Social Services Practitioner I/ii/iii Adult Services Division - Blythe, CA

Job Posting: Social Services Practitioner I/II/III

The County of Riverside's Department of Public and Social Services (DPSS) seeks multiple Social Services Practitioner I/II/III positions for Blythe, CA with the Adult Services Division (ASD). Frequent travel may be required for all positions. The incumbent is required to report onsite to Blythe, California (Blythe is located 225 miles east of Los Angeles, 118 miles east of Palm Springs, and 150 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona) and provide support for the Desert Region.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Excellent interpersonal skills when working with diverse clients
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with other professionals
• Great written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge and ability to learn and apply complex laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, organizational, and time management skills
• Tech-savvy skills and the ability to learn and use specialized case management software programs

A few reasons you might love this job:

• Opportunity to compassionately support children, elders/dependent adults, and families
• It's more than a desk job - travel throughout the vast County of Riverside to meet with clients and community partners
• Work and network with dedicated professionals who share a passion for public service
• Career growth and upward mobility within the department
• Supportive and respectful working environment that values work-life balance

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Fast-paced environment
• Meeting mandated deadlines
• The need for documentation and technical writing
• Identifying ways to navigate social service delivery with limited resources while meeting clients' identified goals and needs

About the Adult Services Division (ASD): The mission of Adult Services is to promote safety, well-being, and independence for elder and dependent adults through accurate and timely assessments and linkages to services. There are three main programs under the Adult Services umbrella:

• Adult Protective Services (APS) provides a system of in-person response, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. APS Social Workers receive and respond to reports of dependent adult and elder abuse of individuals in Riverside County.
• In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a Medi-Cal benefit that provides home care assistance to elders, dependent adults, and minors with disabilities to live safely in their own homes or other non-institutional settings.
• The Public Authority (PA) assists clients of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to have an enhanced quality of life by recruiting, screening, and preparing in-home care providers at no cost to the client.

Adult Services, Social Services Practitioners III's may be assigned to work in In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Adult Protective Services (APS), or the IHSS Public Authority.

The Adult Services Division is dedicated to the professional development of our employees. Future SSP IIIs in ASD may be eligible for exciting DPSS programs that include Educational and Career Assistance Programs. These programs are great opportunities for professional growth and knowledge.

Examples of essential duties:

Social Service Practitioner I & Social Services Practitioner II:

• Study and apply the principles and techniques of social work to a caseload which includes basic types of services problems.
• Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database.
• Carry a caseload which includes cases with problems of moderate difficulty; interview clients and their families to assess the nature of their social and financial problems and the need for social service casework intervention or treatment; determine or recommend treatment plans to meet social needs; conduct home visits; prepare and maintain case records.
• Interview clients to ascertain the nature of their problems and develop elementary service plans; carry out the less difficult services plans and under supervision, manage less complex cases; make referral to community resources and assist families with change in environment or employment; maintain necessary casework records.
• Complete studies of patients and their families to determine the nature of their problems; learn to develop the most effective treatment methods and treatment plans according to need.
• Interview patients, families, and friends to obtain information for case records.
• Identify the need for, and make referrals to, other services available to the client; assist applicants and recipients in utilizing available resources for individual needs.
• Interpret the policies, rules, and regulations of the department to applicants, clients, and others; may be assigned to specialized functions.
• Participate in in-service training and other staff development activities to increase knowledge of the social work processes and achieve technical competence; receive casework consultation from professionally trained staff members.; may assist in conducting training activities for personnel outside the social services unit; may participate in group therapy.
• Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.
• Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove children/ adults from home and transport 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, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair).
• Maintain up-to-date electronic records of assigned aspects of client case management in a centralized database.
• Perform evaluations/assessments of client needs for the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program.

Social Service Practitioner III:

• Carry a caseload of the more difficult types of social service cases requiring a high degree of technical competence where social or family problems or environmental forces adversely affect family life; assess client's problems and develop treatment plans.
• Complete case studies for the purpose of assessing problems and determining appropriate types and methods of treatment; develop intensive long or short-term treatment plans to improve or restore individual or family functioning.
• Act in a lead capacity for a small group of Social Services Practitioners or services employees, such as aides and volunteers.
• Act as a casework consultant to staff members without professional training.
• Function at a highly skilled level in such areas as counseling, protective services, medical social work, family services, community organization, and adoptive services.
• Take part in staff development programs to increase knowledge of the social work processes and augment personal technical competence.
• Provide therapeutic marital, family interrelationship, and adoptive parent counseling.
• Investigate and provide services to clients where their physical or emotional welfare is involved; work with cases involving neglect, abuse, emotional or behavioral problems, physical/mental disabilities or other health conditions affecting a client's personality, family relationships, child, or in-home care arrangements.
• Provide services and counseling in cases of desertion or impending loss of a spouse, child, or caretaker.
• Interpret public social service rules, regulations, and policies to clients and the public.
• Maintain casework records and prepare reports and correspondences.
• Frequently conduct field visits, away from the home office, which may include long distances in order to carry out service plans, observe, and assess client needs, and provide information and social work services.
• Assess client family environment in order to determine potential or imminent risk to the safety of children/disabled adults/elderly residing in the household; when safety needs dictate, remove children/disabled adults/elderly from home and transport 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, which may include managing/lifting the client's necessary assistive equipment (e.g., wheelchair).
• Maintain up-to-date electronic records of all aspects of client case management in a centralized database.

Minimum qualifications:

Social Service Practitioner I (Annual $48,797 - $63,870):

• Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field to the assignment.
• Experience: None required.

Social Service Practitioner II (Annual $53,685 - $73,250):

• Option I: Education: Graduation from an accredited