What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Social Woker/ Social Worker position at Shasta County?
THE CURRENT VACANCY IS IN THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH OF
THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY
ORAL EXAM IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2025
SEE “SPECIAL REQUIREMENT” SECTION REGARDING
POSSESSION OF A VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE
RESPONSES TO SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS REQUIRED
FINAL FILING DATE: APRIL 11, 2025 AT 9:00 AM
SALARY INFORMATION
Assistant Social Worker: $3,868 - $4,937 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $22.31 - $28.48 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*
Social Worker: $4,478 - $5,715 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $25.84 - $32.97 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*
*Please refer to the appropriate Bargaining Unit Memorandum of Understanding for potential future salary increases* Please visit https://www.shastacounty.gov/personnel/page/labor-agreements-mous.
ABOUT SHASTA COUNTY
Shasta County offers all the amenities of the big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and excellent quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) partners with communities to protect and improve the health and well-being of Shasta County residents. Established in 2006, the HHSA is organized into four branches: Behavioral Health & Social Services, Public Health, Economic Mobility, with a centralized Administration Services. The HHSA promotes optimal health for all. The frail, the abused, the mentally ill and those without resources look to the HHSA for services and resources to meet their basic needs, and to protect their health and safety. This transformation improves efficiency, avoids unnecessary duplication of effort, encourages collaboration among programs and organizes the HHSA’s services to be more responsive to the needs of the public.
Adult Services focuses on issues that affect people eighteen and older. Adult mental health services include outpatient mental health care, 24-hour crisis stabilization services for people at risk of hospitalization, 24-hour crisis residential services, long-term placement services and referrals to local non-profit organizations that provide additional services. This branch also provides Adult Protective Services to follow-up on elder abuse reports. In-Home Supportive Services help those who need assistance with daily activities in order to remain safely in their own homes, and the Public Authority keeps a registry that helps In-Home Supportive Services recipients find a screened caregiver to provide those services. The Public Guardian helps citizens who are unable to manage their personal and financial affairs and may require guardianship or conservatorship. Mental Health Services Act administration is also housed in the Adult Services Branch.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Under direction of the Social Worker Supervisor and Senior Social Workers, the Assistant Social Worker/Social Worker will answer the intake line for Adult Protective Services, taking in referrals and allegations regarding various types of elder maltreatment. The Assistant Social Worker will be assigned a caseload of no more than 25 cases at a time their first year, and 35 cases at a time the second year. The Social Worker will carry a service caseload of no more than 50 cases for the first year, with an expectation of unlimited cases the second year. The Assistant Social Worker/Social Worker will provide social services knowledge and resources to all clientele and community partners, as well as conduct social studies and develop service plans which may include the need for specialized social services or actions needed to assist the clients needs for safe living. The Assistant Social Worker/Social Worker will provide information about available services and generate referrals to appropriate departmental or community human services resources; and to do other work as required. Based on Amendment Bill 135 which took effect January 1, 2022, there has been an increase in cases reported to APS due to the age requirement being reduced from 65 years old to 60 years old.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Assistant Social Worker: This is the trainee class in the professional Social Worker series. A position in this class is distinguished from that of the next higher class of Social Worker in that the incumbent is given constant and detailed supervision in learning such items as departmental organization, social service programs, basic case study methods and casework services. As experience is gained, employees are assigned selected caseloads where consequence of error is minimal; case recommendations and casework methodology, however, continue to receive close review. In contrast, the Social Worker carries a full caseload, works with greater independence of action and normally provides case services of average to complex difficulty.
Social Worker: This is the full journey level in the professional Social Worker series. Incumbents spend a substantial part of their time on the more difficult, sensitive, and specialized services where major case decisions are made independently and where consequence of error may be significant. Advanced casework skills, a high degree of program knowledge, judgment and creativity are required. Typical assignments include adoptions, child foster home placement, child protective services screening and intake, juvenile court case consultation and liaison, original licensing for child foster care homes, and initial assessment of adult protective services. This class is distinguished from the Senior Social Worker class in that the latter is expected to manage a difficult caseload at the highest level of skill.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The Health & Human Services Agency of Shasta County is committed to providing fair and equal access to services. If you share this same commitment, desire a meaningful career serving the public, and want the opportunity to make a difference for your community, consider a career with us. We celebrate and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and actively seek and encourage applications from persons with diverse backgrounds and characteristics. The ideal candidate will be able to make an immediate positive impact on external and internal customers. With a professional attitude and appearance, the ideal candidate will demonstrate a desire for serving those in need while promoting community health and well-being. This individual will be a positive contributor to the site culture and exemplify the agency values of Collaboration, Adaptability, Respect and Excellence. We welcome a candidate who is interested in a fast-paced, team-oriented, collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will be good with communication, multitasking, organizing and have the ability to maintain strong interpersonal skills.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of two years of case management experience, working with elders 60 and older and dependent adults aged 18-59 with disabilities of a physical, medical, cognitive, intellectual, or emotional nature; possess good communication skills and a compassionate attitude; maintain accurate and timely documentation and work well with a busy and often unpredictable caseload. Experience with interviewing, completing assessments and developing services plans are critical skills for this position. The successful candidate will work within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services. The candidate will also be required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, clients, and community organizations.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Assistant Social Worker: Studies and applies the principles and techniques of social work to a caseload which includes basic types of services problems; as a learner-trainee interviews clients to ascertain the nature of their problems and develop elementary services plans; carries out the less difficult services plans under close supervision where the end result normally is a tangible service, such as employment, referral to a community center or an environmental change; makes referrals to other staff members when problems are beyond level of competence; interprets services rules, regulations and policy to clients and the general public when within the scope of responsibility; maintains necessary casework records; attends training courses designed to further understanding of the social work processes and to increase technical competence.
Social Worker: Carries a caseload of the more difficult types of social service cases involving individualized treatment and specialized advanced application of casework methods and skills; diagnoses client problems and follows through with the more difficult treatment plans with a high degree of independence; interviews clients in office or home to assess needs for service; explains the optional and mandatory nature of social services programs; interprets State, County and departmental rules, regulations and policies to individuals and groups; responds to requests for information and makes referrals to appropriate workers or departments; gathers, maintains and disseminates current information on community resources; prepares reports, case records and correspondence; as an additional duty, incumbents may function in a lead capacity and assist with casework consultation and training for other social workers; assists in developing and implementing unit policies and procedures; acts in the absence of the supervisor or as designated in assigning cases and reviewing and approving case decisions; attends meetings and does related work as needed.
In Adult Services, undertakes a caseload of elderly clients to identify mental, physical and economic abilities and limitations which affect capacity for independent and/or family living; conducts initial in-depth client assessments covering psychological, social, rehabilitation and environmental conditions; makes home visits and evaluates needs and makes referrals to other agencies and services as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.
Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following:
Assistant Social Worker:
Knowledge of: Basic principles of individual and group behavior; the general nature of social problems calling for the general principles of public assistance policies and programs; basic public welfare programs of the Federal, State and local levels; principles of Interviewing and methodology; socio-economic conditions and trends.
Ability to: Establish rapport with clients and their families in working toward a solution of their problem; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action; speak and write effectively; learn and understand the agency programs and automated systems.
Social Worker:
Knowledge of: Social casework objectives, principles, methods and caseload organization and management; the functions and services provided by a public social service agency including basic knowledge of community resources; principles of human growth and development; the laws, policies and administrative procedures of County social service programs; community organization and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources; principles and techniques of interviewing and recording in social casework.
Ability to: Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with clients and their families, other employees, representatives of other public agencies and community organizations and groups; effectively use community and agency resources; utilize supervision and direction effectively to meet program goals of the department; communicate effectively in written and oral form; manage a difficult caseload; understand and explain pertinent regulations and policies; maintain current, accurate case records and use automated systems as necessary.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Assistant Social Worker:
- possession of a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other behavioral sciences.
Social Worker:
- Two (2) years of experience performing professional social casework services,
OR
- Possession of a master's degree in social work or a master's degree from a two-year counseling program,
OR
- Be a registered MFCC intern with California State Board of Behavioral Science;
OR
- Possession of a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology or other behavioral sciences; AND two (2) years of experience as an Assistant Social Worker in Shasta County;
OR
- Possession of a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology or other behavioral sciences; AND two (2) years of experience performing social casework services in child or adult protective services comparable to an Assistant Social Worker in Shasta County.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT
- Possession of an appropriate California driver’s license.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
Responses to the following must be submitted with a completed application.
- Do you possess a bachelor's degree, including thirty (30) semester college units in social welfare, social/human services, sociology, or other behavioral sciences? If yes, please list the courses and number of college units per class. If no, please type “N/A”.
- I acknowledge that if I have a bachelor’s degree but I did not list the courses and number of college units that meet the 30-unit requirement requested above, my application will not move forward in the screening process. Yes/No
- Do you possess two (2) years of experience performing professional social casework services? If yes, please provide details including, but not limited to, employers, dates of employment, job titles, and job duties. If no, please type “N/A”.
- Do you possess a master's degree in social work or a master's degree from a two-year counseling program? Yes/No
- Do you possess two (2) years of experience performing social casework services in child or adult protective services comparable to an Assistant Social Worker in Shasta County? If yes, please provide details including employers, dates of employment, and job duties. If no, please type “N/A”.
- I acknowledge this position requires an appropriate California driver's license. Yes/No
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, extreme cold, and extreme heat. Exposure to unsanitary conditions, e.g., spoiled foods, feces, urine, and disease.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- All new employees are required to have their paycheck directly deposited to a bank account.
- Some positions may require a valid California driver's license and acceptable driving record according to County policy.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made for those persons who are disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act to perform the essential functions of the position.
- As part of the selection process, all individuals provided with a preliminary offer of employment with Shasta County will be subject to a background investigation, including a criminal history check (primarily completed through the taking of fingerprints). An image of your fingerprints will be captured and sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history, (if any), will be evaluated along with the other information received in connection with your application. Except as otherwise required by law, a criminal conviction will not necessarily disqualify you from the position. The nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the surrounding circumstances, and the relevance of the offense to the position applied for may, however, be considered.
- Based on the results of the background investigation and criminal history check, applicants may then be provided with an offer of employment conditioned on the results of a medical examination, which includes drug/alcohol testing.
- Shasta County participates in E-Verify. For more information visit https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RighttoWorkPoster.pdf (Download PDF reader)(Download PDF reader). If you do not have internet access, contact Personnel at (530) 225-5515 to request a flyer.
- In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, County employees, in the event of a disaster are considered disaster workers and may be asked to respond accordingly.
- Positions in this classification are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the County and the United Public Employees of California – Professional Unit.
- Employees in this classification are covered under the CalPERS retirement program. Depending on the provisions of the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) and other applicable laws, an employee in this classification will be covered under one of the following CalPERS retirement formulas: (1) 2% at 55, (2) 2% at 60, or (3) 2% at 62. An employee in this classification will also contribute up to 8.5% for UPEC Professional his/her pay to this plan or will contribute such other amount to the plan as authorized by PEPRA and other applicable laws. Please visit our employees benefit page at https://www.shastacounty.gov/personnel/page/employee-benefitsfor additional information regarding benefits and CalPERS coverage information. The provisions in this flyer and on the County’s website are for information purposes only. To the extent the provisions of the flyer or the County’s website are inconsistent with PEPRA and other applicable laws, PEPRA and other applicable laws shall govern.
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES
Shasta County Personnel will accept applications and responses to the supplemental questions until 9:00 a.m., on April 11, 2025. A Resume and/or Cover Letter will be accepted in addition to the application form but will not serve as a substitute for a completed application. It is not acceptable to complete the application with statements such as, “Refer to Resume and/or Cover Letter,” or “See Attached Resume and/or Cover Letter” the employment application must be completed in its entirety prior to submission. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Closing date postmarks or faxes will NOT be accepted. This recruitment will establish a list that may or may not be used by other departments. Prior applicants must reapply to be considered.
Applicants will be screened and those considered best qualified will be invited to appear for an oral and/or written examination. Meeting the announced requirements does not guarantee inclusion into the selection process. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of additional application screening, written and/or practical exam(s), oral interview, or any combination thereof.
Veterans' Credit: Veterans (as defined by California Government Code section 18973) who have been discharged from military service under conditions other than dishonorable and who receive a passing score on all components of the employment examinations (up to and including oral examinations) shall receive credit for an additional five points to be added to their final examination score. To be considered for this credit, a veteran MUST provide a copy of his or her discharge document (DD-214 or equivalent) and information as to the type of discharge (honorable, dishonorable, etc.) WITH THE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION ON OR BEFORE THE FINAL FILING DATE.
Applicants are encouraged to apply on-line at www.ShastaCountyCareers.com or submit an application to the Shasta County Personnel Office.
Arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities. Requests for accommodations may be made to the Shasta County Personnel Office by the filing deadline posted on this bulletin. Shasta County does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you feel you are being denied service based on a disability, our ADA Coordinator may be reached at (530) 225-5515; relay service (800) 735-2922; fax (530) 225-5345.
Shasta County will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Shasta County is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act.
SHASTA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Shasta County Personnel
1450 Court Street, Suite 348; Redding, CA 96001; (530) 225-5515
Salary : $22 - $28
