Social Worker III

Position Information

Social Worker III – an advanced journey level in the Social Worker series. Incumbents carry a difficult caseload and provide comprehensive casework services and specialized treatment plans. They may act as a lead worker to lower‑classification staff and are expected to work independently under general direction from a Social Worker Supervisor or higher‑level manager.

• Carries a caseload of more difficult types of social services cases requiring a high degree of technical competence, such as situations where environmental forces affect family life.
• Receives and responds to reports of suspected abuse; obtains information from reporters; personally investigates and assesses situations to protect vulnerable adults and children and recommends alternate placement; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may be required to work on‑call; may testify in court.
• Performs case studies, evaluates individual and family case information to assess the safety of children and adults; determines appropriate types and methods of treatment.
• Develops and carries out social treatment plans for an assigned caseload; ensures all services are delivered in a respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate manner.
• Counsels or provides guidance and support to individuals and/or families with more complex or specialized needs including Adult Protective Services, crisis intervention, special medical or legal needs, and other social services.
• Refers clients to other staff members.
• Makes a diagnosis of client problems and follows through with the social treatment plans with a high degree of independence.
• Interprets policies, rules, and regulations to client, applicants, and others.
• May act as a lead worker to a small group of social service workers or service employees.
• Assists applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources for individual needs.
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
• Develops and prepares court report, case plans, case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems.
• Enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems.
• Prepares and maintains case documentation.
• Participates in in‑service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work processes and achieve technical competence.
• Receives casework consultation from professionally trained staff members.
• Works with community organizations and makes referrals to outside resources.
• Provides self‑help information, education, and services; works with clients and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
• Obtains and evaluates police, medical, and psychological reports.
• Maintains client confidentiality; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

• Principles and practices of organization, workload management and time management.
• Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, and English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
• Socio‑economic conditions and trends.
• Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
• Current issues in the field of social welfare.
• Principles of analysis and problem‑solving methodology.
• Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level.
• General principles of public assistance policies and programs.
• Principles and techniques of interviewing and recording of social casework.
• Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
• Community organization and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
• Current problems and methodology in the field of public social services.
• Medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease, drug dependency, the medically fragile child, Alzheimer’s, and the terminally ill.
• Strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as…