Social Worker III-Children's Services-Placement- Foster Care

Hiring Range: $59,774.00 Responsibilities and Duties

Work in this class involves providing intensive social work services in serious and complicated cases which require the flexible use of a wide range of social work skills and intervention techniques. Services are provided in a variety of settings including local human services agencies; providing in‑depth assessment of family dynamics and needs, assessment, intervention and treatment of patients and or families with acute to severe medical and/or emotional disorders and mental illnesses;

serving as expert witness at court hearings; or advanced social work intervention. Working with Law Enforcement, Medical personnel, the school system, Court system. Work includes working with the entire family system, identifying strengths and needs and working together to help children achieve permanency.

Employees supervise and train lower level social workers, students, and interns. Employees report to clinic managers, program directors, or unit supervisors.

Employees provide social work services in the areas child protective services, custody and adoption, and foster care work which involve the assessment of individual and family dynamics and needs, serving as expert witness at court hearings, crisis intervention, and counseling. Work involves explaining diagnosis and treatment alternatives to patients and families, counseling and participating in education endeavors for physicians, psychologists, nurses, other health disciplines, students and social work interns, and participating in research activities.

Employees use considerable judgment in conducting individual assessments, selecting and providing treatment techniques or dealing with psychosocial aspects or researching catastrophic or terminal diseases. Employees provide in‑depth assessment of family dynamics, determine the extent of neglect or abuse, and provide counseling for clients with complex needs. Employees usually refer the most severe cases, such as severe phobias or unusual violence patterns to a higher level social worker or therapist.

Employees educate and consult with other staff and community professionals for information purposes and joint case planning. Some didactic consultation may also be involved.

Work requires a thorough understanding of social work assessment techniques and treatment approaches primarily of a crisis, supportive, and behavioral nature. Considerable knowledge of legal and administrative aspects of programs. Employees may require knowledge of medical diagnoses, treatment alternatives, disease pathophysiology, biopsychosocial, adaptive, and coping responses to illnesses.

Includes state and federal laws and regulations, JCAHO standards, professional ethics, theories of standard methods and procedures, and quality assurance standards. Employees may participate in development of new theories or adaptation of techniques in the field of social work.

Work involves comprehensive children services that are jointly planned with other members of a multi‑disciplinary team or protective services committee and supervisors. Assessment and intervention are performed with considerable independence. Medication issues are referred to physicians and legal precedents are utilized in some settings.

Work is reviewed by unit supervisor, program manager, or higher level clinician, usually on a general basis except for review of sensitive legal, abuse, or commitment situations.

Directly affects clients, their families, foster homes, adoptive parents, adult care facilities and community agencies, depending on case load.

Assessments, service/treatment decisions affect the safety and wellbeing of clients in neglect or abuse situations, affects adjustments in adoptive and foster care placements and in long‑term placements; or the adaptive coping response to illness and surgery.

I. Assessment/Evaluation – 30%:
Assessment of the family’s service needs and evaluation of the appropriate services to be provided is…