What are the responsibilities and job description for the Social Worker position at Vigo County, IN?
Job Type
Full-time
Full-time
BENEFITS
Vigo County offers to full-time employees competitive benefit plans. These include Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, paid holidays, Flexible Spending Account Plans, 457 Plans, Life Insurance , and others.
Description
- Incumbent serves as Social Worker for Vigo County Community Corrections.
- The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations (as defined in Vigo County Community Corrections personnel polices handbook) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- To perform this position successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Examples of Duties
- Completes Evaluations on all participants to pre determine their eligible and forwards finding to pertinent agencies.
- Administers/assists with assessment of participant’s risk and needs.
- Utilizes assessment results to develop an individual treatment plan for each participant. Monitors participant’s program attendance.
- Monitors participant’s treatment plan compliance and evaluates overall progress.
- Selects, implements, and utilizes intervention and enforcement strategies that best fit the characteristics of the participant.
- Assists program participants in obtaining necessary treatment/education services identified in their treatment plan.
- Manages caseload in an effective manner. Manages time and organizes work demands appropriately.
- Serves as liaison between participants and service providers, including explaining program policies, answering questions, and resolving problems.
- Enters or Assists with participant intake, including completing required forms, explaining program rules and contract terms, and executing contracts. Monitors participant’s compliance with program rules.
- Maintains current and accurate case files. Accurately documents pertinent information from contacts.
- Prepares and files various documents with the court identifying the participant’s progress or lack thereof and testifies in court proceedings.
- Maintains current knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal rules/regulations, new developments, technology and trends in the field of community corrections by reading professional publications and periodically attending trainings, seminars and /or conferences.
- Assists with participant intake, including completing required forms, explaining program rules, contract terms, and executing contracts.
- Maintains current, accurate case files, documents pertinent information from all contacts in the Case Management system.
- Serves as liaison to participants and employers, including explaining program policies, answering questions, mediating conflicts, and resolving problems.
- Prepares files and various documents for the court identifying the program participant’s progress.
- Maintains face to face contact with participants at least once per week documenting all and type of contact in Case Management system
- Answers his/her telephone calls daily, responds to inquiries accurately and documents information. Forwards any pertinent information to the proper department.
- Uses the County Court JTS/CCS program to keep current with revocations and or court hearings.
- Assist with structuring participant’s time in productive and self-help activities.
- Provides behavioral management and well being of participants during all activities and classes.
- Continually evaluates participants, recording all behavior changes and incidents as required for court reports; conducts and logs observations.
- Acts as facilitator or co facilitator for client self help classes when necessary.
- Responds to problems and emergencies, such as rule infractions, conflicts between participants, illnesses, injuries; takes appropriate action and/or discipline as appropriate.
- Completes all necessary training including online training in the time allowed.
- Serves on 24-hour call for emergencies.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
- Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of department information/records according to state requirements.
Typical Qualifications
- Must be at least 21 years of age, Minimum Baccalaureate Degree in Social Work preferred with related experience in such areas as court procedures, community corrections and probation operations.
- Working knowledge and make practical application of Department policies and procedures, legal requirements, including agency Personnel Polices for employment, State Board of Accounts and the Department of Corrections policies.
- The employee will be trained and instructed in the utilization of the Eight Principles of Effective Intervention as related to Evidence Based Practices. The employee will be required to demonstrate and understanding of these skills and apply them in their daily duties.
- Working knowledge of Standard English, grammar, spelling, punctuation and the ability to type with speed and accuracy.
- Write clearly, informatively, edits work for spelling and or grammar errors, and able to read and interpret written information.
- Add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measures using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
- Consistently be at work, be on time, and ensure work responsibilities are covered when absent.
- As a result of the duties associated with this job, there is the potential of becoming exposed to blood borne pathogens and must receive the three shot Hepatitis B vaccination, annual Tuberculosis and subsequent training. If the employee has previously received the three shot Hepatitis B vaccination, official documentation must be provided to the supervisor within two weeks of hire date identifying when and who administered vaccine. Employee may NOT decline any vaccinations that are listed above.
- Must have the ability to adapt to change, apply those changes to his/her job immediately and effectively.
- Operate standard office equipment such as telephone, calculator, copier, fax machine, typewriter, computer, printer and etc.
- Working knowledge of database software, spreadsheet software and word processing software.
- Working knowledge of bookkeeping operations and ability to maintain accurate files.
- Effectively communicate orally and in writing with a variety of individuals such as co-workers, other county departments, attorneys, law enforcement personnel and the public.
- Show respect and sensitivity for cultural differences, and promote a harassment-free environment.
- Focus on solving conflicts, listen to others without interruption, keep emotions under control, remain open to others ideas, listens, responds, gets clarification to questions, participates in meetings, gives and welcomes feedback, displays passion and optimism.
- Effectively complete duties amidst frequent distractions and interruptions.
- Possess and utilize good interpersonal skills and at all times treating all persons with respect, work with integrity, ethics, uphold organizational values and professional courtesy.
- Maintain a good working relationship with staff, other agencies staff, participants and their families.
- Project a professional image appropriate for working in a professional office setting, including grooming and adhering to agency dress code at all times.
- Maintain confidentiality of all departmental records and or information.
- Carry out the instructions, guidelines and directives according to agency organizational chart in an accurate and timely manner.
- Possess valid Indiana drivers license and demonstrate a safe driving record. Provide proof to supervisor annually and must notify supervisor of suspensions or restrictions.
- Work evenings, weekends and etc. when workload and/or deadlines required.
- Attend meetings/training including evenings, weekends and out of town (overnight when necessary).
- Ability to perform related duties as assigned by Executive Director and/or Deputy Director/ Business Manager.
- Work with potentially dangerous, violent and or abusive participants.
- Ability to de-escalate potentially volatile situations between participants when necessary.
- Observe safety and security procedures. Determine appropriate action beyond guidelines and report potentially unsafe conditions to supervisor.
- Obtain required certifications/training within time specified by department, including first responder/CPR, response to resistance, verbal de-escalation, and disease control.
- Testifies in Court as needed.
Supplemental Information
Incumbent performs duties according to a flexible, customary routine with work priorities and schedules primarily determined by supervisor. Assignments are guided by broad policies and/or general objectives with incumbent referring to supervisor for unusual or unprecedented situations, such as policy interpretations, unclear legal codes, or problems with program participants. Incumbent receives general supervision and has a high degree of flexibility in the job. On rare occasions, decisions are made in the absence of specific policies and/or guidance from supervisor. Errors in work are primarily detected or prevented through procedural safeguards and supervisory review. Undetected errors could result in loss of time to correct error and/or endangerment to self or others.
Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, law enforcement agencies, Courts, treatment providers, employers, offenders, and the public for purposes of exchanging/explaining/verifying information, maintaining cooperative work relationships, and resolving problems.
Incumbent performs duties in a standard office environment within a confinement center, involving sitting/walking at will, close/far vision, depth perception, speaking clearly, hearing sounds/communication, handling/grasping/fingering objects, and keyboarding. Incumbent maintains considerable contact with offenders and may be exposed to irate/hostile individuals. Universal health/safety precautions must be followed at all times to avoid contamination, infection, and/or injury to self and others, lift and moves up to 25 pounds.
Incumbent occasionally works extended hours and/or evenings, and occasionally travels out of town for training, sometimes overnight. Incumbent occasionally responds to emergencies on a 24-hour basis.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function.
