Social Worker II

Salary: $56,766.00 Annually
Location : Human Services Complex, 2818 Neuse Blvd, New Bern, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 11102
Department: Social Services
Division: Child Services
Opening Date: 09/16/2026
Closing Date: 9/26/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Non-Exempt


Primary Purpose


Provide Mental Health/Substance Abuse/Intellectual and Developmental Disability case management services to all children/youth served by DSS to include CPS investigations, CPS in home, and Foster care. This includes, but is not limited to: linking, assessing consumer needs; arranging assessments; facilitating and attending treatment team meetings; evaluating appropriate community treatment services; initial developing, monitoring, revising, and implementing Person Centered Plans; submitting referrals to private providers and state operated facilities based upon the clinical recommendations of the child assessment; attending Juvenile court as needed to assist with coordination of mental health services and supports to juvenile court counselors and as requested by the judge as a means of preventing the unnecessary placement of children into DSS custody; monitoring and maintaining a tracking log on all Service Authorization Request for children in DSS custody who are placed in a leveled Medicaid funding placement; providing notification to foster care social workers on authorization dates for the children they serve; assisting with appeals as needed for services denied to a child in foster care; serving as a liaison for Trillium Health Resources; coordination and discussions with Trillium staff as it relates to service needs, concerns with providers, expediting service authorizations as it relates to children in DSS custody; monitoring and maintaining a tracking log of assigned Trillium Care Coordinators who are assigned to children in DSS custody and placed in a leveled Mental Health program; providing guidance and training to DSS staff relating to service authorizations, documents required for mental health services and monitoring of services performed by providers of enhanced mental health services. Working with other community resources in meeting/achieving client service needs. Participates in interagency planning and service coordination activities as directed to improve and enhance service continuity and effectiveness for clients. Participating in case conferences, administrative reviews, recipient staffing and informal conferences; Advocate for child's behavioral health, educational and placement needs. Provides education and guidance to DSS staff, parents, guardians, and other significant individuals about services available in the community. Assists DSS staff parents, significant others, and or guardian in choosing which services are most appropriate for consumers. As needed after hours' crisis coverage- including assistance with nonauthorized placements. Locate/coordinate placements for leveled children beyond those in foster care. Coordinate for appropriate placements for children needing leveled placement who are not currently leveled. Communicate across all areas the status of the child in regards to progress, challenges, needs in the home setting, training, and licensure. Must interact with other agencies in service provision arrangements; ability to relay information as necessary. Request Care Coordination services from MCO as needed. Locate emergency shelter placements as needed. Obtain service orders and certificates of need for higher levels of care.

Essential Functions

Training/Education
Provides education and guidance to DSS staff, parents, guardians, and other significant individuals about services available in the community. Assists DSS staff parents, significant others, and or guardian in choosing which services are most appropriate for consumers. Communicates with MCO and service providers concerning openings in programs, new provider agencies and other service areas to assist DSS staff with coordination of services. Enhancement of services in the Craven County area, communicates with private providers, community partners and stakeholders to increase mental health services through provider meetings, telephone and email communication. Provides guidance and education to DSS staff concerning referral documentation, intake packets and other required documents to access mental services for children and families.

Service Coordination/Crisis Response
Provide indirect periodic service to link, coordinate, refer and monitor services provided to consumers in all settings. Has knowledge of resources in community, ability to evaluate consumer needs, development of person centered plans, coordination of services with external and internal providers, obtain authorizations from MCO, facilitation of treatment meetings, completion of incident reports. Work with DSS staff, DJJ Court Counselors, Partners Health Management Care Coordinator to complete referrals and service coordination to ensure children receive appropriate and recommended mental health services; in-home services or out of home placement. To track authorizations for these services to ensure appropriate funding is in place, maintain placement stability and to assist in planned step down. Also responsible for tracking and linking DSS SW with care coordinators through Partners Health Management assigned to children in DSS custody that are receiving enhanced services.
Provides assistance with crisis response to clients who have immediate needs and problems that must be attended. Assisting and stabilizing placement of children and adolescents who are in DSS custody and are in need of Mental Health/Substance Abuse/Intellectual and Developmental Disability services to address their presenting needs. To help support stability. This SW assists in finding placements after disruptions or when consumers transition between different services. This SW will partner with foster care SW, Supervisors along with other staff to ensure all clinical needs of children in leveled placements are being met and transition plans are in progress. This includes attending treatment team meetings and CFTs with foster care SWs. This SW will work with Department of Juvenile Justice to ensure children involved have services needed to prevent them from entering foster care.

Administrative
Completes documentation necessary to meet Medicaid and medical-legal standards. Completes initial developing, monitoring, revising, and implementing Person Centered Plans.

Legal
Attending Juvenile court weekly to assist with coordination of mental health services, support to juvenile court counselors and as requested by the judge as a means of preventing the unnecessary placement of children into DSS custody.

Other
This position also assists in disaster relief efforts that includes but is not limited to shelter duty. Assignment to emergency shelter duty during times of potentially dangerous or manmade disasters is an essential function of this position and you shall be required to fulfill these duties when instructed. Position may perform other duties as assigned by the Director and Deputy Director.

Minimum Education and Experience


Bachelor's degree in social work from an appropriately accredited institution; bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of directly related experience; bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two years directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Equivalent Training and Experience
BSW degrees are preferred. Other appropriate combinations of education and experience will be considered for trainee / work-against status. Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning.


Special Requirements
G.S. 153A-94.2(b) Subject to SBI criminal history record check prior to hire.
Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license; any restrictions on North Carolina driver's license must not prohibit the performance of the essential functions of the position.
Craven County offers regular full-time employees a wide variety of employee benefits including:

Health Insurance
Health Insurance is provided by ACS Benefits Services and covers a wide variety of healthcare services. Craven County pays 100% of Employee Only premium cost. Employees have the option to add child and spouse dependent coverage at their own cost.

Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance is provided through the Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier network administered by ACS Benefits Services. It covers a percentage of basic to major dental procedures, including orthodontia for children. Craven County pays 100% of Employee Only premium cost. Employees have the option to add child and spouse dependent coverage at their own expense.

Life Insurance and AD&D
Craven County provides eligible employees with $10,000 life insurance and accidental dealth and dismemberment coverage through OneAmerica AUL. Employees have the option to purchase additional coverage and/or dependent coverage at their own expense.

Disability Insurance
Craven County provides eligible employees with $50.00 per week in disability insurance through OneAmerica AUL. Employees have the option to purchase additional disability insurance at their own cost.

North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System
Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the retirement system and must contribute 6% of their gross salary each pay period. Once eligibility requirements are met, employees will be able to receive monthly payments for life based on their salary, age, and years of service credit.

NC401k
Craven County contributes 2% of eligible employees' gross salary into the 401(k) account regardless of the employee's deferral amount. In addition, the County matches employee deferrals up to an additional 3%.


Annual Leave
Regular full-time employees earn annual leave based upon years of service. Eligible employees begin to accrue annual leave as soon as they start but must complete a six month probationary period before they are eligible to use annual leave.

• Less than two years of service earns 10 days per year.
• Two but less than five years of service earns 12 days per year.
• Five but less than 10 years of service earns 15 days per year.
• 10 but less than 20 years of service earns 18 days per year.
• 20 or more years of service earns 20 days per year.

Sick Leave
Regular full-time employees earn 3.69 hours of sick leave per pay period. Craven County accepts eligible sick leave from the State of North Carolina, any of its political subdivisions, any local government entity or authority, or municipality in North Carolina.

Paid Holidays
County employees receive 11-14 paid holidays annually. The Board of County Commissioners may adjust the holiday schedule as deemed necessary.

Longevity
Eligible employees earn $200 in longevity after five years of service by October 31 of the qualifying year. Longevity benefits increase $25 per year up to a maximum of $1,000.

Merit Program
Craven County offers a merit program. Up to 56% of eligible employees may receive a performance-based merit increase each year.

Supplemental Benefits
County employees are also offered a variety of supplemental benefits to select at their own expense such as Life Insurance, Vision Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Critical Care policies, Cancer policies, Long-term Care policies, Hospitalization policies, 457b Deferred Compensation Plan and Aflac.

Employee benefits are subject to change or may be contingent upon funding availability.