Social Worker IV A/B-Adoptions Government Job Dept-Tehama County Department of Social Services Full Time

SOCIAL WORKER IV A – $28.82 – $35.03
SOCIAL WORKER IV B – $29.54 – $35.91

NATURE OF WORK:

The primary function of an Adoption Social Worker is to provide direct adoption services for prospective adoptive parents, adoptive parents and children in the Child Welfare System that need permanent homes or that have been adopted. The work performed is conducted in the field as well as in the office writing reports with time sensitive, legal and agency deadlines.

TYPICAL DUTIES OF AN ADOPTION SOCIAL WORKER:

Handling difficult adoptions casework tasks, working independently with county welfare departments, community partners, attorneys, judges and other representatives of the court system; interviewing adoptive parents and children to obtain information on personal issues in difficult or emotional situations; maintaining contact to monitor the progress of the child and family through the entire process; interacting with families to assess, identify needs and make appropriate referrals to services; making decisions and preparing full factual reports to the court with recommendations for or against granting petitions for adoption and recommending alternate plans when needed; completing the many various forms required for the finalization of the adoption; explaining decisions or recommendations to family members; handling different issues that may arise after the adoptions are finalized; reports to an Adoptions Supervisor and/or Program Manager.

IDEAL CANDIDATE: 

The ideal candidate for this position will work closely with team members of the agency, community partners, and extended family members and will have excellent written and oral communication skills, must be able to complete work accurately; be highly organized and able to prioritize tasks. The ideal candidate will also maintain a calm and professional demeanor and demonstrate exceptional customer service and be able to work independently.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 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 and
• 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 or adults incapable of self-care.
• 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, dependent adults and elderly abuse; investigates allegations by conducting interviews with victims and others; assesses situations to protect vulnerable adults and children and recommends, implements and monitors alternate placement, may remove children from unsafe situations; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may be 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.
• Refers clients to other staff members
• Coordinates and directly monitors family visitations to assess progress toward the case plan goals.
• Interprets and explains rules, regulations and policies to clients and applicants.
• 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 clients, 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.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
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 welfare.
• Principles of analysis and problem-solving methodology.
• Basic public welfare programs on the Federal, State, and local level.
• General principles of public assistance policies and programs.
• Medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease, drug dependency, the medically fragile child, Alzheimer’s, and the terminally ill.
• 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 clients 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, the elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients.
• Act effectively in stressful situations.
• Demonstrate skill in the more difficult casework areas.
• Accept and use consultative supervision.
• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Apply existing laws, rules and regulations to welfare department operations and interpret and explain to the applicant, recipient, or others public social services programs, policies, rules and regulations.
• Develop skill in interviewing, case recording and interpretation.
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients.
• Respect cultural differences.
• 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.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION – WEIGHTED 100%

The Education & Experience examination is based solely upon information provided from the application and supplemental information (e.g., resumes, transcripts). Information provided from the application and supplemental information will be assessed and compared to established standards developed in relation to the elements of the job and linked to the knowledge and abilities required. Special care should be taken to submit a complete description of your education and experience relevant to the typical tasks, scope, and minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin. Supplemental information will be accepted, but competitors should read this bulletin carefully to determine what kind of information will be useful to those individuals completing the evaluation. In order to obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. 

Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Tehama. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at [email protected] or 916-323-2360 upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified. 

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list. 

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.