08/31/1994

Job Title:  COUNTY CASEWORKER 2

Job Code:  L0624

 Definition:  This is professional social services work in a County Children and Youth, Mental Health/Intellectual Disability, or Human Services Agency.

Employees in this class provide a full range of social and case management services to children, youth and families, people with intellectual disabilities, people who are physically challenged, and others to assist them in attaining a more satisfactory social, economic, emotional, or physical adjustment.  An important aspect of this work is the employment of casework skills in obtaining essential information, counseling clients and members of their families, and helping them to utilize all available resources.  Work also involves the application of problem solving techniques, providing counseling to maximize service delivery and to achieve service plan goals, monitoring client behavior, and interacting with agencies which make up the service network.  Work is performed in accordance with established regulations, policies, and procedures, but employees are expected to exercise initiative and judgment in discharging their duties.  Supervision may be exercised over paraprofessional and/or clerical staff.  Work is reviewed by a professional social service or administrative supervisor through regularly scheduled individual and group conferences, and the review of records and reports.

Examples of Work:  Obtains information from clients, members of their families, and others, necessary for the identification of social, economic, emotional, health or physical problems and for assisting clients in obtaining a wide variety of services on the basis of established policy, regulations and statutes.

Provides casework and counseling services to clients and members of their families to aid them in achieving a more satisfactory adjustment to their specific problems or situations.

Provides protective and supportive services for abused or neglected children and adults.

Prepares documents and provides testimony in court according to agency procedure.

Provides protective and supportive services for clients who are in situations detrimental to their well-being or that of the community, or who are undergoing treatment or hospitalization.

Participates in team meetings for the purpose of developing service plans to address the needs of clients and their families.

Continually assesses the adequacy of client service plans and revises, when necessary, to achieve goals and objectives.

Identifies appropriate community resources for clients, refers and links them to those resources, and advocates on behalf of client for resource service delivery.

Works collaboratively with social agencies, hospitals, clinics, courts, and other community resources.

Teaches clients home and budget management, child/adult care, and parenting skills; and assists with housing, employment, recreation and living arrangements, as required.

Interprets agency programs, policies, and procedures to individuals, groups, and other agencies.

Attends staff meetings, individual and group supervisory conferences, and training programs designed to develop performance and case management skills and that continuously familiarize staff with current methods and techniques in the field of social services.

Documents case activity through records, social studies, case histories, correspondence, and reports according to applicable policies and procedures.

May supervise paraprofessional and/or clerical staff.

May serve as a lead worker for professional staff and student interns.

Performs related work as required.

Required Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities:  Knowledge of current social case management principles, techniques, and methods.

Knowledge of current social, economic, and health problems and resources and the recognition of their impact on the growth and development of people.

Knowledge of individual and group development and behavior and ways of working effectively with adults and children who have social, economic, emotional, or health problems.

Knowledge of the basic principles and methods of program interpretation and community organization.

Knowledge of social welfare policy and law as they relate to agency function and purpose and societal structures.

Ability to work effectively with people and aid them to grow in the constructive use of their potential in adjusting to their specific problems.

Ability to understand and accept the needs and rights of others and to work with adults and children who are physically challenged, emotionally troubled, or economically disadvantaged.

Ability to conduct individual and family interviews and to use them to identify individual and family problems.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their families, other staff, outside agencies and institutions, and the general public.

Ability to plan and organize work, prepare adequate records and reports, set priorities, and maintain a caseload in an effective and timely manner.

Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of others.

Ability to interpret and apply relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing agency services.

Ability to adequately express ideas orally and in writing.

Minimum Experience and Training:  Six months of experience as a County Caseworker 1;

or

Successful completion of the County Social Casework Intern program;

or

A bachelor's degree with a social welfare major;

or

A bachelor's degree which includes or is supplemented by 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences and one year of professional social casework experience in a public or private social services agency;

or

Any equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences. 

Commonwealth Equivalent PSG ST06