Integrated Case Worker I

CalHR • Sonora, CA

10d

About The Position

Integrated Case Worker I is the entry level of the Integrated Case Worker series. Under close supervision, employees attend training and learn regulations, work procedures, forms, and public assistance and employment program requirements. After orientation and training, they gain on-the-job experience until they demonstrate the competency required for promotion to Integrated Case Worker II. Employees are expected to promote after one year of satisfactory performance at the entry level.

The position determines eligibility for multiple public assistance benefits, provides basic employment services, and performs case management for benefit and employment services. Duties are performed at the trainee level and include interviewing and guiding clients, evaluating eligibility and employment needs, coordinating referrals and ancillary services, maintaining case records, and managing a caseload according to applicable regulations and local policies.

Requirements

• Two years of full-time clerical experience that includes substantial public contact with clients and basic interviewing to gather information and explain policies or clarify needed information; OR
• Eighteen months of full-time experience determining eligibility for loans, financial assistance, unemployment, veterans’ benefits, or publicly or privately financed health counseling or social services programs; OR
• Eighteen months of full-time case management, vocational guidance, employment counseling, or placement experience; OR
• Successful completion of 60 semester (90 quarter) college units, including 15 semester (22.5 quarter) units or 15 continuing education credits in behavioral science or coursework related to employment services. Qualifying education and experience may be combined; 15 semester or 22.5 quarter units equal six months of experience.
• Knowledge of regulations and procedures for eligibility determinations and granting aid; relevant community resources; public social services program goals; interviewing and information-gathering techniques; labor markets and employment skills; mathematics for interpreting income and expenses and calculating benefits; group presentation techniques; office practices and equipment; record keeping; and techniques for working with people from varied socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to read, apply, and explain employment-services regulations and policies; apply vocational guidance, work-readiness appraisal, employment-plan, and assessment concepts; use case-management techniques; motivate clients; analyze information and make appropriate recommendations and decisions; communicate clearly; organize and prioritize work; maintain records and prepare reports; understand program objectives; use automated technology; build cooperative working relationships; and carry out assignments without detailed instructions.
• Essential personal qualifications include integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, ability to work cooperatively, and health consistent with performing assigned duties.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship by the start date.
• A valid driver’s license may be required at appointment.
• Applicants using education to meet minimum qualifications must attach transcripts; foreign transcripts require an evaluation showing equivalent units.
• Successful completion of the applicable examination with a minimum rating of 70% is required for placement on the eligible list.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to speak, read, and write Spanish in addition to English.

Responsibilities

• Conduct group orientations and workshops explaining program policies, rules, rights, responsibilities, and participation requirements; help participants complete applications and employment readiness forms.
• Interview, advise, and guide clients to assess employability, barriers to employment, public assistance needs, benefit eligibility, and need for ancillary services or payments.
• Respond to crisis situations by authorizing benefits within guidelines or referring clients to staff and community resources.
• Review case records and assess clients’ education, work experience, skills, abilities, and job interests to guide employment transitions and place clients in suitable employment services components.
• Assist clients with transportation, training, and other ancillary needs through authorizations, referrals, or other assistance.
• Identify clients facing social, behavioral, mental health, substance abuse, or other substantial barriers to employment and refer them to department staff or community resources.
• Analyze financial, employment, family, and personal information to determine and authorize initial or continuing eligibility for multiple aid programs.
• Develop or conduct classes to help clients obtain and maintain employment, and advise them on job seeking, interview techniques, resumes, contacting employers, and the labor market.
• Explain policies, rules, and regulations and inform clients of their rights, responsibilities, and program eligibility.
• Resolve information discrepancies by obtaining documentation, medical-condition substantiation, employment records, and aid confirmations from other agencies.
• Ensure applications and declarations are complete and accurate and obtain supporting information as required.
• Conduct diversion evaluations and recommend lump-sum benefits for eligible clients with immediate employment prospects.
• Determine when clients fail to comply with employment program requirements, apply mandated sanctions, and conduct reconciliation interviews.
• Enter client information into an automated system; organize and manage a caseload and take required action within regulatory and local-policy time limits.
• Maintain case records and files, update employment plans and eligibility files, and monitor compliance with program standards and agreements.
• Coordinate case management with staff and service providers.
• Serve as a one-stop assistant to guide the public in understanding and applying for available resources and services, when assigned.
• Conduct field visits for application interviews and to monitor client progress and compliance with Welfare-to-Work Plans, when assigned.

Benefits

• Generous leave accruals
• Step increases after each 2,080 hours worked until the maximum salary is reached
• Longevity incentive
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with substantial employer-paid contribution
• CalPERS retirement benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed