Social Worker 1 - Underfill

State of Nevada•Reno, NV

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) is recruiting a Social Worker 1 in Reno. The recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies in Adult Protective Services (APS) and Home & Community Based Services – Supportive Services (HBCS). This is an underfill recruitment for Social Worker 2 positions with HBCS and Social Worker 3 positions with APS. Advancement may occur after the employee meets minimum qualifications, demonstrates satisfactory performance, and receives endorsement of the appointing authority. Licensure is required. HBCS social workers support coordinated services for at-risk older adults and people with disabilities, helping them live in the community and avoid institutionalization. Work includes determining eligibility, planning care, visiting clients at home, developing and implementing individualized care plans, and documenting activities in web-based case-management software. APS social workers investigate reports of abuse, neglect, exploitation, isolation, and abandonment involving vulnerable adults. They initiate cases, make home visits, assess risk and service needs, review records, make referrals, determine outcomes under applicable regulations, and close cases after investigation and intervention to help ensure client safety. Social workers in this series provide case-management services to children, families, vulnerable adults, older adults, and other people in local communities and institutions. Case management identifies an individual’s needs and locates, coordinates, and monitors social, habilitative, and medical services intended to meet those needs. Positions may specialize in one service area or serve as generalists, depending on community needs and the assigned agency’s mission. At this trainee level, incumbents work under close supervision while learning to assess social-service needs, develop solutions and case plans, and provide ongoing case management. ADSD describes its work environment as positive, inclusive, and diverse, emphasizing innovation, teamwork, and collaboration. Its mission is to empower individuals and their support systems through aging and disability resources, connect Nevadans to services, and improve quality of life.

Requirements

Licensure or provisional licensure as a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, Independent Social Worker, or Associate in Social Work.
General knowledge of social problems addressed through public and private community resources, social-work philosophy and ethics, human behavior, confidentiality laws, client rights, case-management practices, and signs of substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence.
Ability to understand and accept differences in human behavior associated with deprivation, abuse, and neglect, and to interact effectively with people from varied backgrounds.
Ability to work objectively with individuals who may be hostile, uncooperative, or verbally abusive; recognize and report signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare grammatically correct correspondence and reports and understand technical and legal documents, regulations, and policies.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic; assemble, analyze, and report data; organize and prioritize work; participate as a team member; work independently; and follow through with minimal direction.
Ability to transport clients to identified services as required.
Ability to operate a computer to enter, store, and retrieve data.

Responsibilities

Assess and reassess clients’ functioning and needs through interviews, assessment tools, records review, and evaluation of available resources.
Develop and implement case plans and intervention strategies in accordance with federal and State regulations and budget limitations.
Locate and coordinate services and resources from State agencies, community organizations, and private providers.
Provide ongoing case management through home visits, service and care monitoring, reassessment, progress tracking, and evaluation of case-plan effectiveness.
Help clients identify strengths and barriers and develop problem-solving and coping abilities.
Coordinate case reviews with families, friends, attorneys, agencies, community services, and law enforcement to support continuity of care and avoid conflicting plans or duplicated services.
May organize multidisciplinary team meetings concerning protective services and plans for preventing, identifying, remedying, or treating abuse, neglect, exploitation, isolation, or abandonment.
Document case activities, maintain case histories, complete forms, and prepare correspondence and reports in accordance with applicable requirements.
Provide crisis intervention in office or community settings, respond to emergency calls, report suspected neglect or abuse to appropriate authorities, and follow protocols when working with aggressive, combative, or hostile individuals.
May provide technical assistance, training, guidance, or lead-worker support to other social workers; may train, supervise, and evaluate non-professional staff.
Perform related duties as assigned.
For HBCS assignments, determine eligibility, develop and implement individualized care plans, conduct home visits, and document services using web-based case-management software.
For APS assignments, investigate reports involving vulnerable adults, conduct timely case initiation, home visits, and assessments, review records, identify service needs, make referrals, and determine and close cases according to regulations.