Supervising Social Worker I (Full-Time)

Job Summary

Under general direction, the Social Worker Supervisor I plans, organizes and supervises social service and employment staff engaged in providing information and referral services, adult protective services, in-home supportive services, home placement services, child protective services, emergency response services and/or employment services; performs other related work as assigned.

Social Worker Supervisor I is the first supervisory level in the series. Social Worker Supervisor I differs from the next lower classification of Social Worker IV in that the former is the first line supervisor. Social Worker Supervisor I differs from Social Worker Supervisor II in that the latter is at the second supervisory level and requires a Master's degree.

Examples of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plans, assigns, supervises, coaches, mentors, and reviews the work of employees engaged in the delivery of employment and social services; consults with and guides social workers in providing counseling, support and guidance to clients with complex or specialized needs; may be required to work or supervise on-call
• Reviews and approves forms, applications, court reports, placements, reports of abuse and other documents to verify information or determine proper course of action; reassesses and modifies case plans
• Reviews and approves reports of abuse; suggests or approves placements; may provide information to law enforcement or district attorneys; may testify in court; supports witnesses and victims who must testify in court
• Documents and addresses clients' concerns and complaints
• Selects, trains, evaluates, and disciplines subordinate staff
• Discusses or interprets regulations, rules, policies and programs to clients, applicants, staff and the general public
• Assists and participates in the development of in-service staff development programs
• Facilitates communication between staff and management; communicates department expectations and activities, policy changes, and regulatory changes; evaluates and recommends service delivery improvements
• Authorizes the provision of social and employment services through the department, provides services, and makes referrals to other agency staff and community agencies
• Provides social services for sensitive or confidential cases, in the absence of assigned social workers or to meet workload demands
• Participates or intercedes in interviews to defuse hostile or angry clients; obtains information on personal issues in difficult or emotional situations; explains decisions or recommendations to clients and family members
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships and trust with staff, clients, family members, community organizations and the public; collaborates with service providers; facilitates a work environment favoring teamwork, collaboration and mutual respect
• Provides peer support for coworkers facing case related stress
• Develops and prepares court reports, case plans, case narratives and safety plans in automated computer systems
• Enters and retrieves data and narratives from automated computer systems
• Maintains written chronological narrative reflecting personal or other contacts with the client and reasons for the social worker's actions; prepares and maintains case records and databases; communicates decisions, timelines, recommendations and case plans to clients, families and service providers
• Enters and retrieves information from an automated computer system; researches information using the Internet and computer resources
• Receives, approves and prepares correspondence and reports
• Ensures all services are delivered in a respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate manner and
• Maintains confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; performs all duties in conformance with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics
• In small agencies, may be responsible for social workers involved in the provision of the full range of social services including advanced services
• Performs related duties as assigned

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of supervision, training, mentoring, motivating, casework consultation, and peer counseling
• Principles and practices of organization, workload management, and time management
• Principles and practices of note taking, report writing, and English composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Functions of public social services agencies and the principles of public social service administration
• Casework concepts, techniques of interviewing, and record keeping in social casework
• Laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies and the role and responsibilities of a social worker
• Medical, legal, economic, and social management needs of individuals and families with special medical needs such as HIV disease, drug dependency, the medically fragile child, Alzheimer's, and the terminally ill
• Strategies and protocols surrounding crisis intervention techniques such as voice modulation and assessing the potential for suicide
• Psychopathology, the different types of mental illness diagnoses, how mental illness affects human behavior and mental health services and treatments utilized by clients
• Signs, stages, and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior
• Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families
• Standards for maintaining clients safely in the home; options for placement; effects of removing clients from unsafe situations
• Principles and methodologies of research, analysis, problem solving, and decision making.
• Computers, software, and Internet research
• Resources available in the community for referral or utilization in employment or social service programs
• Principles, methods, and resources in the field of public health, mental health, education, corrections and rehabilitation as they relate to public social services

Ability to

• Exercise sound judgment when organizing, directing, and prioritizing unit activities.
• Select, train, coach, supervise, evaluate, and discipline subordinate staff
• Mentor, counsel, and collaborate with staff and foster an environment of teamwork, mutual respect and professionalism
• Apply effective interpersonal and interviewing skills
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, clients, and outside organizations
• Present oral and written reports concisely and clearly
• Analyze a situation accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with legal standards and/or county regulations
• Recognize signs of abuse for children, the elderly and dependent adults; assess risk factors and potential dangers to clients
• Act effectively in stressful situations
• Interact professionally and respectfully with clients including difficult, hostile, or distressed clients
• Use computers and related software

Essential Functions

• Operate a personal computer and other modern office equipment, including repetitive hand and arm motion.
• Frequently sit for extended periods
• Frequently operate a motor vehicle.
• May occasionally lift and carry up to 40 pounds
• Communicate effectively with others in person and over the telephone.
• Analyze data, interpret directions, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.
• Perform job duties under stressful conditions.
• Respond appropriately to situations.
• Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
• Regular attendance is an essential function.

Minimum Qualifications

Three (3) years of full-time experience performing journey level social work case management duties* in a Social Worker II classification in an Interagency Merit System (IMS) county; (Substitution: One year of graduate work in social work or counseling may substitute for one year of the required experience.)

One (1) year of full-time experience performing advanced journey level social work case management duties in a Social Worker III classification in an Interagency Merit System (IMS) county.

Four (4) years of full-time experience performing social work case management duties. *Qualifying social work case management includes direct case work management, such as: assessment, evaluation; conducting investigations of abuse and neglect; preparing court reports; responsibility for a long term caseload, monitoring compliance through home calls and other personal contact; collaboration with other agencies and linking clients to resources and programs; development of a case plan, modification of case plans as needed/required; and authority to impose sanctions or implement actions that impact services.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

About Merced County

Merced County is located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley in central California, an area earning worldwide acclaim for its rich agriculture, and spans from the coastal ranges to the foothills of Yosemite National Park. The City of Merced, the self-proclaimed Gateway to Yosemite, has a population of approximately 81,102, yet retains the charm of a small town with amenities routinely found in larger communities. Merced's revitalized downtown is emerging as the entertainment center of the area. The County is representative of the rural heartland and Gold Rush remnants underpinning the state's heritage. It is a peaceful, quiet, and friendly area with an abundance of beautiful bike paths and offers choices of higher education in UC Merced and Merced College.