Social Worker - Family and Children's Services (FCS)

County of Mendocino•Ukiah, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions in a variety of locations throughout the County, should they occur. Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements: Social Worker Assistants, Social Workers and Social Worker Supervisors whose regular full-time assignment is Family and Children’s Services in the Social Services Department shall receive a ten percent (10%) premium. Employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium. Under general direction the Social Worker – Family and Children's Services (FCS) provides direct social work services of a moderate nature working with complex child, youth, and family problems; performs intensive assessment, case management and/or casework services directed toward providing the most stable home environment for children and youth who have been, or are in danger of being abused, neglected or abandoned. This classification requires on-call and call-back capability. Social Workers in Family & Children’s Services handle everything from emergency response and investigations to writing court reports with recommendations and participating in court hearings. They work independently to support families through assessment, service linkage, ongoing case management, and reunification efforts. Earn your AA, BSW, or MSW with Title IV-E funding—MCDSS employees may qualify for educational assistance. Learn more here.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college, with a bachelor’s degree in social work, sociology, psychology, other behavioral science or related field; and one (1) year of social work case management experience.
Case management is defined as the coordinated process of assessing client needs, developing and implementing service plans, and connecting individuals and families to appropriate resources and supports.
Valid Driver’s License
Knowledge of current principles, practices, and techniques of social work.
Knowledge of casework methods and techniques with reference to problems of child neglect, abandonment, and abuse.
Knowledge of current philosophy and practices in the field of Family and Child Social Services.
Knowledge of psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients.
Knowledge of signs, stages, and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior.
Knowledge of signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families.
Knowledge of standards for maintaining children safely in the home and the best practices keeping families together.
Knowledge of options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations.
Knowledge of principles and methodologies of research, analysis, problem solving, and decision making.
Knowledge of laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
Knowledge of medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families.
Knowledge of strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques and other de-escalation methods.
Knowledge of general principles of public assistance policies and programs.
Knowledge of resources available in the community for referral or utilization in employment or social service programs.
Ability to utilize various strategies to address the cumulative impact of a high stress environment.
Ability to use social work methods and evaluation techniques to determine appropriate treatment in difficult, emotional, confrontational, and crisis situations while maintaining a professional demeanor.
Ability to develop therapeutic relationships to conduct crisis intervention and therapeutic social work counseling.
Ability to employ effective stress management techniques and methods of self-care.
Ability to exercise tact, objectivity, sensitivity, sound judgment, and cultural awareness.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in making diagnostic risk assessments and decisions regarding placement of children.
Ability to interpret, explain, and apply complex laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Ability to provide guidance and consultation to other staff; collaborate with teams and tribes to make decisions about cases.
Ability to learn and use various computer applications, databases, and specialized software programs.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; write clear, descriptive, and detailed reports under time constraints.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
Ability to keep and prepare accurate and timely records.
Ability to respect cultural differences.
Ability to analyze and solve problems.
Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with agency staff, clients and others.
Ability to organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines and follow up on assignments with a minimal direction.
Ability to recognize the relevance and significance of obtained facts.
Ability to work with difficult or complex cases/clients including clients with dual diagnosis, potentially dangerous clients or legally complex cases.
Ability to work on-call and extended hours.
Ability to work effectively in emotionally charged or stressful setting/emergencies.
Ability to accept and use consultative supervision and constructive criticism.
Ability to learn, understand and apply the agency program, policy and procedures.
Ability to use a computer to accurately and rapidly enter and retrieve data and information.
Ability to effectively speak and make presentations before public groups and respond to questions.
Ability to effectively handle problems involving several variables in non-standardized situations.
Regularly required to use sound and odor perception and discernment.
Regularly required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; speak and hear; and push, pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 40 pounds.
Incumbents may, in the course of their work, be required to occasionally lift and/or carry children, including children in car seats or infant carriers weighing up to 40 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Social Worker Assistants, Social Workers and Social Worker Supervisors whose regular full-time assignment is Family and Children’s Services in the Social Services Department shall receive a ten percent (10%) premium.
Employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium.

Responsibilities

Receives reports of child abuse; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; may conduct forensic interviews with children, collaborates with an investigative team, or report information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court and provide support for witnesses and victims who must testify in court.
Must participate in on-call and call-back responding to after-hours emergencies, high-risk crises, and immediate safety threats.to support critical program operations.
Assess’ living situations to determine safety; may submit applications for protective custody warrants to the court to remove children from unsafe situations; recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement; assesses prospective foster and adoptive families; assesses children's placement needs and matches them with appropriate placement settings; coordinates and directly monitors family visits.
Manages a caseload of clients and conducts assessments to evaluate the effects of physical, cognitive and emotional impairment on function and determines client needs and eligibility through interviews, video platforms, phone calls, home visits, record reviews or consultation with appropriate agencies and individuals.
Communicate policies, rules, and regulations of the program to clients and others within the scope of responsibility.
Coordinates, arranges, and transports clients for the purpose of visitation or mandatory services as needed.
Develops intensive long or short-term treatment and safety plans; provides intervention and support for children, youth, parents, grandparents, foster and adoptive families, and other caregivers.
Provides services and refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling.
Initiates, facilitates, and participates in child and family team meetings as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and administer validated measurement instruments and assessments to assist with making decisions about the risk and safety of children, safety plans, and placements, acts as a subject matter resource to junior staff and staff members without professional training.
Analyzes, interprets, develops appropriate responses, and explains rules, regulations, laws, policies, and procedures to clients; communicates decisions, recommendations, timelines, safety plans, and case plans to clients, families, and service providers in person, in writing, and over the telephone.
Ensures all services are delivered within the guidelines of the department in a respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate manner; follows policies and procedures for specific unique populations; may perform case reviews and present content analysis findings with resulting recommendations to agency staff.
Maintains detailed documentation and timely electronic records; assists with peer review of activities.
Develops and prepares court reports, case plans, case narratives, and safety plans in automated electronic records systems; maintains casework records and handles relevant correspondence.
Supports the relationship between the County of Mendocino and the constituent population by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with clients, visitors, and other employees.
Supports, understands and follows the Tribal Consultation policy, ICWA rules, regulations and best practices, and supports the relationship between the Department of Social Services and the Tribes.
Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
Advocates on client's behalf for appropriate services. Assist clients to utilize available resources, including assisting in completing paperwork and accompanying clients to appointments.
Provides self-help information, education, and services; works with clients and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
Assess and evaluate home and family situations to determine if crisis intervention or a safety plan is needed.
Utilize community resources to best serve clients' needs.
Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
Participates in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work practices and achieve technical proficiency.
Provides crisis intervention.
Performs related duties as assigned.