County Agency Social Worker- Houston

Overview

Houston County Public Health & Human Services, Caledonia, MN, is seeking a full-time (40 hours a week)
Social Worker - Home and Community Based Services position. Reporting to the Public Health Supervisor, a Social Worker provides direct client services in areas of social work expertise involving complex social problems and social treatment plans; provides work direction to paraprofessional staff; and performs related work as assigned. As part of the Home and Community Based Services team, this full-time position is primarily responsible for MNChoices assessments and case management duties for disability/waiver clients, including the coordination and referral of services.

SEE EXAMINATION PROCESS SECTION BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON

HOW TO APPLY

(NOTE THAT THERE IS A TWO STEP PROCESS--TWO APPLICATIONS ARE REQUIRED).

• Interviews clients at intake.
• Carries a caseload where a need for continuing social casework predominates.
• Provides counseling to families and individuals.
• Conducts complex case evaluation for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment.
• Prepares intensive long or short-term treatment plans, which require a fund of casework knowledge.
• Identifies client situations, which require intensified service and brings to the attention of supervisor for help or referral.
• Provides adult and child protective services.
• Provides vocation/employment services.
• Provides adult and children's mental health services and services to persons with disabilities.
• Provides or assists in providing services to other cases involving difficult or complex social and financial problems.
• Interprets programs to clients, refers clients to appropriate community services.
• Interprets social and emotional factors to others involved in treatment of clients.
• Prepares social histories with emphasis on psychosocial factors, adoption, or foster home placements.
• Supervises foster home placements.
• Interviews and screens prospective adoptive parents.
• Provides preventive services.
• Interprets policies and regulations to clients.
• Provides casework services for rehabilitation and care of children.
• Prepares and maintains case records which meet federal, state and local guidelines.
• Dictates findings and correspondence.
• Prepares regular and special reports.
• May provide work direction to social work paraprofessionals.
• Participates in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of social work processes and skill in application to individual cases.

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in social work, psychology, sociology or closely related field.
• or
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in any field and one (1) year of experience as a social worker in a public or private social services agency.

You may apply before graduating, but no more than 60 days prior to receiving your Bachelor's Degree.

• Current MN Social Work License

The examination will consist of a rating of training and experience based on the information you provide in your application and your responses to the supplemental questions included in the application process. You must read the questions carefully, answer truthfully, and include any experience claimed in your answers to the supplemental questions in the Work Experience section of your application. Any experience claimed in your answers to the supplemental questions but not included in the Work Experience section of you application will not be credited.

You will be asked to verify your degree with official transcripts upon hire.

Once your application has been submitted changes cannot be made. If you have a change in location availability or your contact information changes please email dhs.merit.system.us with the new information and include your applicant .

In order to be included on the correct eligibility list, you must indicate your willingness to consider a position in the area of child protection when applying.

Please note there are two (2) steps to this application process:

Step 1. Submit an application by applying at this link here:
011-OC (County Agency Social Worker - Bachelor's)

AND

Step 2. In addition, complete a Houston County Application
. Final date to receive applications is 4:30 p.m., Friday, February 20, 2026.

BOTH applications must be completed in order to be considered for this vacancy.

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer