Social Service Worker I

Kentucky Personnel Cabinet•Newport, KY

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice seeks a Social Service Worker I to provide entry-level professional social work services to adjudicated juveniles in DJJ facilities. The role involves beginning-level individual, group, and family counseling and development of individual treatment plans. The worker participates in treatment-team planning, placement and discharge activities, and assists with juveniles’ reintegration into the community. The position also requires maintaining confidential case records and preparing progress notes, discharge summaries, charting summaries, and other administrative or treatment reports. The worker may supervise juveniles and may be required to restrain juveniles who are out of control. The position is based at a facility or residential program, with visits to clients or families at their residences. Minimum travel may be required. The worker provides emergency services on a 24-hour basis, including accepting referrals and completing investigations at any hour without prior warning. Enforced intervention carries a risk of physical harm. The role requires maturity, reliability, self-discipline, responsible conduct, leadership, and respectful treatment of staff, youth, and others. Training and mentoring opportunities support career growth and advancement. Employees in this position are prohibited from using medical cannabis under applicable state or federal laws. The position is full-time, 37.5 hours per week, and eligible for overtime pay. Annual salary is $55,541.52. The position has an initial and promotional probationary period of nine months, except as provided in KRS 18A.111.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a college or university in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage and family therapy, or a related field.
No experience, training, or skills required.
If employed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice, furnish documentation of a valid driver’s license to the appointing authority within one month of employment.
Maintain any required licenses, certifications, or other credentials throughout employment.
Maturity, reliability, self-discipline, responsible conduct, leadership qualities, and respectful treatment of staff, youth, and others.

Responsibilities

Provide entry-level professional social work services to adjudicated juveniles in DJJ facilities.
Provide beginning-level individual, group, and family counseling and develop individual treatment plans.
Conduct treatment-team planning sessions.
Participate in placement and discharge of juveniles.
Assist juvenile service workers with integrating juveniles back into the community.
Write progress notes, discharge summaries, charting summaries, and other administrative or treatment reports.
Maintain current and confidential case records.
Supervise juveniles as needed.
Provide emergency services on a 24-hour basis, including accepting referrals and completing investigations at any hour without prior warning.
Travel as required; minimum travel may be required.
Restrain out-of-control juveniles when required.