Social Services Worker I/II (All Locations) - County of Riverside - Riverside County, CA

In the County of Riverside, the future is bright. With a variety of job opportunities with the County, there are as many places to take your career as there are stars in our sky. But there’s more than a great vocation to draw you here: with affordable housing, a thriving, diverse, and progressive community, excellent higher education, and the hidden gem of the Joshua Tree National Park, the opportunities for your life here are equally exciting. Come work in the heart of inland California, and see how great the view is when opportunity is on the horizon.

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The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) is comprised of employees who work collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations to serve the needs of the community.

The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) provides services and assistance to protect and empower vulnerable people in our community.

DPSS:
Provides temporary financial assistance and employment services for families and individuals.

Provides programs and services to protect children and adults from abuse and/or neglect.

Provides access to health care coverage to low income individuals and families.

Vision Statement: A county where individuals reach their full potential.

Mission Statement: Partnering with communities to protect and empower vulnerable people.

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The Department of Public Social Services is currently recruiting for Social Services Workers I/II (SSW) for positions throughout Riverside County. Social Services Workers are utilized in both the Children’s Services Division (CSD) and the Adult Services Division (ASD).

Children’s Services Division

Social Services Workers may be assigned to various programs within Children’s Services: Relative Assessment Unit (RAU), Independent Living Program (ILP) / Extended Foster Care, Command Post, or Permanency Planning (PP). The Relative Assessment Unit conducts home assessments to ensure that prospective relative / non-related extended family members (NREFM) meets standards for home study approval in accordance with Title 22 state regulations. The ILP / Extended Foster Care Unit completes assessments, develops transitional plans, and provides resources for youth 16 and older preparing to emancipate from foster care. The Command Post Unit conduct investigations of child abuse/neglect referrals made within Riverside County. Permanency Planning program provides support in continuing services with a concurrent goal of legal guardianship/adoption in mind. Children’s Social Services Workers in these programs carry a caseload and work towards the mission goal of the program.

Adult Services Division

Within Adult Services, Social Services Workers may be assigned to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program or IHSS Public Authority. They provide services to the elderly and disabled as an alternative to out-of-home placement. SSW I/II carry a caseload of IHSS service recipients/clients and is responsible for ensuring that appropriate and timely services are being delivered by the respective Providers designated by IHSS clients.

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• Studies and applies the principles and techniques of social work to a case load which includes basic types of services problems.


• Interviews clients to ascertain the nature of their problems and develops elementary services plans; carries out the less difficult services plans, under supervision manages less complex cases, makes referral to community resources, assist families with change in environment, or employment; maintains necessary casework records.


• Interprets public social services rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the general public when assigned.


• Attends training courses designed to further an understanding of social work processes and to increase technical competence.


• Frequently conducts field visits, away from the home office, in order to carry out service plans, observe and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.


• Assesses client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/adults residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, removes child from home and transports them, complying with all safety regulations, including the use of age appropriate California safety mandated equipment, when assisting with initial removal or facilitating a placement change.


• Maintains up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database.


• Identifies the need for, and makes referrals to other services available to the client.


• In the Adult Services Division; incumbents will perform evaluations/assessments of client needs for In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program.


• In the Adult Services Division; incumbents may be required to assist transporting an elderly or disabled adult to another location. This may include managing the client’s necessary assistive equipment, such as a wheelchair.


• In the Children¿s Services Division; incumbents will conduct home assessments and locate and/or assess placements for children.

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Knowledge of: Socioeconomic conditions and trends; the basic principles of individual and group behavior; the general trends and current issues in the field of social services; the principles of interviewing and problem solving methodology; the basic public social services programs available at the state and local levels; the general principles of public assistance policies and programs; basic computer skills.

Ability to: Understand and learn programs, policies, and procedures; obtain and recognize relevant and significant facts; speak and write effectively; establish and maintain effective working relationships; establish and maintain client rapport; input and retrieve data from computerized system.

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SOCIAL SERVICES WORKER I

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college in any of the following: social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling or a closely related field.

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SOCIAL SERVICES WORKER II

OPTION I

Education: Possession of a Bachelor in Social Work from a recognized college.

OPTION II

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling or a closely related field, AND;

Experience: One year of social case planning/case management experience in a public or private social services agency performing duties equivalent to Riverside County’s Social Services Worker I classification. (Applicants that meet the qualifications for the Children’s Social Services Worker III, IV and V may compete at the Social Services II level.)

OPTION III

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling or a closely related field, AND;

Experience: One year of experience as an Intake Specialist in a Department of Public Social Services, OR,

Experience: One year of experience as an Employment Service Counselor I, or equivalent position, in a Department of Public Social Services.

IN ADDITION, THE IDEAL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE:

• Experience in case planning or case management in a social services agency, and evaluating the social service needs of clients.


• Knowledge of public social services and public assistance policies and programs.


• Customer service experience which included interpreting the policies, rules, and regulations of the department to applicants, clients, and other customers.


• Ability to coordinate effectively with other agencies/departments & promote quality care, safety, and well-being.


• Experience interviewing clients and recording information.


• Experience with community referrals to public social services.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Experience operating a computer and case tracking systems.


• Experience in data entry and database management.

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PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants are required to provide a copy of degree or a copy of the transcript(s) as verification of educational units completed prior to the closing date of the job posting. (Official and unofficial transcripts will be accepted. If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation.) NOTE: Add attachments and cover letters by login into your Job Gateway account, under Cover Letters and Attachments.

DESCRIPTION OF QUALIFICATIONS: Description of experience and qualifications in the resume and/or applications submitted must be written in the own words of the applicant. Information that is copied and pasted from job descriptions and/or job postings will not be considered.

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Required Skills:
License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Driver’s License is necessary at the time of hire and must be maintained throughout employment in this classification.

Criminal Record: No felony convictions for positions within the Department of Public Social Services, Children’s Services Division.

Examinations: All candidates will be required to pass a basic skills examination prior to being considered for any Social Services Worker I position.

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For specific questions regarding this position, contact the recruiter listed in this posting.

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment physical exam, including a drug/alcohol test, and a criminal background investigation, including fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction related to the position may disqualify the applicant from County employment).

Required Probationary Period – As an Approved Local Merit System, the County of Riverside requires all new regular or seasonal employees to serve an initial probationary period, the duration of which is indicated in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide employment opportunity for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non job-related factor.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: http://dao.rc-hr.com/.

****CURRENT COUNTY EMPLOYEES MUST USE THEIR EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE ACCOUNT TO APPLY.****

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Visit the Job Descriptions page at http://rc-hr.com/Careers/JobDescriptions.aspx for benefits information. Detailed job descriptions and benefits information are provided for all of the County of Riverside’s job classifications.

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If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Rosie Moreno at (951) 358-3193 or rosiemoreno@rc-hr.com.

Apply no later than Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 11:59 pm (PST).