Social Worker Practitioner

The County of Yolo and Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is recruiting to fill several regular, full-time positions in the class of Social Worker Practitioner housed in the Child, Youth & Family branch. 

HHSA is pleased to consider applicants who are currently in their final semester of a Master’s program in Social Work (MSW).  HHSA Human Resources must receive the following documentation as part of a complete application packet:

• A letter on college/university letterhead stating that the applicant is in good standing as well as the anticipated graduation date.
• A copy of the applicant’s transcripts (official or unofficial). 

All documentation will be reviewed to determine if the minimum qualifications have been met and if the applicant should advance in the selection process. If the applicant is successful in the interview and is offered a position, they must provide proof of graduation before their employment may begin. A letter from the attending school Registrar’s Office confirming the MSW program is completed and contains the graduation date, will meet the requirement to begin employment.  Final transcripts must be submitted to HHSA Human Resources once the degree has been conferred. 

Definition
Under minimal supervision, to perform professional casework services for individuals and families with complex social problems; to develop service plans and perform social work services requiring an advanced level of casework skill; to petition the court for appropriate orders related to clients; to act as a consultant to staff and provide leadership in the utilization of social work concepts and methodologies; to perform other related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics
This is the advanced journey level in the Social Worker Series. Incumbents are professionally trained practitioners whose assignments require advanced social work skills and techniques designed to restore or improve individual or family functioning. Cases will frequently require court intervention. Incumbents may provide consultation to staff and community organizations, may provide lead direction to staff and are expected to function with minimal supervision. This classification is distinguished from the next lower classification of Senior Social Worker in that the higher classification requires incumbents to possess advanced education and/or experience. Incumbents in the classification of Senior Social Worker may promote to Social Worker Practitioner upon meeting the employment standards for the higher classification, upon demonstration of the higher level of knowledge, skills and abilities, and upon recommendation of the appointing authority or his/her designee.

• Performs intensive casework services with clients or patients and their families;
• Evaluates individual and family case information;
• Assesses problems and initiates long and short-term treatment plans;
• Investigates and provides services to children who are alleged victims of abuse or neglect;
• Consults, refers cases, and works actively with agencies and with community groups;
• Manages a caseload accountably;
• Prepares case records, documents, records and correspondence in a timely manner;
• Refers clients and patients to appropriate community resources;
• Interprets social and emotional factors pertaining to illness, child abuse and child neglect to families and other involved persons;
• Prepares information and reports and presents such information to the Juvenile Court;
• Interprets rules, regulations, policies and laws to applicants, clients and the public.

Other Duties:

• Assists in the development of community resources and serves on related committees;
• Serves as a lead worker; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned. 

Some positions may require the performance of different essential or other duties depending upon work location, assignment, or shift.

Education:  Masters degree in Social Work (MSW); OR a masters degree in marriage, family and child counseling, gerontology, or vocational rehabilitation; or a masters degree in another subject area which meets the following criteria: is from a two year program in an accredited school; requires a minimum of 45 units; has a two-semester field placement dealing with marriage, family and child issues and supervised by an LCSW or higher; and required social work caseload management and on-going counseling; OR
Education:  Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major of social work, social or behavioral sciences, social or human services, counseling or a closely related field; AND
Experience:  Two years of program experience in a State or County child welfare services program conducting assessments, case planning, and/or case management activities; OR

Education:  Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; AND
Experience:  Three years of program experience in a State or County child welfare services program conducting assessments, case planning, and/or case management.

Background Requirements
Incumbents in this class may have access to Federal Tax Information and are subject to confidentiality and safeguarding requirements of Internal Revenue Code 6103(p)(4).  As such, an individual selected for this position is subject to a thorough background investigation as stipulated in Section 5.1.1 of Internal Revenue Service Publication 1075, which includes the following:

1. Review of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint results;
2. Check of local law enforcement agencies where the subject has lived, worked and/or attended school within the last five (5) years and, if applicable, of the appropriate agency for any identified arrests; and
3. Verification of an employee's eligibility to work in the United States.

Background investigations are conducted upon hire and every ten (10) years of employment thereafter.  

License
Positions in this classification require incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California driver's license, Class C or higher, to carry out job related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation.

Knowledge of:  Differential casework treatment techniques; various personality and behavioral theories; family systems; principles, objectives, methods and techniques of social work; principles of human growth and development; community organizations and resources; laws, rules, and regulations related to public social services; growth and development patterns of children; physical and mental illness and their impact on personality; juvenile court processes and procedures; social service research methods.

Ability to: Engage clients in the problem solving process; demonstrate skill in planning and analysis; apply a high skill level in all professional relationships; establish and maintain an effective casework relationship with clients and their families in working towards a solution to their problems; utilize a wide range of social work techniques and community resources; work cooperatively with coworkers, other agencies and the public; receive and provide consultation; interpret complex laws and regulations to clients and the public; manage a caseload in a timely and effective manner; prepare and present written and oral reports; work cooperatively with fellow employees and the general public; utilize supervision and direction to meet the agency's program goal; use a computer terminal sufficiently to perform the duties of this position; drive a car; direct the work of others.Application Process
It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.
Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date.  Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement.  A resume should be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.  Incomplete applications will be disqualified.  
Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Office in any one or more of the following ways:

• As an attachment to the online application 
• By e-mail to carrie.matthews@yolocounty.gov. 

All required documents must be received by the Human Resources Office by the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted.   Human Resources is not responsible for the untimely delivery of materials sent via U.S./specialized mail, or County interoffice mail.

Selection Procedure
The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process.  The selection process steps, and all listed dates, may change with or without notice.
 

• Screen for Minimum Qualifications
• Screen for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Reference Checks
• Conditional Job Offer, pending:
  1. Pre-Employment Exams 
     • Drug & Alcohol Screen
     • Department of Justice LiveScan
• Confirmed Job Offer
• Estimated Start Date: To be determined

 Verification of Education
 Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded.

 For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.

 Please do not send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.

 All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site (http://www.iau-aiu.net/content/institutions).
 Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following:
 
 1. A written statement from a U.S. accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
 
 2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.
 
 Note: Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.
 
 EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE
 601 University Ave., Suite 127
 Sacramento, CA 95825
 (916) 921-0790
 www.eres.com 
 
 FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE
 P.O. Box 151739
 San Diego, CA 92175
 (619) 265-5810
 www.documentservice.org 
 
 CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC.
 P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817
 (714) 237-9272
 www.iescaree.com 
 
 GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC.
 409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393
 Redondo Beach, CA 90277
 (310) 828-5709
 www.globaleval.org
 
 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS EVALUATION SERVICE
 P.O. Box 3665
 Culver City, CA 90231-3665
 (310) 258-9451
 www.ierf.org 

Contact Information
For questions about the position or about employment with the County, please contact Human Resources by e-mail at carrie.matthews@yolocounty.gov or by phone at (530) 661-2619.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the County of Yolo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance.  The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.  Reasonable testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities or who are unable to attend a scheduled test due to religious reasons in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call the County of Yolo Human Resources Office at (530) 666-8055 at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled test date to request accommodation. Documentation from a medical doctor, rehabilitation counselor, or other qualified professional will be required.

  

Salary : $83,075 - $100,963