Family Support Worker Ii; Statewide

Introduction

When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than one million Marylanders each year. DHS provides economic support, preventive services, and cares for children and adults. We aim to meet the needs of the people we serve quickly and foster a culture of bold innovation to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind.

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STATEWIDE

This statewide recruitment establishes a list of eligible candidates to fill current and future vacancies in our Local Departments of Social Services throughout the State. Candidates should indicate the counties in which they are willing to accept employment.

A Family Support Worker II provides in‑home support services that enable individuals to maintain their independence and well‑being, preserve family structure, promote a functional home environment, and teach clients to utilize available community resources. Employees in this classification function as members of treatment or service teams, visiting clients’ homes to identify needs and provide assistance in activities related to daily living, personal care, caregiving, or parenting.

This position does not supervise other positions and may require working nights and/or weekends as necessary.

• Provides in‑home support services that enable individuals to maintain independence and well‑being, preserve family structure, promote a functional home environment, and teach clients to use community resources.
• Visits clients’ homes to identify needs and provide assistance through teaching and demonstrating practical living skills such as meal planning, household maintenance, laundry, shopping, positive parenting, caring for dependents, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationship skills, job readiness, locating and securing housing, and household budgeting.
• Assesses clients’ personal and living conditions in conjunction with the treatment or service plan goals to determine the need for specific behavioral changes.
• Develops positive relationships with clients to gain their acceptance of the In‑Home Care Plan and contributes to the client’s physical and emotional health.
• Encourages clients to participate in and use community resources and services such as child and adult support groups, food pantries, neighborhood service centers, and child or adult day care.
• Observes behavior of children and adults, records pertinent observations, maintains records, and makes recommendations to the services team for possible plan modifications.
• Prepares reports for the health care professional, case manager, or supervisor on the client’s physical condition, social and physical environment, and services provided to assist the in‑home care team in developing, monitoring, and modifying the client’s In‑Home Care Plan.
• Participates in team meetings with the case manager, health care professionals, and other persons responsible for developing or modifying the In‑Home Care Plans for clients.
• Transports and assists clients in obtaining transportation to medical appointments and community centers.
• May present parenting or job readiness subject matter to clients in structured training sessions and conduct in‑home follow‑up.
• May assist clients with personal care such as bathing, shampooing, dressing, feeding, or using a bedpan.
• May provide temporary care of children or adults in the absence of the caregiver.
• May oversee court‑ordered family visits, testify in court, or prepare a client for a court appearance.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Education:
  
  Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Experience:
  
  Two years of experience providing support services to children or adults through teaching and demonstrating practical living skills to promote independent living or preserve family structure.
• Substitutions:
  • Candidates may substitute the above experience or child/adult caregiving experience, on a year‑for‑year basis, for the required education.
  • Candidates may substitute nine credit…