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| Class Title: | Social Service Practitioner |
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| Class Code: | 19616 |
| Salary: |
$24.82 - $31.69 Hourly $1,985.60 - $2,535.20 Biweekly $4,302.13 - $5,492.93 Monthly $51,625.60 - $65,915.20 Annually |
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| This is advanced professional social work providing diagnosis, assessment, intervention and case management support to individuals, groups, children and/or families with complex health, psychosocial or economic problems. Work requires investigating and/or supporting cases involving neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical/mental disabilities or other health conditions. Cases may frequently involve assisting clients with emergency situations and assessment of risk, safety and bio-psycho-social welfare. Work requires developing and implementing treatment and care plans and monitoring progress toward such goals. Incumbents provide support, counseling and referrals to promote client self-sufficiency. Work is characterized by individual and group dynamics and circumstances in the investigation, assessment and determination of well-being. Work is performed under the general direction of a supervisor or manager who is available to review work and assist with treatment and care plan approaches and decisions. However, in most instances the Social Service Practitioner must be able to diffuse crisis situations and handle preliminary assessments independently. Some positions may require recommending and/or initiating legal action on behalf of the client including decisions to remove and place children. For some assignments, work is performed in the field under a variety of working conditions and in the client’s home or other location. | ||
| Distinguishing Characteristics: | ||
| Work is distinguished from the Social Worker II in that work involves the most complex and specialized casework requiring knowledge of diagnostic and counseling modalities as applied to complex assignments in the children’s protective services, adult protective, adoption and family reunification and medical social work. Work may be performed in various departments and capacities including Department of Children’s Services, Aging and Adult Services, Public Health, California Children’s Services and at the County hospital. | ||
| Examples of Duties: | ||
| Essential functions may include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Makes on-site inspections/visits in cases of physical or emotional welfare. Analyzes and assesses client needs for services. Makes risk and diagnostic assessments. Develops individualized treatment plans and programs. 2. Conducts risk and diagnostic assessment of bio-psycho-social conditions. Evaluates client’s social functioning as well as family/group dynamics. Determines abuse, isolation, abandonment, past or present physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence, suicidal ideation/intent, medical/mental impairment, attachment issues, social functioning, and cultural and/or socioeconomic factors. Formal assessments include but are not limited to appraisal of baseline, depression, interaction and risk, behavior, growth and development. 3. Develops and maintains a trusting, professional relationship with clients, provides in-depth counseling and case management services as needed to assist clients in improving social functioning which may include advocacy, educating, referral, counseling, mediation and crisis intervention and stabilization. 4. Collaborates and coordinates provision of services for clients with treatment, care, transition or service plans. Interfaces with other providers, family and support groups to provide optimal care. Makes appointments, provides transportation and fills out referrals. Initiates intake with community resources such as housing, counseling, substance abuse and medical and/or mental health needs, legal services and emergency food. 5. Provides emergency response and crisis intervention and take actions to minimize risk for clients. Uses counseling skills to assess and diffuse situations and achieve client/family stabilization. 6. Conducts investigations and onsite inspections. Recommends and/or initiates legal actions. Works with law enforcement and the court system in meeting legal mandates for providing protection services. Determines abuse and evidence to support the need for court intervention, conducts forensic investigations including interviewing children, parents and collateral contacts. Consults and negotiates with attorneys and involved family members. 7. Secures, approves and monitors placement of minors in protective care. Researches, screens and recommends placement options. Interviews families and matches to children’s needs. Provides ongoing assessment of child’s welfare throughout the dependency process. Maintains sibling relationships and seeks family reunification where possible. Provides support, communication, counseling and oversight of the care provider. Conducts home evaluations, background checks and assessments on foster and adoptive families. Determines a permanent placement plan should reunification fail. Trains and supports families on parental resources/development. Searches for absent parents or children. Participates in meetings with Wrap Around and family decision-making teams to best support child in protective care. 8. Prepares narrative and statistical reports of case records, findings and recommendations. Writes case documentation, treatment, care or transition plans and/or court reports. Writes and maintains client correspondence, records, letters and referrals. 9. Serves as a casework consultant/trainer for other staff members, community agencies and other professionals on complex social work issues. Interprets public social service rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the public. 10. May perform special assignments to include coordinating court activities, coordinate provider contracts, monitor case documentation for legal compliance and recruit and train foster parents and social worker interns. May write, revise or update policies and procedures as part of a team. May research state and federal regulations. May update and revise forms. May develop class curricula and administer psycho-educational tools to groups. 11. May drive a vehicle on County business. 12. Provides on-call coverage as assigned. Akd: 9-22-86 Rev.: acg/4-8-97 Rev.: CPS/6-04 |
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| Representation Unit: | ||
| Professional | ||
| Salary Range: | ||
| 54 | ||
| Supplemental Information: | ||
| Incumbents assigned to some programs are required by State of California mandate to possess a Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university. | ||
| Minimum Requirements: | ||
| DCS Option A: A Master of Social Work (MSW) from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Option B: A Master's degree in Counseling with an emphasis in marriage, family, child or clinical psychology, or gerontology AND either 500 hours of supervised clinical internship OR one year of casework experience equivalent to a Social Worker II in San Bernardino County. Option C: A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education AND one year of casework experience comparable to a Social Worker II in San Bernardino County. Option D: Thirty semester (45 quarter) units of graduate or upper division coursework in behavioral sciences, psychology, sociology, social/human services, behavioral sciences anthropology, gerontology, cultural and gender studies, or human development AND two years of experience in social services equivalent to a Social Worker II in San Bernardino County. Note: Experience as a Social Worker II Trainee is not qualifying and should be clearly distinguished from experience as a Social Worker II. 4/6/09 Hospital Education: A Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from a school accredited by the Council of Social Work Education as required by Title 22 State regulations. 2/17/09 |
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