Social Worker IV-A / IV-B

Under general direction may provide direct clinical services and performs casework of an advanced nature dealing with complex individual and family problems; undertakes intensive treatment plans and counseling requiring professional knowledge and training; provides consultations to staff; and to do other related work, as assigned.Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:Performs case studies for the purpose of assessing familial challenges 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 and 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, family services, community organization and research.May perform the following specific types of counseling, 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 and recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement, may remove children from unsafe situations; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court; supports witnesses and victims who must testify in court.Assesses prospective resource families and adoptive parents; matches children with adoptive/resource families, and counsels relatives, resource families 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.Researches and provides services for unmarried parents, conflict in parent-child relationships, inadequate child care arrangements by working parents, the absence of one parent from the home and its effect on the stability of the child's home.Interprets the policies, rules, regulations and services rules of the agency to applicants, clients and the general public within their responsibility.Maintains necessary casework records and handles relevant correspondence.Collects evidence and prepares court reports, delivers testimony at the expert level in court.Provides emergency response/crisis intervention services.Perform on call duties as needed.Minimum QualificationsSOCIAL WORKER IV-AOption 1 A Master's degree in social work from an accredited college or university;OROption 2 Master's degree from an accredited two year counseling program*;OROption 3 One year of full time experience performing advanced journey (equivalent to a MSS SW III) level social work case management as a Social Worker in a public or private agency and Master's degree in social or behavioral science, psychology, anthropology, sociology and counseling education.SOCIAL WORKER IV-BOption 1 A Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university and one year of full-time experience performing social work case management as a Social Worker in a public or private agency;OROption 2 A Master's degree from an accredited two year counseling program* and one year of full-time experience performing social work case management as a Social Worker in a public or private agency;OROption 3 Two years of full-time experience performing advanced journey (equivalent to a MSS SW III) level social work case management as a Social Worker in a public or private agency and Master's degree in social or behavioral science, psychology, anthropology, sociology and counseling education.*Qualifying counseling degrees from a two year counseling program includes: Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Addiction Counseling, Gerontology Counseling, Psychology.Candidates who are within six months of satisfying the education requirement for this classification will be admitted to the examination, but they must complete the education requirement and provide evidence of graduation prior to appointment.Some positions may require possession of special language and culture skills as a bona fide qualifications standard. In these cases, candidates must demonstrate that they possess the required skills.Driver LicensePossess a valid California Driver License at the time of appointment and maintain, for some positions in this classification.SOME POSITIONS IN THIS CLASSIFICATION WILL BE SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS PURSUANT TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES RULES AND REGULATIONS, SECTION 2, BESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSOperate a personal computer and other modern office equipment, including repetitive hand and arm motion.Frequently sit for extended periods.Frequently operate a motor vehicle.Occasionally lift and/or carry up to 40 pounds.Communicate effectively with others in person and over the telephone.Analyze data, interpret directions, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.Perform job duties under stressful conditions and emergency situations.Respond appropriately to situations.Maintain 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.Regular attendance is an essential function.Knowledge of:Local socio-economic conditions, trends and current problems and methodology in the field of public social services.Basic principles of individual and group behavior.Social service research methods.Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level.General principles of public assistance polices and programs.Effective writing techniques.Basic principles and techniques of interviewing and recording of social casework and problem-solving methodology, including individual and group behavior.Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency.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.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.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 modulations 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.Interact with hostile and violent clients, diffuse dangerous situations and respond appropriately to stressful situations.Demonstrate skill in the more difficult casework areas.Accept and use consultative supervision.Learn and understand laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency.Understand and learn the agency programs, policies, and procedures; performs duties consistent with agency values.Obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts.Organize and maintain work detail.Establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, clients, and others.Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.Establish and maintain client rapport on an individual basis.Analyze situation and adopt effective courses of action.Interpret public social service programs for applicants, recipients, or general public.Develop skill in interviewing case recording and interpretation.Work within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.Maintain confidentiality of case records in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.Performs on call duties as needed.Additional InformationFLSA: ExemptProbationary Period: 12 Months