Social Services Practitioner III (COR)

We are looking for someone who has:

• Excellent interpersonal skills when working with diverse clients of various ages, socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, and mental/physical capabilities
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other professionals in order to meet the needs of shared clients and promote quality care, safety, and well-being
• Great written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge and ability to learn and apply complex laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to clients
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, organizational, and time management skills
• Tech-savvy skills and the ability to learn and use specialized case management software programs

A few reasons you might love this job:

• Opportunity to compassionately support children, elders/dependent adults and families
• It's more than a desk job - travel throughout the vast County of Riverside to meet with clients and community partners
• Work and network with dedicated professionals who share a passion for public service
• Career growth and upward mobility within the department
• Supportive and respectful working environment that values work-life balance

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Fast-paced environment
• Meeting mandated deadlines
• The need for documentation and technical writing
• Identifying ways to navigate social service delivery with limited resources while meeting clients' identified goals and needs

Job Description

The Social Services Practitioner III is a broad range journey to advanced level classification of the professionally trained social caseworker in the Social Services Practitioner series. Incumbents are characterized by the responsibility for performing full scope social service casework often requiring difficult diagnosis and intensive treatment services. The Social Services Practitioner III is distinguished from the Social Services Supervisor series by the latter's responsibility to provide full time supervision of staff performing casework.

Depending on area of assignment, incumbents may be required to have a master's degree from an accredited college or university in social work, social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, or social/human services.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

(Depending on the area of assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following)

Carry a caseload of the more difficult types of social service cases requiring a high degree of technical competence where social or family problems or environmental forces adversely affect family life; assess client's problems and develop treatment plans.

Complete case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment; develop intensive long or short-term treatment plans to improve or restore individual or family functioning.

Act in a lead capacity for a small group of Social Services Practitioners or services employees, such as aides and volunteers.

Act as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training.

Function at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization, and adoptive services.

Take part in staff development programs to increase knowledge of the social work processes and augment personal technical competence.

Provide therapeutic marital, family interrelationship, and adoptive parent counseling.

Investigate and provide services to clients where their physical or emotional welfare is involved; work with cases involving neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical/mental disabilities or other health conditions affecting a client's personality, family relationships, child, or in-home care arrangements.

Provide services and counseling in cases of desertion or impending loss of a spouse, child, or caretaker.

Interpret public social service rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the public.

Maintain casework records and prepare reports and correspondences.

Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.

Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove child/disabled adults/elderly from home and transport them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair).

Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING:

Perform studies of patients and their families to determine the nature of their problems; learn to develop the most effective treatment methods and treatment plans according to need.

Interview patients, families, and friends to obtain information for case records.

Assess the psychosocial needs of pediatric patients and initiate appropriate interaction accordingly.

Coordinate and consult with medical and other staff members and with outside agencies regarding available resources.

Learn to interpret significant emotional, social, and economic factors to healthcare team members.

Participate in seminars of other types of training programs to enhance social work capabilities; may participate in group therapy.

Assist in conducting training of social service aspects of medical treatment for healthcare personnel outside of the social services unit.

Under close supervision, provide social casework services to help patients and their families adjust to social, emotional, and financial problems created by illness or disability.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE LISTED DUTIES, ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM MAY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING:

Plan, implement, and evaluate the Child Life Program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

OPTION I
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: One year equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II.

OPTION II
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelors degree, preferably with a major in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: Two years performing casework duties in a public or private human services agency. Experience must include assessing or determining client needs, formulating case plans, or executing case plans to support and meet client needs.

OPTION III
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree, preferably with a major in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.

OPTION IV
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelors degree in Social Work.

Experience: Completed internship experience in a public or private welfare agency as part of an accredited Bachelor of Social Work degree program.

POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO A HEALTHCARE FACILITY
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: Two years as a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II; or one year of performing social casework duties in a hospital or healthcare facility equivalent to a County of Riverside Social Services Practitioner II; or ten years of Hospital Social Worker experience in a hospital or healthcare facility.

POSITIONS ASSIGNED TO THE CHILD LIFE PROGRAM
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, child life, child development, or a closely related field to the assignment.

Experience: Two years of Child Life Specialist experience in a hospital or healthcare facility.

ALL OPTIONS
Knowledge of: Principles and techniques of social casework and of the function of public social service agencies; individual and group behavior with emphasis on normal growth, development, and family relationships; social casework objectives, principles, and methods; socioeconomic and cultural factors which promote stable family life, and an understanding of the factors that affect family security; physical and mental illnesses and their impact on personality; community organizations and the services they provide; laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies; basic computer skills.

Ability to: Establish rapport with clients and their families; effectively apply casework knowledge and skills; apply the principles of general and/or child psychology and family relationships; evaluate personal and psychological factors in the client and/or family's situation; work constructively within an agency and community setting; effectively utilize appropriate resources and services; provide consultation to others; demonstrate skill in planning and analysis; control personal bias and apply social work ethics; maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public; provide consultation to and assist in the professional development of less experienced Social Services Practitioners; input and retrieve data from computerized system.

Additional Requirements
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is necessary at the time of hire and must be maintained throughout employment. County vehicles may be available but are not guaranteed. Employees may be required to use their own vehicles for field travel and are required to provide vehicle insurance information for their personal vehicle.
Schedule: Incumbents may be required to participate in a mandatory on-call schedule which may include working nights, holidays, and weekends.

Physical Requirements: The Social Services Practitioner III position with the Adult Services and Childrens Services Divisions requires both office work and field work. Office work requires sedentary tasks such as report writing/typing and documentation. Field work may include frequent driving, conducting home visits, attending court hearings, and meeting with various stakeholders in the community. Field work requires the ability to climb stairs, walk on uneven surfaces, and maneuver around obstacles in the home and work independently and safely in a variety of home environments, which may include hazardous conditions, such as unsecured pets or unclean living spaces. Additionally, in emergent situations incumbent may be required to lift and carry heavy objects or individuals.

Background Requirement: Employment within the Department of Social Services - Childrens Services Division requires frequent and routine contact with children. As a result, all employment offers for the Childrens Services Division are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment physical exam, including a drug/alcohol test, a search of the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI), clearance to access Criminal Offender Record Information from the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), and a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting.

(A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from employment with the Department of Public Social Services.)