COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AIDE 3 L0622 

Definition: This is paraprofessional public contact work assisting professional social service staff in a County Children and Youth, Mental Health/Mental Retardation or Human Services Agency.

An employe in this class assists professional social service staff by relieving them of paraprofessional casemanagement functions. Work includes assisting with or conducting interviews to obtain or verify information necessary to determine eligibility or need for a wide variety of social services; planning, scheduling, conducting or accompanying the worker on home visits, sharing observations and assessments, and meeting with advisers or treatment team members to provide information for their use in the development of treatment plans and goals. Work involves training clients or their families in areas such as budgeting, nutrition, personal hygiene, care and maintenance of the home, care of children and the use of public transportation. Work also involves providing information and referral services, assisting with locating housing and community resources, serving as a liaison to other community organizations and providing intensive in-home assistance and parenting education/support services under the direction of a professional worker/supervisor. Work may also include serving as a lead worker for other para-professional social services staff. Work is performed under the supervision of a social services supervisor and is reviewed through observation, conferences and reports.

Examples of Work: Serves as an assistant to professional social services staff in relieving them of paraprofessional casemanagement functions.

Assists with or conducts interviews to obtain and verify information necessary to determine eligibility or input regarding need for a variety of social services.

Plans, schedules, conducts or accompanies the social services worker on home visits; shares observations and assessments.

Meets with advisors or treatment team members to provide information for their use in the development of treatment plans and goals.

Provides training to clients and/or their families in areas such as budgeting, nutrition, personal hygiene, care and maintenance of the home and the use of public transportation.

Observes client and family strengths and problem areas and informs the professional worker or supervisor.

Assists with the admission, discharge and referral process for people who are mentally disabled.

Signs and authorizes completion of the application authorizing involuntary emergency examination and treatment.

Serves as liaison between the agency and other community organizations and services as assigned.

Assists clients and encourages them to use available community resources; provides information to clients and their families regarding referral and emergency services.

Provides intensive in-home assistance and parenting education/

support services under the direction of a professional worker/

supervisor.

May provide testimony in court as required, under the supervision of a professional worker or supervisor.

Assists with the recruiting, training and monitoring of volunteers.

Sets up and arranges recreational/educational trips.

Supervises visits between parents and children in their own home, foster home or other facilities.

Schedules or provides transportation for clients.

May assign and review the work of other paraprofessional social services staff.

Prepares correspondence, service reviews, and reports as required; maintains records and files.

May serve as a delegate, signing and completing applications for involuntary commitment for people who are mentally disabled.

Performs related work as required.

Required Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of interviewing methods and techniques.

Knowledge of community resources.

Knowledge of normal and dysfunctional behaviors.

Knowledge of federal, state and county rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Knowledge of office practices and procedures.

Ability to evaluate and analyze information obtained through interviews and general observation, reports, records, and other sources and to provide information to clients, families and social service and/or administrative staff.

Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with clients, families, agency staff and other community agencies.

Ability to implement developed training programs.

Ability to follow oral and written instructions.

Ability to assign and review the work of paraprofessional and clerical staff.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Minimum Experience and Training: One year as a County Social Services Aide 2;

or

Graduation from high school, or its equivalency, and three years of experience in public contact work in a human services agency which included one year of experience in interviewing and obtaining information;

or

An associate's degree in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences, and one year of experience in a human services agency;

or

Any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Date Established or Last Revised

Class Specification - October 1992

Evaluation Guide - November 1994

Commonwealth Equivalent PSG ST04