Social Worker I - CPS

CalHR • Lakeport, CA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Performs basic social services casework; identifies client needs for more intensive casework services and provides referrals; carries a caseload of moderately difficult cases; manages a caseload of increasingly difficult cases; and performs other related work as assigned. Working under close supervision, Social Worker I is the entry/trainee class in the professional Social Worker series. Employees in this class are learning casework methods, procedures, policies and carry a limited non-complex social services caseload under close supervision and receive in-service training; are given close and constant supervision while learning social work principles, social service programs, basic case work methods and techniques, and departmental rules, regulations and procedures. Typical assignments are within child welfare and adult services programs; however, at the agency's discretion positions may be assigned to employment services to perform social services case work for employment services clients as required by department needs. As requisite skill and knowledge is developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility is exercised. Unless a position is permanently allocated to the Social Worker I level due to the nature of the work, employees are expected to advance to the Social Worker II after one year of satisfactory performance at the trainee level.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university; OR Successful completion of thirty (30) college semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units from an accredited college or university, including fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two and a half (22.5) quarter units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science; AND One (1) year of full-time experience in the Social Service Aide, Eligibility Specialist II, Employment and Training Worker II or comparable classification; OR Three (3) years of full-time experience providing direct client services to disadvantaged adults or children in a private or public agency.
• A valid driver's license will be required at the time of interview.
• Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Positions require pre-employment screening, including background checks, and fingerprinting.
• Government agencies accessing US government information, which includes federal tax information, must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information.
• A background check is required for all Social Services positions. Background requirements consist of three components which include fingerprinting, citizenship verification, and local law enforcement checks.
• Applicable agencies must conduct investigations during time of hire and ensure a reinvestigation is conducted 5 years from the date of the previous background investigation for each employee that has access to federal tax information.
• Lake County is required to verify Employment and Education if a conditional offer of employment is made to an applicant.
• Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Examples of acceptable social or behavioral science courses include: anthropology, criminal justice, education, ethnic studies, history, human development, human services, law, nursing, nutrition, psychology, public health, social welfare, sociology, welfare, women's studies.

Responsibilities

• Conducts interviews with clients, family members, and others in their home, in the office, or via telephone to assess the basic social, physical, and mental needs of clients and obtain health information in order to identify and provide social services
• Performs case studies and evaluates individual and family case information to assess the safety of children and adults; determines appropriate types and methods of treatment
• Assesses reports of suspected abuse; may be required to work on-call; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys
• Develops and carries out culturally sensitive non-complex to moderate treatment plans for an assigned caseload in conformance with agency, state and federal requirements; assists clients and family members to develop strategies to accomplish case plan goals
• Refers clients to other staff members, or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary; advocates on the clients' behalf for most appropriate services including enabling services
• Assists applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources
• Interprets policies, rules, and regulations of the agency to applicants, clients and others within the scope of their responsibility
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments
• Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations and case plans to clients, families and service providers
• May testify in court
• May be assigned to specialized functions
• Participates in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work processes and achieve technical competence
• Receives casework consultation from professionally trained staff members
• Provides community outreach for various agency programs
• Maintains client confidentiality; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics
• Performs related duties as assigned

Benefits

• Hiring Incentive: 10% of the annual rate of pay not to exceed $10,000. The hiring incentive will be made in three (3) payments. The first payment of 50% will be made to an employee within the next available pay period following the date of hire. The second payment of 25% will be made within the next payroll following the 12th month of employment. The third payment of 25% will be made within the next payroll following two (2) years of employment.
• Flexible Office Hours available for most positions; Monday - Friday with a variety of schedules between 6:30am - 7:00pm.
• Work remotely from home available for some positions upon Lake County Department of Social Services approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level