Social Worker I

Job Description:

Social Worker I

Description

The Position

The current vacancies are in Adult Aging Services and Family Children’s Services.

Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements, Social Worker Assistants, Social Workers and Social Worker Supervisors whose regular full-time assignment is Family and Children’s Services in the Social Services Department shall receive a ten percent (10%) premium.

The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions throughout the County, should they occur. Pursuant to current bargaining unit agreements, employees regularly assigned to the coastal region or in Covelo are eligible to receive a 5% assignment premium .

Under close supervision in a learning capacity, performs basic social services casework; identifies client needs for more intensive casework services and provides referrals; manages a caseload of increasingly difficult cases; and performs other related work as assigned. Typical assignments are within child welfare and adult services programs.

The Social Worker series provides an excellent career path for those interested in pursuing a career with the County of Mendocino.

Bilingual English/Spanish encouraged to apply. Se buscan personas bilingües en inglés y español. Para recibir una solicitud en español, llame a Recursos Humanos al 234-6600.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Conducts interviews with clients, family members, and others in their home/field, in the office, or via telephone to assess the basic social, physical and mental needs of clients and obtain health information in order to identify and provide social services. Performs case studies and evaluates individual and family case information to assess the safety of children and adults; determines appropriate types and methods of treatment.
• Receives reports of suspected abuse/neglect; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations and recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court.
• Maintains confidential information and client confidentiality 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.
• Develops and carries out culturally sensitive service plans for an assigned caseload in conformance with agency, state and federal requirements; assists clients and family members to develop strategies to accomplish service plan goals.
• Refers clients to other staff members or to community resources for direct and intensive services and specialized counseling as necessary.
• Advocates on clients' behalf for appropriate services. Assists applicants and clients in utilizing available resources, including assisting in completing paperwork and accompanying clients to appointments.
• Interprets policies, rules, and regulations of the agency to clients, applicants and others within the scope of responsibility.
• Makes home visits in connection with casework assignments.
• Prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations and service plans to clients, families and service providers.
• Develops and prepares court reports, service plans, case narratives and safety plans in computer systems.
• Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the service plan goals.
• Participates in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work practices and achieve technical proficiency.
• Develops, coordinates and may facilitate a team of professionals and natural supports working with clients to achieve client goals.
• Provides community outreach for various agency programs.
• Counsels or supports clients with complex or specialized needs; provides crisis intervention.
• Provides self-help information, education, and services; works with clients and caregivers to develop and improve caregiving and independent living skills.
• Obtains and evaluates law enforcement, medical, and psychological reports.
• Enters and retrieves data and narratives from computer systems.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Education and Experience:
EITHER
Pattern 1: Bachelor's degree from an accredited four year college or university with a major in social welfare/social work, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science.

Pattern 2: Bachelor's degree from an accredited four year college or university with a major in a field other than listed in the above ; AND one (1) year of full-time experience in the Social Worker Assistant II, Employment and Training Worker II, or comparable classification, or two (2) years of full-time experience providing direct services to children or adults in a private or public agency setting, as defined below.

Pattern 3: Successful completion of 30 college semester units (45 quarter) from an accredited college or university, including 15 semester units (22 quarter) in social welfare/social work, social/human services, sociology, or other social or behavioral science; AND three (3) years of full-time experience in the Social Worker Assistant II, Employment and Training Worker II, or comparable classification, or three (3) years of full-time experience providing direct services to children or adults in a private or public agency setting, as defined below.

Direct services is defined as: providing professional services in a private or public agency setting to help clients work through life difficulties and overcome challenges. This may include assisting clients who are dealing with a wide range of issues from unemployment, homelessness, and poverty, to terminal illness, domestic violence, and substance abuse.

Licenses and Certifications:
Valid Driver's License

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of organization, workload management and time management.
• Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, and English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Phone etiquette and interview techniques.
• Local socio-economic conditions and trends.
• Basic principles of individual and group behavior.
• Current issues in the field of social welfare.
• Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level.
• General principles of public assistance policies and programs.
• Basic principles and techniques of interviewing and recording of social casework.
• Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of the public welfare agency and the role and responsibilities of a social worker.
• Community organization and the social problems calling for the use of public and private community resources.
• Basic signs of abuse/neglect of children, the elderly and dependent adults.

Skill to:

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations.
• Organize and maintain work detail.
• Apply existing laws, rules, and regulations to welfare department operations.
• Interpret and explain to the clients, recipient, or other public social service programs, policies, rules, and regulations.
• Write clear and concise narrative reports, correspondence and other materials.
• Develop skill in interviewing case recording and interpretation.
• Work constructively within a community setting and effectively use appropriate resources and services.
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients.
• Respect cultural differences.
• Analyze data, interpret and apply directions, rules, policies, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.

Mental and Physical Abilities:

• Basic analysis and problem solving.
• Establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with agency staff, clients, and others.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines and follow up on assignments with moderate direction.
• Recognize the relevance and significance of obtained facts.
• Work with increasingly difficult cases/clients including clients with dual diagnosis, potentially dangerous clients or legally complex cases.
• Work effectively in emotionally charged or stressful settings/emergencies.
• Accept and use constative supervision and constructive feedback.
• Learn, understand and apply the agency programs, policies, and procedures.
• Use a computer to accurately and rapidly enter and retrieve data and information.
• Assess, evaluate and determine situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Effectively handle problems involving several variables in non-standardized situations.
• While performing the essential functions of this job the incumbent is regularly required to use sound and odor perception and discernment.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to: walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; speak and hear; and push, pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 40 pounds. Incumbents may, during the course of their work, occasionally be required to lift and/or carry children weighing up to 40 pounds, including children in car seats, infant carriers, or strollers.

Selection Procedure & Other Important Information

• It is your responsibility to demonstrate through your application materials how you meet the minimum qualifications of the position/s for which you apply.
• You must complete all sections of the application. A résumé or other information you feel will help us evaluate your qualifications may be attached to your completed application, but will not be accepted in lieu of completing any part of the application. Blank applications that contain only a résumé or those that reference “see résumé” will be rejected as incomplete.
• Check your application before submitting to ensure it is complete and correct; no new or additional information will be accepted after the closing date.
• Inquiry will be made of your former and current employers; please provide the names and telephone numbers of supervisors on your application.
• You must provide the names and contact information of at least three (3) references (not relatives) that have knowledge of your job skills, experience, ability and/or character.
• Application materials are the property of Mendocino County and will not be returned.
• It is your responsibility to keep your NEOGOV profile updated, including any changes to your telephone number or address. Failure to do so may result in missed notification of exams or interviews.
• The exam process listed on this flyer is tentative. Mendocino County reserves the right to make necessary modifications to the examination plan. Such revisions will be in accordance with approved personnel standards. Should a change be made, applicants will be notified.
• The provisions of this job bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

Examination Process: All complete applications will be reviewed; incomplete applications will not be considered. Based on the number of qualified candidates, applicants meeting the job requirements and qualifications will be invited to participate in an oral examination (weight 100) or an unassembled exam, consisting of an evaluation of education and experience as stated on the application form. The examination process will test the knowledge and abilities described above. A minimum score of 70 must be attained for placement on the employment list.

Special Testing: The County of Mendocino is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), if special accommodations for a disability or religious conviction are necessary at any stage of the application and/or testing process, please notify the Human Resources Department in advance at (707) 234-6600. Reasonable notice is required to allow adequate time for review and evaluation of your request.

Special Requirements: Employment in some County departments or positions may require the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background, which may include fingerprinting, and/or a medical examination, which may include drug screening.

This announcement is a synopsis of duties and requirements of this job. To review the complete classification specification and benefits, please see the HR website. Applications must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by the final filing date.

The County of Mendocino is an Equal Opportunity Employer


This information is a summary of general benefits. Benefits listed in Mendocino County Resolutions or Memorandums of Understanding prevail over this listing. This information is not legally binding, nor does it constitute a Contract.

SALARY
Compensation is based on a five-step salary range, with annual merit-based increases within the salary range.

RETIREMENT
Covered under Social Security and the 1937 act; both employees and the County pay into the retirement fund. For the most current information regarding County Retirement please go to:
https://www.mendocinocounty.org/retirement

HOLIDAYS AND PERSONAL LEAVE
Mendocino County observes 11 paid holidays per year. Employees are granted 24 - 48 hours of personal leave annually, depending upon Bargaining Unit.

VACATION
Accrues at the rate of two weeks per year for three years. Three weeks per year after three years, four weeks after eight years and five weeks after 15 years.

SICK LEAVE
Paid sick leave accrues at the rate of 1.25 days per month, or 15 days per year. Accruals are pro-rated for part-time employees working at least 20 hours per week. Part-time employees working less than 20 hours per week, and extra-help employees receive up to 24 hours (or 3 days) of paid sick leave annually.

MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, AND LIFE INSURANCE
The County and the employee share the cost of an employee selected health care plan; enrollment in the plan includes $20,000 Life Insurance.

HEALTH INSURANCE
For the most current information regarding Health Insurance please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/ehb

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
For the most current information regarding Employee Assistance please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/eap

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM
For the most current information regarding Employee Wellness please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/mcwow

LABOR CONTRACTS
For the complete list of most current labor agreements please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/labor

Closing Date/Time: 3/23/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$51,729.60 - $62,878.40 Annually