Social Worker 4

State of Louisiana•Lake Charles, LA

16h

About The Position

The Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS) is hiring a Social Worker 4 for its Child Advocacy Program. The position supports a multidisciplinary approach to children’s legal representation, helping ensure that clients’ voices are heard and that they receive the rights and remedies available to them under law. The program seeks to make tailored recommendations that support reunification, permanent placements, and successful transitions to adulthood for youth aging out of foster care. The Social Worker serves as a consultant and advocate in collaboration with attorneys and multidisciplinary teams. The role involves assessing clients’ social, emotional, developmental, mental health, and service needs; coordinating with agencies and providers; supporting case strategy and court proceedings; and maintaining case documentation. The position also contributes to staff training, professional activities, and agency reporting. The vacancy may be filled by a new hire or promotion of a current permanent-status classified employee. Preference may be given to applicants with experience working with juveniles and people with mental illness and/or disabilities. Applicants must provide relevant education and experience in the application; resumes are not accepted in place of completed application sections. New hires may be subject to criminal history checks, pre-employment drug testing, and employment eligibility verification.

Requirements

Possess a current Louisiana license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Hold a master’s degree in social work followed by three years of social services experience.
Complete all requirements to maintain professional licensure and those required of state employees.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with juveniles.
Experience working with persons with mental illness and/or disabilities.

Responsibilities

Serve as a social work consultant to attorneys and multidisciplinary teams, supporting client engagement, case evaluation, and case strategy development.
Conduct initial and ongoing client assessments to identify needs, supports, crisis interventions, and appropriate services, and make recommendations to attorneys.
Advocate for clients in and out of court by addressing mental health and social service needs, coordinating with providers and agencies, and assisting clients in preparing to testify.
Conduct investigative and case-support activities, including client visits, background research, records requests, subpoenas, documentation, and case management.
Prepare and maintain assessments, social histories, case summaries, and quality assurance evaluations to monitor service outcomes.
Participate in special projects, professional committees, trainings, and conferences; guide and train peer mentors; and represent the agency’s social work programs at local, state, and national levels.
Address clients’ social-emotional and developmental needs as part of a holistic, client-centered approach to child representation.
Conduct comprehensive evaluations in complex and high-risk cases, including cases involving trauma, mental health concerns, and special needs, and recommend services and referrals.
Collect, review, and interpret educational, medical, and psychosocial records and prepare required social work documentation.
Participate in planning meetings with attorneys and multidisciplinary partners, provide case updates, develop strategies, and advocate for resources to meet client needs.
Maintain regular contact with clients and stakeholders, including DCFS, foster parents, CASAs, and service providers, through visits, check-ins, and consultations.
Manage an assigned caseload of CINC clients, document case activity in the PRIME system, attend court hearings, and provide expert testimony and client support as needed.
Attend all MHAS staff meetings.
Provide staff in-services on treatment modalities, regional and state resources, and psychosocial aspects of services to children in foster care.
Complete requirements to maintain professional licensure and meet requirements applicable to state employees.
Provide data and/or reports to the data administrator upon request.