Social Worker II (CMHRP) - #00002983

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES

This is professional-level work involving the provision of both direct and indirect services to clients and/or their families.  Work is carried out in a variety of Public Health, Mental Health, or Social Services settings and focuses upon the restoration of the client's physical, social, and economic functioning.  Clients often experience poor parent-child relationship, abuse/neglect, interpersonal difficulties, changes in family structures, mental illness, behavioral discord, family conflicts, problem pregnancies, failure to thrive, and mental retardation.  Positions are typically located Family and Children Services in such programs as Adoptions, Foster Care, and Foster Home Finding within the Department of Social Services; Individual and Family Outpatient settings in mental health environments; and Family Planning/Maternity and Child Health Clinics to name a few.  In some components, such as Emergency Services, employees provide a complete range of services during non-traditional office hours.

Employees at this level perform many of the same duties performed by Social Worker I positions, but work requires more intensive or specialized services; employees respond to the more complex individual, family, health, or personal problems.  Severe physical illnesses and mental disorders are generally referred to a social work clinician or physician.

Work involves evaluating the client's situations and his/her ability to deal with it, developing a social history, psychosocial assessment, service plan and/or treatment plan and follow-up.  Services may include placement in a residential facility or foster home or could include a provision to return the client to their natural home environment.  Basic counseling, support, crisis intervention, and reinforcement are provided in areas such as death and dying, medical, health, personal or family adjustment, or behavioral management.  Employees address such problems as adjustment to illness or disability, placement into an institution, rest home, foster home or nursing facility; financial concerns; socialization issues of the socially handicapped or those debilitated by age or illness; physical, emotion, and educational needs.  Workers provide information to and confer with schools, natural parents and foster parents and other service providers on habilitation plans, behavior management, and other problem areas or needs.

Employees may be involved in the recruitment, evaluation, and training of foster parents and other care providers.  Employees may make monthly visits to homes for the aged, developmentally disabled, nursing, or domiciliary homes; ensure compliance with state standards for such facilities; and report on the home's compliance with fire, health, and safety standards.  When irregularities are found, employees request a plan of correction within a specific time frame.  In these same settings, employees investigate complaints of reported violations, of abuse, neglect or exploitation.  Employees act as advocates for residents by working with administrators to examine individual client needs both within and outside the home.  Employees develop community or service resources and/or develop volunteer programs.  In certain treatment settings, workers participate on habilitation and/or treatment teams and provide the social work perspective.

Greater variety and complexity typify caseloads at this level.  As a result, employees must exercise more problem-solving abilities.  Intervention and follow-up activities require knowledge and use of more advanced treatment models, techniques, or methodologies.  Work may include the supervision and training of lower-level social workers or paraprofessional staff.  Positions at this level can be differentiated from that of the Social Worker I by the variety and complexity of cases, difficulty and intensity of personal contacts, greater independence of action, problem-solving, and the theoretical knowledge required to perform the work found at the Social Worker I level.  Employees report to a higher level professional or Social Work Supervisor.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate specialized multi-disciplinary services to an assigned caseload of high-risk Medicaid pregnant patients receiving Pregnancy Care Management services. Responsible for case management services to high or at-risk pregnant patients utilizing social work skills. The primary goals of case management services are to 1) reduce infant mortality by improving pregnancy outcomes; 2) ensure the provision of comprehensive preventive services to pregnant women and their infants; and 3) assist pregnant women in meeting other priority needs that affect their well-being and that of their families. Care Managers receive referrals from supervisor or team lead, assess patient needs, develop and implement a care plan based on needs and coordinate provision of multiple community services to ensure optimal birth outcomes and well-being of the patient and family. Follow up on referrals in a timely manner, complete or attempt face to face contacts at least every 30 days and keep providers abreast of changes in the patient’s status. All contacts with patients, providers and referral agencies will be thoroughly documented in Virtual Health an electronic database within 24 hours. The Care Manager will ensure the continuity of services during the postpartum period by providing child-spacing counseling, promote postpartum and contraceptive services, and initiates referrals to Care Management for At-Risk Children and other community services as indicated.

RECRUITMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities• Considerable knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to individual casework, group work, and community problems.• Knowledge of the psychosocial, socioeconomic and behavioral problems and their treatment.• Knowledge of governmental and private organizations and community resources.• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.• General knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment may be required in certain programs or settings.• Skill in establishing rapport with a client and applying techniques of assessing psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological aspects of client's problem.• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative supervisors, members of case load and their families, with civic, medical, social, and religious organizations, and with care providers and various community organizations.• Ability to express ideals clearly and concisely.• Ability to plan and execute work.

• Bachelors degree in a human services field from an accredited college/university
• Bachelors degree from an accredited college/university and one year of related experience
• Must have possession of an appropriate driver's license issued by the State of North Carolina
• A motor vehicle record (MVR), background check, and drug screening will be conducted on candidates considered for positions

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor or Master’s Degree in Social Work, which includes a Public Health/Community rotation. Additional training in specialty area may be required. Successful candidate must have a reliable means of transportation. Bilingual/multilingual persons are encouraged to apply.

• Due to program requirements only candidates with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Work will be considered. Experience working with pregnant women and their families, making home visits, and any medical background is preferred.

Driving is Essential 

Driving is an essential requirement of this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business.  Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria.
If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy.


Special Note

This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements.  However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with a physical abilities checklist which can give further details about that one specific position.  Those documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process.  They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.

Salary : $49,285 - $57,909