Social Services Specialist II

Job Announcement

*$2,500 Sign-on Bonus

The salary offer will not exceed the mid-point of the advertised salary range ($91,828.46).

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Positions will be located at one of two locations:
1) the Gerry Hyland Building located at 8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309 or
2) the Pennino Building located at 12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035.

Join our team at the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and help support our mission to partner with communities, families, and individuals to provide opportunities to access a continuum of resources that promote equity and create positive outcomes for people of all ages and abilities. Our vision is to see connected communities where all individuals and families are supported and empowered to thrive.

• Community member Intake & Assessment:
  Receives direct community member calls via an Automated Call Distribution (ACD) system and process referrals from community providers to conduct broad-based assessments of individual and family needs.
• Service Planning:
  Collaborates with community members and professionals to develop service action plans focused on prevention, early intervention, and self-sufficiency.
• Resource Coordination:
  Identifies and leverages family, community, and public sector resources to provide appropriate service linkages and referrals.
• Case Management:
  Provides ongoing service coordination and case management, including referrals to intensive or specialized community-based management services when necessary.
• Advocacy:
  Advocates for and assist community members in navigating systems to obtain necessary services.
• Collaboration:
  
  Attends multi-disciplinary meetings with other human service professionals to coordinate wrap-around services and integrated case planning.
• Systems Management:
  Utilizes advanced telephone technology and automated systems for case documentation, referrals, and coordination.
• Program Improvement:
  Identifies gaps in available services and provide recommendations for systemic changes.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;

Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, health, emotional and economic needs;

With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;

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);

Works with the community to identify families, children and individuals needing social services and coordinates these services using a wrap-around approach;

Provides family counseling and conducts mediation services to families in conflict;

Performs emergency removal of children from their homes when required, places children in foster homes and residential programs, and coordinates services for them as needed;

Investigates 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;

Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose well-being are seriously and imminently threatened, to include Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services after-hours;

Represents the agency in court proceedings and prepares testimony and testifies in Juvenile, Circuit, Criminal, Civil and Federal Courts;

Interviews and counsels natural parents, adoptive parents, foster parents and children to be placed in foster homes or residential facilities and those involved in adoption placement;

Evaluates child's readiness for placement and recommends placement ensuring compliance with legal provisions;

Conducts and documents interstate and intrastate family home studies to evaluate and make recommendations on the family's ability to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children;

Evaluates and may assist in training foster and adoptive parents;

Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;

Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;

Collaborates and contributes to child specific teams…