Social Worker III

Overview

The current vacancies are within Family & Children's Services in Ukiah.

Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements:

• Social Worker Assistants, Social Workers and Social Worker Supervisors whose regular full-time assignment is Family and Children’s Services in the Social Services Department shall receive a ten percent (10%) premium.
• Employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium.

Under general direction the Social Worker III carries a caseload of difficult cases determining the services required by County applicants or clients for social services; performs difficult studies and develops comprehensive client service plans. Typical assignments are within child welfare and adult service programs.

Social Workers in Family & Children’s Services handle everything from emergency response and investigations to writing court reports with recommendations and participating in court hearings. They work independently to support families through assessment, service linkage, ongoing case management, and reunification efforts.

Earn your AA, BSW, or MSW with Title IV-E funding—MCDSS employees may qualify for educational assistance. Learn more here.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct interviews with clients, family members, and others in their home/field, in the office, or via telephone to assess basic social, physical and mental needs and obtain health information to identify and provide social services; perform case studies and evaluate information to assess safety of children and adults; determine appropriate treatment types and methods.
• Cary a caseload of more difficult social services cases requiring a high degree of technical competence.
• Receive reports of suspected abuse/neglect; investigate allegations by interviewing victims and others; assess situations and recommend, implement and monitor alternate placement; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court.
• Maintain confidential information and client confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; perform duties in conformance with NASW Code of Ethics.
• Develop and carry out culturally sensitive service plans for an assigned caseload; assist clients and family members to develop strategies to accomplish service plan goals.
• Assess and evaluate client problems and determine service plans with a high degree of independence.
• Refer clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary.
• Advocate on clients  behalf for appropriate services; assist applicants and clients in utilizing available resources including assisting in completing paperwork and accompanying clients to appointments.
• Interpret agency policies, rules, and regulations to clients, applicants and others within the scope of responsibility.
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
• Prepare and maintain case records and databases; communicate decisions, timelines, recommendations and service plans to clients, families and service providers.
• Develop and prepare court reports, service plans, case narratives and safety plans in computer systems.
• Coordinate and directly monitor family visitations to assess progress toward case plan goals.
• Participate in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of social work practices and achieve technical proficiency.
• Develop, coordinate, and may facilitate a team of professionals and natural supports working with clients to achieve client goals.
• Provide community outreach for various agency programs.
• Counsel or provide guidance and support to individuals and/or families with more complex or specialized needs including protective services, crisis intervention, special medical or legal needs, and other social services.
• Provide self-help information, education, and services; work with clients and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
• Obtain and evaluate law enforcement, medical, and psychological reports.
• Enter and retrieve data and narratives from computer systems.
• May counsel client/family regarding marital, family inter-relationship, abuse/neglect and life skill issues.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:
EITHER

Pattern 1: One (1) year of full-time experience performing journey level social work case management, as defined below, at the level, or the equivalent in education and experience, of the Social Worker II classification in Mendocino County.

Pattern 2: Bachelor s degree from an accredited four year college or university with a major in any field with successful completion of 30 semester units (45 quarter) in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science; AND two (2) years of full-time social work case management experience as a…