Family Safety Practitioner II

FAMILY SAFETY PRACTITIONER II

Class Code:

Title:

FAMILY SAFETY PRACTITIONER II
Grade: S-24

Definition:
Under general supervision, works independently to fully perform all social work and high-risk case management functions directly related to assessing for the immediate and ongoing protection and wellbeing of vulnerable populations as governed by state and federal policy and/or laws; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the full-performance level of this series. The Family Safety Practitioner II is distinguished from the Family Safety Practitioner III job class in that the Family Safety Practitioner III performs more complex casework functions for higher-risk cases and serves as policy and practice experts, whereas the Family Safety Practitioner II performs the full range of social work and high-risk case management functions.

• Performs individual and family safety and risk assessment and casework duties pursuant to applicable state and federal policies/laws to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people facing vulnerabilities.
• Determines whether people at risk of harm should be separated from their current living situation including emergency separations of children or vulnerable adults from their homes when required.
• Engages county residents in services that are often non-voluntary and/or protective in nature.
• Advocates for and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, financial assistance for basic needs, home based services, training, and medical services) to ameliorate the circumstances that brought them to the attention of the department.
• Provides family, individual, and group counseling and conducts mediation services to families in conflict.
• Investigates and/or evaluates complaints of alleged abuse or neglect, and in consultation with supervisor, makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized.
• Prepares written reports and required documentation supporting decisions related to immediate and ongoing safety needs.
• Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose wellbeing are seriously and imminently threatened.
• Collects, documents, and makes appropriate case decisions related to information from clients, their family members and community support systems.
• Documentation is detailed and becomes part of the case file which is a legal record.
• Participates in the development of court related documents and may testify or attend court to provide support to the clients and/or their caregivers.
• Provides training, outreach and education for allied resources including foster and adoptive parents, volunteers, families, and other county residents regarding supportive services, agency programs, and other specialized topics related to the wellbeing of county residents at risk of harm.
• Works with and monitors individual service providers such as contract service providers and volunteers who work with clients to adhere to or complete safety or service plans.
• Uses case management, documentation management technology, and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts, and summaries of information in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and policies.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of social work and case management.
• Knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues.
• Knowledge or skill with crisis intervention or conflict resolution techniques.
• Knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization.
• Ability to analyze case information to reach sound decisions based on such information.
• Ability to demonstrate advanced critical thinking and judgment by understanding and applying governing policy and statutes alongside best practices and unique case factors.
• Ability to engage with persons effectively and empathically from different cultures who may be experiencing stressful family situations.
• Ability to maintain a high level of sensitivity and confidentiality while performing client related tasks.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to use case management and documentation technology to establish and maintain case records.
• Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.
• Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines.
• Skill in defining and explaining complex rules and guidelines in a variety of settings.
• Skill in writing reports that are behaviorally specific, factually correct, include conclusions and recommended action.
• Ability to engage children, adults, and/or families under safety-sensitive,…