Assistant Social Worker/Social Worker

County of Shasta•Redding, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is within the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency, Economic Mobility Branch. The agency partners with the community to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of Shasta County residents. The Economic Mobility Branch provides assistance and services to individuals and families, including eligibility determination for public benefits, employment preparation and support services, and homeless and housing services. The branch also makes referrals to other services within HHSA and community partners. The Assistant Social Worker role is a trainee position under direction, carrying a caseload involving the determination of need for basic social service functions, performing elementary social studies, and providing limited casework services. The Social Worker role is the full journey level, carrying a service caseload, conducting social studies, developing service plans, and providing information and referrals. Specific roles within the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) program involve direct outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness with significant behavioral health needs, requiring knowledge of homelessness systems and safety awareness. Roles within the Housing Support Program (HSP) assist individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness who are receiving Cash Aid, working with landlords and community partners to overcome housing barriers.

Requirements

Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other behavioral sciences (for Assistant Social Worker).
Two (2) years of experience performing professional social casework services (for Social Worker).
Possession of a master's degree in social work or a master's degree from a two-year counseling program (for Social Worker).
Registered MFCC intern with California State Board of Behavioral Science (for Social Worker).
Possession of a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology or other behavioral sciences AND two (2) years of experience as an Assistant Social Worker in Shasta County (for Social Worker).
Possession of a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other behavioral sciences AND two (2) years of experience performing social casework services in child or adult protective services comparable to an Assistant Social Worker in Shasta County (for Social Worker).
Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
General nature of social problems calling for the general principles of public assistance policies and programs.
Basic public welfare programs of the Federal, State, and local levels.
Principles of interviewing and methodology.
Socio-economic conditions and trends.
Ability to establish rapport with clients and their families in working toward a solution for their problem.
Ability to analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
Ability to speak and write effectively.
Ability to learn and understand the agency programs and automated systems.
Social casework objectives, principles, methods and caseload organization and management.
Functions and services provided by a public social service agency including basic knowledge of community resources.
Principles of human growth and development.
Laws, policies and administrative procedures of County social service programs.
Community organization and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
Principles and techniques of interviewing and recording in social casework.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with clients and their families, other employees, representatives of other public agencies and community organizations and groups.
Ability to effectively use community and agency resources.
Ability to utilize supervision and direction effectively to meet program goals of the department.
Ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form.
Ability to manage a difficult caseload.
Ability to understand and explain pertinent regulations and policies.
Ability to maintain current, accurate case records and use automated systems as necessary.
Understanding of poverty and the homeless population in Shasta County.
Experience working with people who are homeless, with substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
Good understanding of resources in Shasta County.
Great communication, organization, and teamwork skills.
Understanding of homeless systems and barriers preventing individuals from obtaining housing without assistance (for BHBH program).
Experience in crisis intervention, de-escalation, and urgent system linkage (for BHBH program).
Safety awareness in non-traditional work environments (for BHBH program).

Nice To Haves

Experience working with clients involved in the Child and Family Services or Mental Health/Substance Use systems.

Responsibilities

Carry a caseload involving the determination of need for basic social service functions for applicants or clients.
Perform elementary social studies to identify a need for more intensive casework services.
Provide limited casework services of a general tangible nature.
Conduct social studies and develop service plans which may include the need for specialized social services.
Provide information about available services and arrange for referral of clients to appropriate departmental or community human services resources.
Provide direct outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness, including engagement within encampments and other field-based settings (for BHBH program).
Work directly with unsheltered families to assist them to overcome housing barriers and obtain permanent housing (for HSP program).
Work closely with landlords and other community partners to connect participants to services (for HSP program).
Provide basic life skills training (for HSP program).
Diagnose client problems and follow through with treatment plans with a high degree of independence (for Social Worker).
Interpret State, County and departmental rules, regulations and policies to individuals and groups.
Gather, maintain and disseminate current information on community resources.
Prepare reports, case records and correspondence.
Function in a lead capacity and assist with casework consultation and training for other social workers (potential additional duty for Social Worker).
Assist in developing and implementing unit policies and procedures (potential additional duty for Social Worker).
Act in the absence of the supervisor or as designated in assigning cases and reviewing and approving case decisions (potential additional duty for Social Worker).