Social Worker Advanced - Family and Children's Services

Social Worker Advanced – Family and Children’s Services (FCS)

Hourly salary range: $36.62 to $44.51

Location:

Ukiah and Willits, Mendocino County, California

Under direction, the Social Worker Advanced – Family and Children’s Services (FCS) provides advanced social work including investigations, assessments, and case management of the most complex child welfare cases. Incumbents provide specialized services to children, youth, families, and caregivers in situations involving abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment, and severe family dysfunction.

• Receives reports of child abuse; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; conducts forensic interviews with children, collaborates with an investigative team, or reports information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court and provide support for witnesses and victims who must testify in court.
• Must participate in on‑call and call‑back responding to after‑hours emergencies, high‑risk crises, and immediate safety threats to support critical program operations.
• Performs advanced safety and risk assessments, determines child removal or protective custody needs, prepares protective custody warrant applications, and recommends emergency placements or intensive in‑home interventions.
• Manages a complex caseload involving high‑risk families, severe developmental or mental health needs, co‑occurring disorders, multi‑case family structures, or court mandates.
• Communicates policies, rules, and regulations of the program to clients and others within the scope of responsibility.
• Coordinates, arranges, and transports clients for the purpose of visitation or mandatory services as needed.
• Develops comprehensive treatment, case, and safety plans involving multiple service providers, specialty mental health services, and intensive family interventions.
• Provides services and refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling.
• Initiates, facilitates, and participates in child and family team meetings as a member of a multi‑disciplinary team and administers validated measurement instruments and assessments to assist with making decisions about the risk and safety of children, safety plans, and placements, acting as a subject‑matter resource to junior staff and staff members without professional training.
• Analyzes, interprets, develops appropriate responses, and explains rules, regulations, laws, policies, and procedures to clients; communicates decisions, recommendations, timelines, safety plans, and case plans to clients, families, and service providers in person, in writing, and over the telephone.
• Ensures all services are delivered within the guidelines of the department in a respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate manner; follows policies and procedures for specific unique populations; may perform case reviews and present content analysis findings with resulting recommendations to agency staff.
• Maintains detailed documentation and timely electronic records; assists with peer review of activities.
• Supports the relationship between the County of Mendocino and the constituent population by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with clients, visitors, and other employees.
• Supports, understands, and follows the Tribal Consultation policy, ICWA rules, regulations and best practices, and supports the relationship between the Department of Social Services and the Tribes.
• Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
• Advocates on client’s behalf for appropriate services. Assists clients to utilize available resources, including assisting in completing paperwork and accompanying clients to appointments.
• Provides self‑help information, education, and services; works with clients and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
• Assesses and evaluates home and family situations to determine if crisis intervention or a safety plan is…