Family Services Specialist II

Virginia Department of Social Services•Berryville, VA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Clarke County Department of Social Services is seeking to fill a position within the Child & Family Services Unit. The selected candidate will work with our families and children providing case management services for permanency. Our family services team works with children and families by ensuring their safety, well-being and permanency by creative case management and coordination of resources and services. Our low, manageable caseloads afford the Family Services Specialist the opportunity to provide a concentration on direct service work with families, children, and adults. This is the full performance level in the occupational group for Family Services. Employees are responsible for developing and implementing individualized service plans involving the application of casework methods in Employment Services and Child Care, and basic service level caseloads of Adult/Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adoptions. Employees may provide services in all program areas or specialize in one or several program areas. Typically, employees perform all tasks independently and only seek supervisory advice on unusual situations or when policies and procedures require supervisory review or involvement. The Family Services Specialist II is distinguished from the Family Services Specialist III by the latter functioning at the advanced level and becoming more specialized in program areas and assuming more complex duties (such as: interviewing/investigating in cases involving suspected child/adult abuse/neglect, out-of-home placements, guardianships, emergency protective orders, and adoptions).

Requirements

Working knowledge of Social Work Principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; laws, policies, and regulations relating to human services program areas; and social, economic, and health problems.
Skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Demonstrated ability to interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client.
Demonstrated ability to make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations.
Demonstrated ability to respond to the client's emotions in order to accomplish services objectives.
Demonstrated ability to plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
Demonstrated ability to stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.
Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area.
Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Nice To Haves

Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are desirable.
Knowledge of social work principles and practices, human behavior, and motivational theory, and social, economic, and health problems.
Experience in providing case management services to monitor compliance.
Skill in operating motor vehicles and holds a valid Virginia Driver’s License.
Skill in operating a personal computer with associated software, preferably Microsoft Office.
Previous experience working with children and family social work principles and practices.
Experience with state-associated database programs and software.
Knowledge of laws, policies, and regulations relating to human services program areas and legal procedures as related to program areas.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize work assignments.
Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with others and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.
Ability to plan and manage work activities including service delivery, preparing reports and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities independently.
Demonstrated ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, and refer clients to other resources.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement service plans to ensure the delivery of appropriate services to the client.
Ability to analyze case information to make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations.

Responsibilities

Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific areas of responsibility.
Monitors, coordinates and administer specific programs as assigned.
Coordinates services within specific areas of responsibility.
Interviews and assesses customer needs and other relevant factors – such as education/skill levels, abilities, interests, and support systems.
Inform clients of related service programs rules/regulations, and right to participate.
Presents cases to determine appropriate services and writes/implements service plans.
Provides case management services to monitor compliance.
Tracks expenditures, prepares/submits budget estimates and ensures payment for services.
Completes necessary federal, state and local planning and reporting requirements.
Coordinates with other agencies and participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers.
Conducts overall monitoring of programs in specific areas of responsibility.
Serves as resource for clients and the community in area of expertise.
Provides after-hours on-call coverage and responds to emergencies in child/adult protective services and/or foster care.