SOCIAL WORKER IV- CHILDREN'S SERVICES

This is a continuous recruitment; applications submitted will be reviewed on a bi-weekly basis. We will continue to accept applications until the positions are filled.  

Social Worker IV – Children’s Services requires a master's degree and social work case management experience in a public or private social services agency. This is the highest non-supervisory level in the series. Incumbents perform casework requiring the application of high level and sophisticated social services expertise and techniques, generally in the area of child welfare services.The following duties are normal for this position.  These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.  Other related duties may be required and assigned.
 

• Performs case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment.
• Develops intensive long or short-term treatment plans, which require a comprehensive fund of professional knowledge with the aim of improving or restoring individual or family functioning.
• Ensures all services are delivered in a respectful, culturally sensitive, and appropriate manner.
• Acts as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training.
• Functions at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization and research.
• May perform the following specific types of counseling: marital, family inter-relationship, protective services for children and families.
• Investigates and provides services to children where their physical or emotional welfare is involved such as cases of neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical or mental disabilities, or other health conditions involving a child's personality; unmarried parenthood; conflict in parent-child relationships; lack of proper guardianship of a child; problems in school or community relationships; inadequate child care arrangements by working parents or the absence of one parent from the home and its effects on the stability of the child's home.
• Receives reports of children; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations to protect children and makes recommendations, implements and monitors alternate placement, may remove children from unsafe situations.
• May provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; required to work on-call; may testify in court; supports witnesses and victims who must testify in court.
• Assesses prospective foster and adoptive parents; matches children with adoptive/foster parents, and counsels foster and adoptive families.
• Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the case plan goals.
• Interprets and explains rules, regulations and policies to children, families, and others.
• Maintains casework records and handles relevant correspondence.
• Develops and prepares court report, case plans, case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems.
• Operates a personal computer and other office equipment; enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems.
• Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations, and case plans to children, families, and service providers.
• Communicates effectively with clients and others in writing, in person, and over the telephone.
• Analyzes data, interprets directions, procedures, and regulations, and develops appropriate responses.
• Performs job duties under stressful conditions and emergency situations.
• Responds appropriately to situations.
• Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill any future opening(s), including Part-Time and Extra Help, in this class for up to six months.

NOTICE: All correspondences, notices and invitations to test and/or interview will be via e-mail through Governmentjobs.com/NEOGOV.  Please be sure to set-up your inbox to receive them or check your junk-mail to make sure you are receiving Sutter County's recruitment communications. You may also view all correspondences by logging in to your governmentjobs.com profile and clicking on the mail symbol on the top right corner.






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Knowledge of:  

• Principles and practices of organization, workload management, and time management.
• Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
• Principles and practices of counseling, bio-psychosocial assessments, and therapy
• Physical and mental health principles and the impact on the personality.
• Local socio-economic conditions, trends, and current problems and methodology in the field of public social services.
• Basic principles and techniques of interviewing and recording the social casework.
• Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
• Community organizations and social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
• Basic principles involved in the nature, growth and development of personality, and in-group processes.
• Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
• Current issues in the field of social child welfare.
• Principles of analysis and problem-solving methodology.
• Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level.
• Medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease, drug dependency, and the medically fragile child.
• Strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide.
• Psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients.
• Signs, stages and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior.
• Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families.
• Standards for maintaining children safely in home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations.

Ability to:        

• Apply the principles of child psychology and family relationships.
• Evaluate personal psychological factors in the child and/or family's situation.
• Recognize signs of abuse for children; assess risk factors and potential dangers to children.
• Act effectively in stressful situations.
• Demonstrate skill in the more complex casework areas.
• Accept and use consultative supervision.
• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Apply existing laws, rules and regulations to child welfare operations and interpret and explain public social services programs, policies, rules and regulations to the child, family, and others.
• Develop skill in interviewing, case recording and interpretation.
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients.
• Interact respectfully with people from various socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Work constructively within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.
• Understand and learn the agency programs, policy, and procedures.
• Obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts.
• Organize and maintain work detail.
• Relate and work well with agency staff, clients, and others.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain client rapport on an individual basis.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
• Use computers and related software.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with agency staff, clients, and outside organizations.

Education and Experience:  
Pattern 1: A master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university;
 
OR
 
Pattern 2: A master's degree from an accredited two (2) year counseling program*;
 
*Qualifying counseling degrees from a two (2) year counseling program includes: Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Addiction Counseling, or Counseling Psychology.
 
OR
 
Pattern 3: One (1) year of full-time experience performing advanced journey level social work case management in the Sutter County Social Worker III classification or comparable AND master's degree in social or behavioral science, psychology, anthropology, sociology or counseling education.

Current students within 6 months of graduating with their MSW may apply and attach a letter from the school indicating the student's expected graduation date. Applicants with the attached letter may be allowed to move forward in the recruitment and hiring process, but will not be given an official start date until proof of a conferred degree is provided.Special Requirements: Some positions may require possession of special language and culture skills as a bona fide qualification’s standard. In these cases, candidates must demonstrate that they possess the required skills.

License or Certificate: Some positions in this classification may require possession of a valid California driver's License. Employees who drive on County business to carry out job-related duties must possess a valid California driver's license for the class of vehicle driven and meet automobile insurability requirements of the County. Eligibility for employment for those who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the appointing authority.

Recruitment Process: The recruitment process for this position includes completing an application and participating in oral interview(s).  Please notify the Human Resources Department prior to the final filing date for this position if you believe you have a disability, which would make it difficult to participate in any portion of the recruitment process and would require reasonable accommodation. Sutter County reserves the right to require medical documentation concerning the need for accommodation. Offers of employment are contingent upon investigation of employment history, references, drug testing, medical review/exam and fingerprinting in addition to other appropriate requirements of the position. 

NOTE: Sutter County utilizes E-Verify to confirm the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.

The County of Sutter is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities.  Sutter County encourages both incumbents and individuals who have been offered employment to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Salary : $71,302 - $96,928