JOB TITLE: SOCIAL WORKER 1

JOB CODE: 40060

DEFINITION: This is professional social work.

An employee in this job develops, implements, and provides social work, counseling, and case management services to individuals at commonwealth facilities, such as intellectual disabilities (ID) centers, mental health (MH) hospitals, youth development centers (YDC), youth forestry camps (YFC), veterans’ long-term care facilities, or state correctional institutions, in order to enhance their social functioning and help them attain a more satisfactory social, economic, emotional, or physical adjustment. Work involves interacting with individuals, family members, guardians, agency staff, or community agency staff to plan, provide, or coordinate needed social work services. Work is performed in accordance with applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures under the general supervision of a professional or administrative supervisor. Work is reviewed through conferences, reports, and results achieved in meeting goals and objectives.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Interviews individuals, their family members, legal guardians, and external agency representatives to obtain, update, and record information regarding their physical, mental, emotional, economic, and social status.

• Assesses psychosocial strengths and weaknesses of individuals and their needs and eligibility for social work services.

• Counsels individuals or family members using various treatment modalities.

• Assists individuals or family members in recognizing needs and exploring methods for adjusting, modifying, and improving personal and social behavior.

• Participates in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings to discuss psychosocial assessments and family histories of assigned individuals.

• Participates in the development and implementation of comprehensive care and treatment plans for each assigned individual.

• Ensures needed benefits and services are obtained for assigned individuals in accordance with their treatment plans and applicable mandates, regulations, and policies.

• Provides the full range of social work services for an assigned caseload in a residential unit of an intellectual disabilities center.

• Records progress in meeting treatment plan goals and objectives and updates and maintains assigned case management files for individuals.

• Advises individuals and their family members or legal guardians of progress status and encourages their support and input.

• Responds to correspondence relating to court documents, parental or relative support, medical consultations, contracted service providers, rate payments for care and maintenance, and public and private insurance reimbursements.

• Confers with facility staff, external agency representatives, and family members on discharge planning.

• Develops social services plans for individuals which summarize their disposition and the need for continued aftercare or follow-up services upon discharge, case closing, or transfer.

• Collaborates with, visits, and inspects Community Based Service Units, service providers, and social and health care agencies to maximize care and treatment and aid in the transition of individuals back to the community or home.

• Prepares records and reports in accordance with established policies and procedures.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of professional social work principles, practices, and methods.

• Knowledge of professional casework principles, practices, and methods.

• Knowledge of individual and group behavior.

• Knowledge of counseling techniques and interventions used to identify or improve psychosocial, economic, and physiological situations of individuals and families.

• Knowledge of commonly occurring physical disabilities and mental health disorders and their social, economic, and psychological implications.

• Knowledge of social, economic, health, habilitative and rehabilitative problems, treatment methods, and resources.

• Knowledge of the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as applied to social work practice.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to social work services and programs.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• A bachelor's or master’s degree in social work or social welfare.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

• All employees in the Department of Corrections must obtain Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification within two months of hire and maintain it for the duration of employment in the job.