Social Services Specialist IV

Job Posting Title

Social Services Specialist IV Agency 650 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Supervisory Organization Claremore Veterans Home

Positions in this family are assigned responsibility for providing social services to children and adults in communities, facilities, institutions or hospitals.

• Manages a caseload and provides services for individuals and their families.
• Evaluates the needs of individuals and families; assists the family as a unit to function more adequately; counsels clients and arranges for needed treatment or services.
• Participates on a psychiatric team to gather social data, counsels individuals under the direction of a psychiatrist, psychologist or other social services specialist.
• Assesses the needs of individuals and determines eligibility for specific programs; interviews clients, both in an office setting and on home visits, completes necessary case documents and compiles data to determine eligibility.
• Develops and plans casework services and treatment for individuals with specialized problems in development, retardation, maladjustment or dependency.
• Develops and implements specialized treatment programs within the community; utilizes community resources; initiates projects with foster or adoptive parents.
• Investigates selected food stamp cases, conducts interviews and obtains information to determine food stamp violations or food stamp fraud.
• Participates in staff conferences and interdisciplinary team meetings for the purpose of determining overall treatment.
• Performs other related duties as assigned consistent with the responsibilities of the position and agency operations.

This is the leadership level where employees provide direct supervision to lower level staff. Responsibilities may also include planning, organizing and directing a social work department or an entire social work program in a state facility or serving as a clinical supervisor in a mental health facility. Employees assigned to this level will supervise a staff of professional and paraprofessional social service specialists who provide a wide variety of case work and social services to clients and patients, as well as provide consultation and assistance to persons in other professional fields.

Knowledge of social work principles and practices; of casework principles and methods; of current social and economic problems; of the principles of family economics and budgeting; of human relations; of community, state and national health and welfare resources; of psychological terminology; of the principles of interviewing; of social assistance requirements; of therapeutic treatment; of psychiatric and medical terminology; of social welfare legislation as it pertains to the state administration of public welfare;

and of supervisory principles and practices. Ability to deal effectively and courteously with people; to exercise good judgment in evaluating situations; to present ideas and facts effectively and accurately; to consult with staff and agencies; to effectively treat social and emotional problems; to plan and organize a program; and to plan and direct the work of a professional staff.

Requirements include a master’s degree and two additional years of qualifying experience plus one additional year of qualifying experience or social service administration experience; or a bachelor’s degree and three years of experience in professional social work plus one additional year of qualifying experience or social service administration experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Candidates must possess sufficient proficiency in the English language to perform the essential functions of the position.

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position. Some agencies may have determined positions in this job family to be safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. § 427.8.

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.