Social Worker - Home and Community Based Services

Social Worker

Houston County is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time Social Worker vacancy in the Public Health & Human Services Department. This position is a part of the Home and Community Based Services team. Primary duties include MNChoices Assessments, managing a disability/waiver client caseload, and related work as required.

Reporting to the Social Services Supervisor or 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.

Social Workers perform much of their work independently. Individual Social Workers are a member of the Adult Services team, the Children's Services team, or the Home and Community Based Services team (HCBS). Strong interpersonal and organizational skills are critical for the effective provision of these critical services. SWs may occasionally be called to work outside of regular office hours. Individual SW duties may be assigned based on County need.

This description provides the general list of responsibilities and is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of this position and classification. It is intended only as an illustration of the various types of work performed. The position description is subject to change as the needs of the employer and requirements of the position change.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or closely related fields from an accredited college/university with a supervised field placement providing case management and/or counseling services to individuals and families
-OR- A bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in any field and one year of experience as a social worker in a public or private social services agency
-AND
- Minnesota DHS Agency Social Worker Merit qualified. Preferred criteria/experience:
Current MN Social Work License. Essential knowledge, skills and abilities include knowledge of contemporary principles and practices of social work case management, ability to manage time productively and to prioritize caseloads, familiarity with Person Centered practice and ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their relatives, and the public, strong understanding of family systems and dynamics and the social-economic factors, which promote stable family life and understanding of the elements, which affect family security, knowledge of relevant federal and State regulations pertaining to assigned area of social service practice, working knowledge of legal processes, e.g. Rule 20 proceedings, discharge planning, and processes related to working with incarcerated clients and clients on probation, knowledge of County agency operations, policies and procedures, solid working knowledge of relevant MDHS and County software programs, knowledge of community/regional resources and their respective functions, ability to work constructively within the agency and the community to effectively utilize appropriate resources and services, knowledge and understanding of individual and group behavior, ability to work constructively in the development and coordination of community resources in discharge planning and to meet special needs, demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in communications with the County Attorney's Office, the courts, as well as with individuals from various backgrounds and who may be highly emotional.

Post-employment:
Comprehensive knowledge of SSIS, strong working knowledge of County and the Public Health & Human Services Department policies.

Persons with Disabilities:
The above is a general listing of job duties. Essential and non-essential functions may vary by individual position. Reasonable accommodations may be available for both essential and non-essential job duties. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act the following represents the Physical/Environmental Demands:
Office Environment, Sitting, Standing, Walking, Hand Dexterity, Typing/Data Entry, Close Vision, Distance Vision, Color Vision, Accommodation, Hearing/Speech, Sedentary, Light, Lifting, carrying or pushing of objects up to twenty-five (25) pounds, Lifting, carrying or pushing of objects up to fifty (50) pounds, Lifting or pushing of objects over fifty (50) pounds, Adverse movements such as overhead, bending, reaching.

Notice: A County employee in this position may encounter non-public data as defined by Minnesota or federal law in the course of their position. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that is necessary to fulfill the defined job duties. While data is being accessed, the employee shall take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data is not accessed by unauthorized…