JOB TITLE: SOCIAL WORKER 2

JOB CODE: 40070

DEFINITION: This is advanced professional social work.

An employee in this job functions as a lead worker over Social Worker 1 positions; as the coordinator of a major segment of the social work program at a commonwealth intellectual disabilities (ID) center, mental health (MH) hospital, youth development center (YDC), youth forestry camp (YFC), veterans’ long-term care facility, or a state correctional facility; or as a social worker in a district office within the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Work involves interpreting federal, state, departmental, and facility social work legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures; consulting and interacting with individuals, agency staff, family members, or community agency staff; and providing advice, guidance, and technical assistance for compliance with regulatory standards and for meeting social work goals and objectives for each assigned individual. 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 the social work program standards, 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.)

• Provides lead work direction and on-the-job training for assigned social work staff.

• Serves as a coordinator in an ID, MH, YDC, YFC, or veterans’ facility by performing specialized work, such as admissions, discharges, resident assessment, drug and alcohol counseling, vocational rehabilitation, community placement and follow-up, human rights protections, Alzheimer's support groups, or social services staff development and training programs.

• Provides specialized services in the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services or at the Hiram G. Andrews Center working with persons with disabilities.

• Coordinates the provision of specialized services with other state or community agencies.

• Participates in developing, implementing, providing, and coordinating social services programs with agency staff and community organizations.

• Reviews voluntary and involuntary individual intake, commitment, recommitment, or discharge data and documentation.

• Arranges for diagnostic reviews in accordance with appropriate legislation or regulatory requirements.

• Assesses the treatment needs of individuals.

• Prepares necessary assignments, transfer, referral, or discharge documentation to ensure the least restrictive environment for meeting the needs of individuals.

• Coordinates behavioral management treatment plans for individuals and assigns interventions to subordinate workers.

• Coordinates social work responsibilities for individuals in a nursing home care environment.

• Interprets social work legislation, applicable certification and accreditation requirements or standards, and departmental and facility policies.

• Provides guidance and technical assistance to ensure compliance with the social work regulatory standards.

• Develops and conducts facility-wide social work staff development and training programs.

• Counsels individuals and their families utilizing various treatment modalities.

• Assists individuals in recognizing problems and exploring methods for adjusting, modifying, and improving personal and social behavior.

• Discusses assigned individuals' psychosocial assessments and family history in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings.

• Participates in the development of each assigned individual’s comprehensive care, treatment, or support services plan.

• Ensures protective, supportive, and habilitative or rehabilitative social services are provided to assigned individuals.

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

• Motivates and assists individuals to develop and make use of their own potential for improving the circumstances and situations pertaining to their social, economic, emotional, physical, and mental health.

• Arranges for and encourages individuals to use appropriate public, private, and community resources.

• Prepares, reviews, and evaluates reports, records, and case management files on individuals' progress in meeting treatment program goals and objectives.

• Recommends changes to the social services treatment program for individuals.

• Responds to correspondence related to social services studies, court documents, parental or relative support, complaints or allegations of human rights violations, medical consultations, contracted service providers, rate payments for care and maintenance, and public and private insurance reimbursements.

• Ensures the preparation of social service discharge, case closing, and transfer or referral plans summarizing individuals' case disposition.

• Works with agency staff, Community Based Service Units, and Single County Authorities to ensure appropriate referrals, on-site visits, and inspection of service provider agencies are conducted.

• Determines eligibility of customers for the Independent Living Older Blind Program, Specialized Services Children's, and Specialized Services Adult Program.

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

• Knowledge of individuals' legal rights governed by human rights protections.

• Knowledge of individual and group behavior.

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

• Knowledge of rules, regulations, standards, and policies relating to social work services and programs.

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

• Ability to analyze and interpret individuals' case records.

• 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)

• Two years of experience as a Social Worker 1 or Forensic Social Worker 1 (commonwealth titles) (must have been employed in a commonwealth social worker job title on September 8, 2008, with continuous commonwealth employment);

or

• Two years of experience as a Social Worker 1 or a Forensic Social Worker 1 and a bachelor’s degree in social work or social welfare;

or

• Two years of professional experience providing direct public or private social work services, and a bachelor’s degree in social work or social welfare;

or

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

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• All employees in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs require an active license as a Social Worker or Clinical Social Worker issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.

• 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.