Social Worker - Long Term Care

Otter Tail County•500 Fir Avenue West Fergus Falls, MN

About The Position

Otter Tail County is hiring a full-time Long Term Care Social Worker in the Health & Human Services Department. The position provides intake, assessment, direct services, care coordination, and case management supervision for people eligible for long-term care services, primarily seniors and vulnerable adults. The worker establishes collaborative relationships and helps implement unit and agency goals, policies, and procedures to provide services based on available resources. The role includes assessing health and safety, identifying risks, determining financial eligibility, conducting screenings and assessments, and helping people develop service plans. The worker coordinates long-term care assessments and programs, authorizes and monitors services and funding, maintains case records, consults with staff and certified assessors, and advocates for system changes and service development. The position also includes provider licensing responsibilities as assigned by statute and may involve serving as a designated legal representative for wards. The worker conducts semi-annual reviews and reassessments, coordinates with service providers, updates case files and service agreements, monitors service delivery, and adjusts plans to meet ongoing needs. Administrative duties include attending meetings, conferences, and training; completing documentation and time records; communicating schedule changes; and using SSIS as the case management system. The employee may also assist with duties under the County Emergency Operations Plan and Continuity of Operations Plan. This is a 40-hour-per-week position, generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is considered safety-sensitive and requires pre-employment drug testing, with additional testing under the circumstances described in the posting. The 2026 starting salary is $34.93 per hour, depending on qualifications, with potential career advancement to $55.41 per hour.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with a major in social work, psychology, sociology, or a closely related field; alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in any field and one year of experience as a social worker.
Valid Minnesota driver’s license.
Must pass a background investigation and reference check before hire.
Subject to pre-employment drug testing and random drug and alcohol testing; employees are also subject to testing upon reasonable suspicion or cause, return to duty, follow-up, and post-accident.
Applicants must include their complete employment and education history in application materials.

Nice To Haves

Home and community-based experience, such as case management or care coordination for home and community-based waivers (CADI, CAC, EW, BI, AC), assessment and planning for home care services, or similar community-based assessment and support-planning work.

Responsibilities

Assess people’s health and safety in their environments based on social history, presenting problems, observation, and intake information.
Identify immediate risks to health and safety and take appropriate action.
Assist with referrals and coordination for LTCC assessments, the Alternative Care Program, MSHO and MSC+ care coordination, and Elderly Waiver services.
Determine financial eligibility and consult with certified assessors regarding referrals.
Conduct formal assessments and screenings; collect, compile, and analyze information about people’s desires and needs.
Assess risk of institutionalization and help people develop plans of service.
Develop service and treatment plans, authorize funding, and monitor and implement case plans.
Provide case management to help individuals and families use county and community resources.
Consult with certified assessors on LTCC (MnChoices) assessments and prepare care plans.
Complete ongoing training and education; advocate for and develop system changes and services.
Maintain case files and records, consult with program and unit staff, explain service options and access processes, and interpret laws, rules, and policies.
Maintain a caseload requiring assessment and ongoing social services.
Perform provider licensing duties as required by state statute and county-agency responsibilities.
Represent the unit, department, or agency in community assignments and groups.
Act as a designated legal representative for wards of the county or state by determining or authorizing services relating to medical, education, residential, advance directive, and end-of-life matters.
Delegate or coordinate responsibilities of team members and providers and monitor services to ensure people’s needs are met.
Conduct semi-annual reviews as required by programs or health plans; discuss services with providers and monitor service delivery.
Update case files, complete and submit reassessment documentation and service agreements, and complete physician updates as required.
Adjust services to meet recipients’ ongoing needs and monitor overall program effectiveness.
Develop and maintain public relations to improve and expand waiver programs.
Attend scheduled staff, supervision, and conference meetings and job-related training.
Complete documentation, agency timesheets, and employee records in a timely manner; communicate schedule changes and use the agency In/Out Board.
Use SSIS for case management, including time documentation, case notes, documents, and other applicable systems.
May assist with duties under the County Emergency Operations Plan and Continuity of Operations Plan.
Perform other duties as assigned.