Caseworker (Spanish-Speaking) (Department of Social Services))

Caseworker (Spanish-Speaking) (Department of Social Services))

• Type:Rockland County Government
• Salary/Pay Rate:$37.36 /hour
• Posted Date:03/26/2025 9:21 AM

The Rockland County Department of Social Services is seeking candidates to perform professional-level casework of a moderately difficult nature which involves managing cases in order to provide social services to, and having responsibility for, the well-being of clients, including their financial management. The work is distinguished from that of a Caseworker in that some of the duties performed in this position require the incumbent to possess speaking and reading ability in Spanish at the fluency level indicated below in the Notes.

Candidates must possess good knowledge of the principles and practices of social casework; working knowledge of Federal, State and local public welfare laws and programs; working knowledge of the techniques of case recording; working knowledge of interviewing and investigation techniques; the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; the ability to establish and maintain successful relationships with others; the ability to speak, read and understand colloquial Spanish and to translate into acceptable English; the awareness, knowledge and understanding of Hispanic culture and more and the ability to prepare reports.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree or higher that included or was supplemented by at least eighteen credits in human or behavioral sciences (e.g., Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Criminology, Counseling, Education) or comparable curriculum; or

A Bachelor’s degree or higher and one year of social casework* experience and/or counseling, mental health or education** experience, or criminal justice casework***.

Other Requirements and Information:

All experience indicated in #2, above, shall be paid professional-level experience and must have been gained after completion of the Bachelor’s degree. Unpaid experience, such as internships, externships, and/or volunteer experience, shall not qualify.

Incumbents are expected to possess a Level II proficiency in Spanish (as defined by the Examinations Division of the State of New York Department of Civil Service) which requires that the incumbent: be able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social and professional topics not requiring specialized vocabulary (e.g. technical engineering, medicine, etc.); can discuss particular interests and special fields of competence in general terms with reasonable ease; possesses adequate comprehension to normal rate of speech; has good control of grammar and errors do not interfere with understanding; can read with understanding a standard newspaper, correspondence and official documents.

Special Requirements

Possession of a valid driver’s license is required at the time of appointment and must be maintained throughout the course of employment in this title.

Applicants for designated positions with the Department of Social Services that may have regular or substantial unsupervised or unrestricted contact with children shall be subject to background checks according to the New York State Justice Center’s Staff Exclusion List (SEL) and New York State Office of Children and Family Services Sitewide Central Register of Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Inquiries on current employees shall be made annually and prior to promotion but no more often than once in any six-month period (N.Y. Social Services Law 424-a). Candidates/applicants with conditional offers of employment may be required to submit the necessary fee(s) for background screening and inquiries shall be completed prior to employment hiring/start date. Refusal to sign the necessary clearance forms, submit the required associated fees and/or participate in the review process shall be cause for an automatic non-selection. In addition, inquiry responses are subject to evaluation and may result in disqualification pursuant to Section 50 of New York State Civil Service Law.

*Social Casework is defined as maintaining a caseload of clients which includes making assessments for multiple services, coordination of services and performance of follow up visits to continually reassess client needs, and/or performing child welfare and/or child protective service functions including field visits, interviews, and referrals of needed services. Social casework does not include determining eligibility for benefits, such as food stamps, medical services, housing, child support, emergency services, day care, HEAP assistance, etc. or coordination thereof.

**Education experience is defined as experience gained while in a credentialed teacher position, performing work as a guidance counselor, social worker, or mental health counselor in a school-based setting.

***Examples of criminal justice casework includes individuals working as a Probation Officer or Probation Assistant, or Investigators or support staff working in a Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, or Public Defender’s Office.

• Candidate must be a legal resident of New York, New Jersey or Connecticut.
• This title has been temporarily moved into the non-competitive class under the New York State Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NYS HELPS) Program. Candidates are not currently required to take a civil service exam; however, all candidates must serve a fifty-two week probationary period.

Salary and Benefits:

Salary and benefits are competitive with the public sector market including but not limited to:

• $37.36 per hour for a 35-hour work week
• Medical, dental and vision available
• Paid time off including vacation, personal and holiday time
• This position is New York State Pension eligible
• Other benefits, including, but not limited to deferred compensation, tuition reimbursement, leadership and other professional development training

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should email completed Rockland County application to:

RocklandDSSPersonnel@dfa.state.ny.us

Click here to access the online application.

Position open until filled.