What are the responsibilities and job description for the Family Services Worker III - APS position at Spotsylvania County, VA?
General Statement of Job
Under limited supervision, performs social work and case management in the provision of social services for individuals in need of assistance. Employee is responsible for investigating allegations of abuse or exploitation of elderly/disabled adults, investigating cases of suspected child abuse/neglect with lead role responsibilities in cases involving criminal abuse/neglect or sexual abuse, assisting clients in achieving self-sufficiency, or implementing activities associated with other social services. Work involves performing case management, providing crisis intervention and/or counseling, assessing client needs, coordinating provision of needed services, and maintaining case records. Work may regularly involve two or more program areas.
This position is essential. Personnel occupying this position may be scheduled to work regardless of weather conditions and/or when general County offices are closed. If chosen for this position, the employee will be required to be part of an on-call rotation that includes evenings, weekends, overnight visits, and holiday hours that may require immediate response into the field.
Special Duties & Responsibilities
ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES:
- Performs case management, intervention, and/or counseling involving situations such as abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children, elderly citizens, disabled/incapacitated adults, or other individuals at risk; implements activities associated with other social service programs, such as assisting clients in achieving self-sufficiency.
- Investigates allegations of abuse or exploitation of elderly/disabled adults; conducts assessments of personal care facilities, nursing homes, adult care residences, and adult day care facilities; assesses client needs and makes provisions for services, which may include protective services, companion services, or long term services; recruits, interviews, and approves companion aides, and monitors companion aide cases; makes home visits to clients’ homes; reviews guardianship reports.
- Coordinates or participates in meetings relating to area of assignment, such as Family Partnership Meetings, Treatment Team meetings, Individual Education Plan meetings, adult prescription team meetings or team meetings between staff, family members and/or other professionals.
- Participates in specialized work teams involving multiple county agencies or external entities.
- Prepares referrals for families requiring financial assistance or other assistance; collaborates or contracts with outside agencies or professionals as appropriate; maintains current listings of community resources, social service agencies, or other resources available for clients.
- Prepares and maintains confidential case records and files; documents all interactions with clients; prepares purchase of services orders and vendor invoices; enters data into computer system.
- Maintains confidentiality of departmental issues and documentation.
- Maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, policies, or other guidelines; reads professional literature; maintains professional affiliations; attends workshops and training sessions regarding changing laws and policies.
- Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.
- May be required to be part of an on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight shifts, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field
- Performs other related duties as required.
Minimum Training & Experience
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services, Sociology, Human Services, Psychology, or closely related field and a minimum of three (3) years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area to include relevant, direct experience in two (2) or more service areas of social services work; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. A Master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
Must possess and maintain a valid Virginia driver’s license.
Special Requirements
- Knowledge of the policies, procedures, and activities of the County and of departmental practices as they pertain to the performance of duties relating to the position of Family Services Worker.
- Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods associated with social services work, with particular knowledge of services and resources relating to both primary and secondary area of assignment.
- Knowledge of the terminology, principles, and methods utilized within the department.
- Knowledge of the laws, ordinances, standards, and regulations pertaining to the essential duties and responsibilities of the position.
- Knowledge of child protection laws, rules, and regulations.
- Knowledge of conducting child protective services assessment and investigation.
- Knowledge of foster care and adoption laws, rules, and regulations.
- Ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, and refer clients to other resources as needed.
- Ability to assess safety, risk, and protective capacity.
- Possess critical thinking skills, ability to apply critical thinking, knowledge, and research to multiple scenarios in the field as well as an office setting.
- Ability to meet deadlines and maintain case documentation within a case management system.
- Ability to work collaboratively with families to identify solutions to specific issues and/or challenges such as parenting, behavior management, childcare, financial stability, housing, mental health, substance abuse, etc.
- Requires the ability to develop goals and to use decision-making tools and resources for the safety and well-being of children.
- Ability to assess situations relating to social problems such as child abuse or elderly abuse/neglect, and to provide or coordinate appropriate intervention.
- Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply regulations, procedures, and related information.
- Ability to keep abreast of any changes in policy, methods, computer operations, equipment needs, policies, etc., as they pertain to departmental operations and activities.
- Ability to conduct effective client interviews and to exercise considerable tact, courtesy, and discretion in contact with clients and family members.
- Ability to effectively communicate and interact with clients, court personnel, supervisors, and members of the general public, and all other groups involved in the activities of the department.
- Ability to assemble information and make written reports and documents in a concise, clear and effective manner.
- Ability to use independent judgment and routinely work with little direct supervision.
- Ability to exhibit mathematical ability to handle required calculations.
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and proficiency with computers and related software programs.
- Ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data using established criteria. Includes exercising discretion in determining actual or probable consequences and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.
- Ability to inform and guide others by applying principles of professional counseling in addressing specific situations.
- Ability to read a variety of informational documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures.
- Ability to write reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech.
- Ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.
- Ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.
- Ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.
- Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.
- Ability to communicate respectfully and professionally.
- Must be adaptable to performing under moderate stress when confronted with an emergency.
