individual and Family Adjustment, Health Support, Housing and Home Improvement, Representative Payee, and medical transportation programs. Ongoing assessment monitors needs and adjusts services as needed. The worker must remain aware of neglect, abuse, and exploitation definitions to make referrals to protective services when necessary.
10%
Adult Protective Services Screening
– Works as a backup to the APS Worker, screening referrals and gathering information to assess need, competence, and protection requirements. Makes recommendations for guardianship and testifies in court if required.
5%
Consultation
– Provides client‑related counsel to family, informal support systems, and other professionals, advocating for the client, promoting service plan goals, and addressing client needs.
3%
Community Liaison
– Acts as liaison to agencies and community programs such as Medicaid, Food & Nutrition, Crisis Programs, churches, medical providers, civic organizations, mental health, law enforcement, public housing, and other resources to help clients remain independent.
5%
Administrative Duties
– Maintains statistical reports, documentation, record‑keeping, supervises reporting, and attends training sessions.
2%
Teaching and Training
– May present educational sessions on supportive services offered by the agency.
Other Position Characteristics Accuracy Required in Worker
– Accuracy must prevail due to determining and documenting clients’ eligibility for required service programs. The worker must be accurate when managing client finances as a representative payee and must accurately assess APS and guardianship issues.
Consequences of Error
– Incorrect eligibility determination can deny needed services or provide services to non‑eligible clients, potentially resulting in state sanctions and monetary penalties. Errors in APS or guardianship can cause irreparable harm.
Instruction Provided to Employee
– Instructions are delivered in written and oral form. Bi‑monthly meetings and scheduled conferences provide policy and procedure updates. The worker attends workshops and training on policies, procedures, and social work trends.
Guides, Regulations, Policies, and References Used by Employee
Volume V, VI, VII – Family and Children’s Service Manual
Service Information System Manual
Division of Aging Policy Manual
A Model for Excellence in Adult Services
A Guide to Record Keeping for Adult Services Social Worker
Medicaid Manual for Transportation
North Carolina Personnel Regulations
Agency Personnel Handbook
Instruction from Director, Assistant Director, Program Administrator, and Regional Consultant
Medicaid At‑Risk Manual
Supervision Received by Employee The employee receives supervision through scheduled conferences, meetings, informal interaction, reports, and annual performance appraisals. Quality is reviewed through random case reviews, assessments, and reassessments by supervisor, and by State DSS and Medicaid consultants.
Variety and Purpose of Personal Contacts The employee contacts unit, staff, and other agency personnel. Majority of work is field. Contacts occur with clients in private homes and in the office. The worker also contacts local and out‑of‑county health care providers, mental health professionals, crisis organizations, churches, civic organizations, state office personnel, division of aging personnel, regional council of governments staff, law enforcement, doctors, nurses, hospital social workers, environmental health personnel, and the general public. These contacts support assessment, service planning, and committee participation.
Physical Effort Physical effort requires stamina. The worker may assist clients with mobility and may need to move within the agency, climb stairs, and use office equipment such as copier, calculator, computer, and automobile.
Work Environment and Conditions Field work and private office. The worker may encounter hostile clients and occasional exposure to infectious diseases such as scabies, head lice, influenza, AIDS, TB, and others.
Machines, Tools, Instruments, Equipment, and Materials Used Employee uses copier, calculator, computer, automobile, telephone, cell phone, manuals, camera, and paper shredder to perform duties.
Visual Attention, Mental Concentration, and Manipulative Skills Close visual attention, intense mental concentration, and physical dexterity are required for client trust, problem solving, goal planning, and interpreting policy and mandates.
Safety for Others See section “Work Environment and Conditions” for safety concerns.
Dynamics of Work Programs are periodically affected by changes in methodology, guidelines, legislation, laws, and shifting program emphasis. The worker receives guidance as these changes occur.
The worker should have considerable knowledge of basic social work techniques and practices, government and private organizations and resources in the community, human behavior, socio‑economic problems, client advocacy, laws and regulations, developmental stages, and coping strategies.
Ability to recognize and cope with hostility, anger, loss, and pain among dysfunctional individuals and families. Ability to establish effective relationships with supervisor, administrative staff, clients and their families, community resources, civic, medical, religious organizations, and state consultants.
The worker must possess a valid NC driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
BSW or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Service Field or Gerontology preferred.
Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master’s degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree in human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience.
Additional Training/Experience: None
Equivalent Training and Experience: None
License or Certificate Required by Statute of Regulation: None
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