Job Description
Salary : $61,142.00 - $90,550.00 Annually
Location : Mammoth Lakes, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202300127
Department: Health and Human Services
Division: Social Services Division
Opening Date: 12/20/2024
Closing Date: 1/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: MCPE
Description Please visit or click here to apply. POSITION INFORMATION Performs basic social services casework; identifies client needs for more intensive casework services and provides referrals; carries a caseload of moderately difficult cases; manages a caseload of increasingly difficult cases; and performs other related work as assigned.
Social Worker I Working under close supervision, Social Worker I is the entry/trainee class in the professional Social Worker series. Employees in this class are learning casework methods, procedures, policies and carry a limited non-complex social services caseload under close supervision and receive in-service training; are given close and constant supervision while learning social work principles, social service programs, basic case work methods and techniques, and departmental rules, regulations and procedures. Typical assignments are within child welfare and adult services programs; however, at the agency's discretion positions may be assigned to employment services to perform social services case work for employment services clients as required by department needs. As requisite skill and knowledge is developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility is exercised. Unless a position is permanently allocated to the Social Worker I level due to the nature of the work, employees are expected to advance to the Social Worker II after one year of satisfactory performance at the trainee level.
Social Worker II Working under general direction, Social Worker II is the journey level in the Social Worker series. Employees at this level are expected to carry a full caseload of moderately difficult cases requiring greater skill and depth of job knowledge in assessing problem situations and formulating plans for service. Typical assignments are within child welfare and adult services programs. However, at the agency's discretion, Social Worker II may be assigned to employment services to perform social services case work for employment services clients as required by department needs. Employees work with a high degree of independence in administering services and in using agency or community resources. Some positions may determine initial and continuing eligibility for one or more aid programs.
Social Worker II differs from Social Worker III in that the latter is the advanced journey level, assigned the more complex cases, specialized functions and/or leadworker duties.
Social Worker III Under general direction, the Social Worker III carries a difficult caseload involving the determination of need for basic social services functions for applicants or clients; performs social studies and assignments involving individualized treatment and specialized application of casework methods and skills; provides comprehensive casework services of a tangible nature; and performs other related work as assigned.
Social Worker III is the advanced journey level in the Social Worker series. Incumbents are normally assigned a selected caseload of the more difficult cases and when needed are given supervisory consultation in development of treatment plans. They may also be assigned to a specialized function requiring a high degree of perception such as a special problem caseload or they are assigned to a specific geographic or functional area such as Court Investigations, Family Maintenance/Reunification, Emergency Response, Child/Adult Protection, or Foster Care. A Social Worker III may act as a lead worker to other social service workers. Incumbents are expected to work independently.
Social Worker III differs from Social Worker II in that the former receives the more difficult assignments requiring greater skill and depth of job knowledge in assessing problem situations and formulating plans for services. Incumbents normally work with a high degree of independence of action in administering services and in making use of agency or community resources. Social Worker III differs from Social Worker IV-A/B in that the latter is the most experienced worker and requires both advanced education and social work experience.
Social Worker IV Under general direction, the Social Worker IV A/B performs casework of an advanced nature dealing with complex individual and family problems; undertakes intensive treatment plans and counseling requiring professional knowledge and training; performs other related work as assigned.
Social Worker IV A/B requires a Master's degree and social work case management experience in a public or private social services agency. This is the highest non-supervisory level in the series. Incumbents perform casework requiring the application of high level and sophisticated social services expertise and techniques, generally in areas such as adult and child protective services.
The MQ patterns of the SW IV-B mirror the patterns for the SW IV-A. The distinguishing difference is that the SW IV-B requires one additional year of experience from what is required for the SW IV-A.
Social Worker IV differs from the next higher class of Social Worker Supervisor I in that the latter is the first supervisory level. Social Worker IV differs from Social Worker III in that the latter does not require both a Master's degree and qualifying experience.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED Social Worker I/II Incumbents in the Social Worker I/II classification receive direct supervision from a Social Worker Supervisor, or other higher-level supervisor or manager.
Social Worker Iii Incumbents in the Social Worker III classification receive general direction from a Social Worker Supervisor or other higher-level manager or deputy director, and may act as lead worker to lower classification working in the same program area.
Social Worker IV Social Worker IV A/B receives supervision from a Social Worker Supervisor or other higher-level supervisor or manager pursuant to California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Manual of Policy and Procedures (MPP) Division 31 regulations (31.070). A Social Worker IV A/B may provide lead direction to lower level Social Workers or service employees.
Examples of Duties Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Social Worker I & II (Note: For Social Worker I, duties are performed at the entry/trainee level.)
- Conducts interviews with clients, family members, and others in their home, in the office, or via telephone to assess the basic social, physical, and mental needs of clients and obtain health information in order to identify and provide social services
- Performs case studies and evaluates individual and family case information to assess the safety of children and adults; determines appropriate types and methods of treatment
- Assesses reports of suspected abuse; may be required to work on-call; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys
- Develops and carries out culturally sensitive non-complex to moderate treatment plans for an assigned caseload in conformance with agency, state and federal requirements; assists clients and family members to develop strategies to accomplish case plan goals
- Refers clients to other staff members, or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary; advocates on the clients' behalf for most appropriate services including enabling services
- Assists applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources
- Interprets policies, rules, and regulations of the agency to applicants, clients and others within the scope of their responsibility
- Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments
- Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations and case plans to clients, families and service providers
- May testify in court
- May be assigned to specialized functions
- 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
- Provides community outreach for various agency programs
- Maintains client confidentiality; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics
- Performs related duties as assigned
Social Worker II (in addition to the above)- Carrying a caseload that includes cases with issues of moderate difficulty
- Counseling or supporting clients with complex or specialized needs; provides crisis intervention
- Providing self-help information, education, and services; works with client and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills
- Obtaining and evaluating policy, medical, and psychological reports
- May serve as mentor to staff, orients staff, provides training and guidance on cases
Social Worker III - 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 and
- 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
- 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
- May be required to testify in court
- 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
Social Worker IV - Performs case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment.
- Develops intensive long or short-term treatment plans, which require a comprehensive fund of professional knowledge with the aim of improving or restoring individual or family functioning.
- Ensures all services are delivered in a respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate manner and in conformance with agency, state and federal requirements.
- Acts as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training.
- Functions at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization and research.
- May perform the following specific types of counseling: marital, family inter-relationship, protective services for children or adults incapable of self-care.
- Investigates and provides services to children where their physical or emotional welfare is involved such as cases of neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical or mental disabilities, or other health conditions involving a child's personality; unmarried parenthood; conflict in parent-child relationships; lack of proper guardianship of a child; problems in school or community relationships; inadequate child care arrangements by working parents or the absence of one parent from the home and its effects on the stability of the child's home.
- Receives reports of children, dependent adults and elderly abuse; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations to protect vulnerable adults and children and recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement, may remove children from unsafe situations; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may be required to work on-call; may testify in court; supports witnesses and victims who must testify in court.
- Assesses prospective foster and adoptive parents; matches children with adoptive/foster parents, and counsels foster and adoptive families.
- Refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling; advocates on clients behalf for most appropriate services including enabling services.
- Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the case plan goals.
- Interprets and explains rules, regulations and policies to clients and applicants.
- Maintains casework records and handles relevant correspondence.
- Develops and prepares court report, case plans, case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems.
- Operates a personal computer and other office equipment; enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems.
- Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations, and case plans to clients, families, and service providers.
- Communicates effectively with clients and others in writing, in person, and over the telephone.
- Analyzes data, interprets directions, procedures and regulations, and develops appropriate responses.
- Performs job duties under stressful conditions and emergency situations.
- Responds appropriately to situations.
- Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
Typical Qualifications EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS Social Worker I & II (Note: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two levels in the Description section.)
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of organization, workload management and time management
- Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, 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
- Role and responsibilities of social workers
- Principles of interviewing and problem-solving methodology
- Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level
- General principles of public assistance policies and programs
- Developing and preparing court report, case plans, case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems
- Entering and retrieving data and narratives from automated computer systems
- Basic 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 of a social worker
- Community organization and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources
- Basic principles involved in the nature, growth, and development of personality and in-group processes
- The 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
- The strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide
- Basic psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients
Ability to:
- Understand and learn the agency programs, policies, and procedures
- Obtain facts and recognize the relevance and significance
- Organize and maintain work detail
- Establish and maintain effective client rapport and professional working relationships with agency staff, clients, and others
- Communicate effectively, both orally (phone and in person) and in writing
- Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action
- Interpret and explain to the applicant, recipient, or others public social service programs, policies, rules, and regulations
- Develop skill in interviewing case recording and interpretation
- Work within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services
- Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations
- Work effectively in emotionally charged or stressful settings/emergencies
- Operate a personal computer and other office equipment and software
- Analyze data, interpret and apply directions, rules, policies, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses
- Accept and use constructive feedback
- Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients
- Respect cultural differences
- Work with cases varying in difficulty /clients including clients with dual diagnoses, potentially dangerous clients or legally complex cases
- Analyze data from multiple sources, interpret and apply complex directions, rules, policies, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses
Social Worker III Knowledge of:
- 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 voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide
- Psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients
- Signs, stages and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior
- Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families
- Standards for maintaining clients safely in home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations
Ability to:
- Communicate effectively with others in writing, in person and over the telephone
- Analyze data, interpret directions, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses
- Perform job duties under stressful conditions
- Respond appropriately to situations
- Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations
- Understand and apply the agency program, policy and procedures
- Obtain facts and recognize the relevance and significance
- Organize and maintain work detail
- Establish and maintain effective working relationship with agency staff, clients, and outside organizations
- Analyze situation and adopt effective courses of action
- Apply the principles of psychology and family relationships to engage individuals and families in social services
- Recognize signs of abuse for children, elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients
- Apply existing laws, rules, and regulations to welfare department operations
- Interpret and explain to applicants, recipients, or others public social service programs, policies, rules and regulations
- Develop skill in interviewing case, recording, and interpretation
- Work within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services
- Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Operate a personal computer and other office equipment and related software
- Act appropriately in emergency and stressful situations
- Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients
- Respect cultural differences
- Work with difficult or complex cases/clients including clients with dual diagnoses, potentially dangerous clients or legally complex cases
- Analyze data from multiple sources, interpret and apply complex directions, rules, policies, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses
Social Worker I Knowledge of:
Principles and practices of organization, workload management, and time management.
Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
Principles and practices of counseling, bio-psychosocial assessments and therapy
Physical and mental health principles and the impact on the personality.
Local socio-economic conditions, trends, and current problems and methodology in the field of public social services.
Basic principles and techniques of interviewing and recording the social casework.
Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
Community organizations and social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
Basic principles involved in the nature, growth and development of personality, and in-group processes.
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.
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 voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide.
Psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients.
Signs, stages and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families.
Standards for maintaining clients safely in home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations.
Ability to:Apply the principles of child psychology and family relationships.
Evaluate personal psychological factors in the child and/or family's situation.
Recognize signs of abuse for children, the elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients.
Act effectively in stressful situations.
Demonstrate skill in the more difficult casework areas.
Accept and use consultative supervision.
Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
Apply existing laws, rules and regulations to welfare department operations and interpret and explain to the applicant, recipient, or others public social services programs, policies, rules and regulations.
Develop skill in interviewing, case recording and interpretation.
Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients.
Respect cultural differences.
Work constructively within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.
Understand and learn the agency programs, policy and procedures.
Obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts.
Organize and maintain work detail.
Relate and work well with agency staff, clients, and others.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain client rapport on an individual basis.
Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
Use computers and related software.
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with agency staff, clients, and outside organizations.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Social Worker I Pattern 1: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university;
or Pattern 2: Successful completion of thirty (30) college semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units from an accredited college or university, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and a half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science*;
and One (1) year of full-time experience in the Social Service Aide, Eligibility Specialist II, Employment and Training Worker II or comparable classification;
OR Three (3) years of full-time experience providing direct client services to disadvantaged adults or children in a private or public agency.
*Examples of acceptable social or behavioral science courses include: anthropology, criminal justice, education, ethnic studies, history, human development, human services, law, nursing, nutrition, psychology, public health, social welfare, sociology, welfare, women's studies.
Social Worker II Pattern 1: One (1) year of full-time experience performing entry level social work case management in the Social Worker I classification in an Interagency Merit System (IMS) county;
or Pattern 2: One (1) year of full-time social work case management experience**; AND thirty (30) college semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units from an accredited college or university, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and a half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science*;
*Examples of acceptable social or behavioral science courses include: anthropology, criminal justice, education, ethnic studies, history, human development, human services, law, nursing, nutrition, psychology, public health, social welfare, sociology, welfare, women's studies.
**Qualifying social work case management includes direct case work management, such as: assessment, evaluation; conducting investigations of abuse and neglect; preparing court reports; responsibility for a long term caseload, monitoring compliance through home calls and other personal contact; collaboration with other agencies and linking clients to resources and programs; development of a case plan, modification of case plans as needed/required; and authority to impose sanctions or implement actions that impact services.
Social Worker III Pattern 1: One (1) year of full-time experience performing journey level social work case management in the Social Worker II classification in an Interagency Merit System (IMS) county;
OR
Pattern 2: Two (2) years of full-time social work case management experience in a public or private agency; AND Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units from an accredited college or university, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and a half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science;**
OR
Pattern 3: Bachelor's degree and successful completion of twenty-four (24) semester or thirty-six (36) quarter units of a master's degree program in Social Work, or a Counseling program from an accredited college or university, emphasizing Marriage, Family and Child Counseling or Marriage and Family therapy, Gerontology or Clinical Psychology; AND Twelve (12) months of social work case management experience.*
Social Worker IV A Pattern 1: A Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university;
OR
Pattern 2: A Master's de
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