Social Worker Iii - Child Welfare - Ia&T

Salary : $48,428.00 Annually

Location : Columbus

Job Type: Full-Time Regular

Job Number: 202300148

Department: HHSA

Division: HHSA - Social Services

Opening Date: 09/13/2024

Closing Date: 10/28/2024 11:59 PM Eastern

Description General Statement of Duties

The purpose for this position is working with at-risk children. This is an innovative model of service delivery that promotes a comprehensive team approach to providing quality service to our community. In addition to protective services for adults and children the Polk County Consolidated Health and Human Services Agency includes program divisions for Economic Services, Public Health, Senior Services, Social Services, Public Transportation, and Veteran Services.

Job Summary

Work in this position involves providing intensive social services in serious and complicated cases which require the flexible use of a wide range of social work skills. Work will involve the investigation of alleged child neglect and abuse; in-depth assessment of family dynamics and needs; service provision in the child's home; child placement activities of foster care, completion of necessary forms, documents, home studies, summaries, presenting cases in court and adoptions.

Examples of Duties Duties and Responsibilities Essential Duties and Tasks

PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDRENINTAKE (3%)
Receiving and documenting a strengths-based intake report, which alleges that, a child or children may be abused, neglected or dependent;Making a thorough evaluation of the information provided by the reporter to determine whether a CPS Assessment or Investigation will be initiated;Informing the person making the report of the agency's decision whether or not to conduct a CPS Assessment and their right to a review of this decision;Directing the reporter to other agency or community resources, when indicated; Making referrals to the district attorney and/or law enforcement, when indicated; Completing thorough documentation of the above activities
PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN - IN-HOME SERVICES (80%)
Conducting activities after there has been a substantiation of child abuse, neglect, and/or dependency or a case decision of services needed and removal of the child is a reasonable possibility in the absence of such services The primary elements of CPS In-Home Services are defined by law and policy and include but are not limited to the following:Continual assessment of risk to the child (children) and on-going determination of appropriateness of the need for out-of-home placementMonitoring, expanding and updating the In-Home Family Services Agreement to address identified areas of needTaking those actions needed to ensure that the child is protected, including use of the court when necessaryRoutine case supervisory activitiesMaintenance of contact with the family and others significant to the case Working with the child's family on the status of the case and case goals toward the solution and prevention of the problems causing the neglect, abuse or dependencyGiving information, instruction, guidance and mentoring regarding parenting skillsArranging for the provision of and assisting families in utilizing appropriate services and community resources such as day care, health and mental health services, etc., as neededParticipating in Child and Family Team meetingsCompleting thorough documentation of the above activities
Additional services under In-Home Services include the provision of the above services in conjunction with other counties or states. This would include requests for assistance in monitoring service plans for adults or children located in Polk County.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN - ASSESSMENTS AND INVESTIGATIONS (2%)
Conducting those activities necessary to determine whether or not allegations of abuse, neglect, or dependency are true, and to evaluate the safety of the child in the home. The primary elements of CPS Assessments are defined by law and policy and include but are not limited to the following:Seeing the alleged victim child (children)Interviewing the parents / caretakersInterviewing the alleged perpetratorVisiting the place where the child residesContacting appropriate collateral sourcesNotifying other persons / agencies as indicatedCooperation with and referral to law enforcement, medical / psychological providers and the juvenile court as indicatedArranging for medical, psychological and medical-legal diagnostic studies and evaluations where needed to assess the circumstances of abuse or neglectTasks related to information gathering for the purpose of making a case decision including participating in Child and Family Team meetingsThe CPS Assessment encompasses the completion of the Structured Decision Making Tools including the Safety Assessment, Family Risk Assessment, Family Assessment of Strengths and Needs, and the Case Decision Summary/Initial Case Plan. Completing thorough documentation of the above activities
Additional services under Assessments include the provision of the above services in conjunction with other counties or states. This would include requests for assistance in interviewing adults or children located in Polk County or in conducting a complete investigation in situations in which there would be a conflict of interest for the home county.

CHILD PLACEMENT SERVICES - FOSTER CARE (5%)
Conducting a broad range of activities related to supervising the care of a child (children) placed in the legal custody and responsibility of the agency The primary elements of Child Placement Foster Care Services are defined by law and policy and include but are not limited to the following: Managing case plans and case reviewsReferral to, coordination with, and utilization of other servicesMaintenance of contact with the family and others significant to the caseWorking with the parents on the status of the case and case goals toward the permanent plan for the child including reunification, adoption, guardianship / custody, etc. Giving information, instruction, guidance, and mentoring regarding parenting skills Preparation for and participation in court, e.g., petitions, motions, reviews, reports Preparation of the child and biological family for separation and placement, including negotiation/preparation of visitation agreements Monitoring and updating the Out of Home Family Services Agreement Periodic reviews of the Out of Home Family Services Agreement including foster are review and Child & Family team meetings Supervising the care of the child and of the foster care arrangement to assure that the child receives proper care Supervising aftercare services to the family when a child is placed via a court order with the parents, a relative, or a non-relative, or who has been placed on a court ordered trial home visitGrievances, appeals, and fair hearings surrounding foster care servicesCoordinating LINKS services to youth eligible for participationRecruitment, Assessment and Training activities which assure the availability of foster care placement and the initial and on-going compliance of such resources with standards and activities directed toward assisting foster / resource parents and other foster / resource caregivers to improve the scope, nature and quality of care providedCompleting thorough documentation of the above activities
Additional services under Child Placement Foster Care Services include the provision of the above services in conjunction with other counties or states. This would include requests for assistance in monitoring foster / resource placements for children located in Polk County.

OTHER CHILD WELFARE SERVICES (2%)
Conducting social work intervention services which, in addition to core services (i.e., those services defined above that are available as Child Welfare Services) protect and promote the welfare of children, including the strengthening of their own homes where possible. Activities include but are not limited to the following:Gathering information about and assessing the needs and problems of a child within the context of family interaction, environment and/or coping patternsHelping a child and his family gain insights into and understanding of their needs and problems, and assisting them to know about and use other services and resources available to themCollaborating on a case-by-case basis with individuals in other systems (e.g., judicial, health, education) to plan with and support a child and those involved through a crisis or an at-risk situation.Completing thorough documentation of the above activities
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED (5%)
Other duties will be assigned and may include but not be limited to participation in community outreach and educational efforts and as a member of various agency workgroups
All HHSA employees may be called upon to perform work during emergency or disaster situations including but not limited to staffing shelters overnight. This service, if required, will take precedence over duties described in this position description.

Supplemental Information KSA's and Minimum Requirements Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Must have:Good work ethicHigh level of initiative to learn job responsibilitiesFlexibility within established schedulesAbility to function in highly stressful circumstancesAbility to maintain a high level of professionalism and to conduct business in an ethical manner at all timesBasic workable understanding of social work theory, techniques and practices, individual and group behavior, social problems, medical and mental illness, family dynamics, coping behavior, crisis intervention, and treatment of various medical and mental diseases and social issues.Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative superiors, co-workers, and with community, social and religious organizations by utilizing the Six Principles of Partnership:1) everyone desires respect
2) everyone needs to be heard
3) everyone has strengths
4) judgments can wait
5) partners share power, and
6) partnership is a process Knowledge of:Social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to complex casework, treatment, and investigation of abuse or neglect of childrenLaws, policies and procedures affecting the provision of Adult Protective Services, Guardianship Services, Adult Home Monitoring Services and other Adult ServicesSpecialized needs of families and adults served within Adult Protective and Guardianship servicesGovernmental and private organizations and resources in the communityRacial, ethnic and other cultural groups in society - their values and life-stylesTheories and techniques of planned changeSocial and environmental factors affecting clients to be servedEmotional process of separation, attachment and reattachment Skills in:Listening to others with understanding purposeEliciting information and in assembling relevant facts to prepare a social history, assessment and reportCreating and maintaining professional, helping relationships and in using oneself in relationshipsObserving and interpreting verbal and nonverbal behavior and in using a knowledge of personality theory and diagnostic methodsEngaging clients in efforts to resolve their own problems and in gaining trustDiscussing sensitive emotional subjects in a non-threatening, supportive mannerCreating innovative solutions to clients' needsDetermining the need to end therapeutic relationship and how to do soInterpreting the findings of research studies and professional literature Ability to:Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignmentsWork independently and prioritize work, as well as schedule effectivelySpeak and write clearlyTeach othersRespond supportively in emotion-laden or crisis situationsInterpret complex psychosocial phenomenaOrganize a work load to meet designated responsibilitiesIdentify and obtain resources needed to assist othersAssess one's performance and feelings, and to use help or consultationParticipate in and lead group activitiesFunction under stressDeal with conflict situations or contentious personalitiesRelate social and psychological theory to practice situationsIdentify the information necessary to solve a problemOffer supportive services in the separation, detachment and reattachment process Typical Qualifications Minimum Requirements and Experience Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work or counseling experience; or Bachelor's Degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or Master's Degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling; or a four year degree in a human services field or related curriculum including at least 15 semester hours in courses related to social work or counseling and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four year college or university and four years' experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling, or human services field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work, or community organization; at least one year of experience monitoring Adult Care Home Facilities; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.Successful pre-employment drug screen.Successful criminal background check. Physical Demands: The ability to perform all duties associated with the position including, but not limited to lifting, prolonged standing, driving, sitting, bending, stooping, and operating or performing work with associated tools and machines.

We offer a complete benefits package to Full-time regular (FTR) employees including health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, employee assistance plan, referral program, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time regular (PTR) employees who work an average of 20 hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.