Social Worker ; Special Services; Lihue, Kauai

Working as a Social Worker with the Judiciary provides you with opportunities to contribute to public welfare and safety. The Judiciary employs social workers in various programs throughout the courts. Duties are program-specific and can be diverse, as are the clients, creating an opportunity to develop and practice a broad range of skills. Our social work professionals are committed to enhancing the profession by utilizing evidence-based practices informed by current research to promote client behavioral changes and improve outcomes.

The Judiciary may be an excellent choice for those who embrace collaborative casework and seek opportunities to be part of the solution to complex social issues.

This position is assigned to the Special Services Division of the Fifth Circuit and supports programs including Kids First, Guardianship/Conservatorship, Restitution, Community Service Work, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). As an entry-level trainee, the position works under close supervision and guidance, provides support to senior-level Social Workers, and is initially assigned cases requiring a minimal level of services and supervision, with increasingly complex assignments as experience is gained.

Duties include interviewing and monitoring offenders ordered to perform community service or pay restitution, communicating with victims and guardians, conducting field and home visits, preparing correspondence and reports, administering the Kids First program, and assisting with the review of invoices and referrals for contracts and grants.

Graduation from an accredited four (4) year college or university with a bachelor's degree which included a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours in courses such as social work, social welfare, criminal justice, human services, counseling, psychology, sociology, or other related social sciences.

Excess work experience as described under Specialized Experience below, or any other responsible administrative, professional or analytical work experience which provided knowledge and abilities comparable to those acquired in four (4) years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a bachelor’s degree may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge and abilities.

The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and solve complex problems logically and systematically.

Progressively responsible professional social work experience which involved utilizing a variety of social work skills and exercising professional judgement in the process of assisting individuals and their families with identifying their problems, evaluating the situation realistically, and considering resources and alternative courses of action pertinent to their needs and circumstances. The work typically involves conducting assessments; developing and implementing a plan of treatment programs and services;

working cooperatively with other professionals, community agencies or institutions, in an interdisciplinary team; and evaluating the client’s progress and adjusting plans as appropriate.