Family Support Worker I

Family Support Worker I

This Statewide recruitment has been opened to establish a list of eligible candidates to be used to fill current and future vacancies occurring in our Local Departments of Social Services throughout the State. Please indicate the counties in which you are willing to accept employment on your application.

The main purpose of the job is to provide in-home support services that enable individuals to maintain their independence and well-being, assist in preserving the family structure, promote a functional home environment and teach clients to make use of available community resources. Employees in this classification function as members of treatment or service teams and visit clients homes to identify needs and provide in-home assistance in activities associated with daily living, personal care, care giving or parenting.

Position duties include:

• Providing in-home support services that enable individuals to maintain their independence and well-being, assist in preserving the family structure, promote a functional home environment and teach clients to make use of available community resources
• Visiting clients homes to identify needs and provide in-home assistance for clients through teaching and demonstrating practical living skills including, but not limited to, meal planning, household maintenance, laundry, shopping, positive parenting and caring for dependents, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationship skills, job readiness, locating and securing housing, and household budgeting
• Assessing clients personal and living conditions in conjunction with the treatment or service plan goals to determine the need for specific behavioral changes
• Developing positive relationships with clients in order to gain their acceptance of the In-Home Care Plan and contribute to the clients physical and emotional health
• Encouraging clients to participate in and make use of community resources and services such as child and adult support groups, food pantries, neighborhood services centers and child or adult day care
• Observing behavior of children and adults, recording pertinent observations, maintaining records of their behaviors and making recommendations to the services team for possible plan modifications
• Preparing reports for the health care professional, case manager or supervisor on the clients physical condition, social and physical environment and services provided in order to assist the in-home care team in developing, monitoring and modifying the clients In-Home Care Plan
• Participating in team meetings with the case manager, health care professionals and other persons responsible for developing or modifying the In-Home Care Plans for clients
• Transporting and assisting clients in obtaining transportation to medical appointments and community centers
• May present Parenting or Job Readiness subject matter to clients in structured training sessions and conduct in-home follow-up
• May assist clients with personal care such as giving baths, shampoos, dressing, feeding or using a bedpan
• May provide temporary care of children or adults in the absence of the caregiver
• May oversee court ordered family visits, testify in court or prepare a client for a court appearance
• Performs other related duties

Minimum qualifications include:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate
• One year of experience providing support services to children or adults through teaching and demonstrating practical living skills in order to promote and maintain independent living or assist in preserving the family structure

Notes:

• Candidates may substitute experience as defined above or experience in child or adult care giving, on a year-for-year basis, for the required education
• Candidates may substitute nine credit hours from an accredited college or university in a human service program or human development program such as child development, sociology, social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, criminology, juvenile justice, human growth and development, human services, or mental health for the required experience
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Social Services classifications or Social Services specialty codes in the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience

Licenses, registrations and certifications:

• Employees appointed to positions in this classification may be assigned duties that require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operators license valid in the State of Maryland
• Some positions in this classification may be assigned duties that require the employees to acquire and maintain a license as a Certified Nursing Assistant or a Geriatric Nursing Assistant from the Maryland Board of Nursing at 4201 Patterson Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Information may be obtained at www.mbon.org/main.php. Obtaining this license within a specified time may be a condition of appointment or probation for these types of positions

Special requirements:

• Employees in this classification who work with families with dependent children must successfully complete an approved entry-level training program before permanent appointment to positions
• Employees in this classification may be required to have access to and use their personal automobile in order to transport clients. Verification of appropriate vehicle insurance, which shall include coverage for transporting clients, must be provided to the department prior to performance of transport duties. Standard mileage allowance will be paid for the use of a privately owned vehicle

The selection process will rank candidates as Best Qualified and place them on the eligible list of candidates for at least one year. If you are in State service and are a promotional candidate, your salary will be determined in accordance with the State of Maryland Guidelines.